Blog

Every so often a press article appears detailing issues with backlogs in the DBS checking system in certain parts of the country. It’s certainly true that some areas perform far better than others; although the government sets a target of 85% of applications turned around within 14 days, several regions are regularly missing this target. Performance in London has been consistently poor, with waits of up to 100 days not uncommon. Depending on the role, workers may not be allowed to start work until their paperwork is received, remaining in limbo for months while they wait for their checks to be done. So, if you’re in the position of applying for a job as a carer or teaching assistant in Yorkshire or London, what can you do speed up your DBS checks?

We’re all used to “Health and Safety” being used as a catch all for banning everything from climbing ladders to playing with conkers in autumn. Could it be that DBS checking is the next thing which people are latching on to as a reason why people can or cannot do things? This certainly seemed to be the case recently when parents at a school in Kent were told that they were not even allowed to accompany their children into the playground without a DBS check.

Thousands of people working in the UK, do so for International Companies. Many are UK Residents, permanently based in the UK and do not have the need to travel, however a percentage will be either based in the UK with a working visa from abroad or a working visit on a short-term basis, maybe even for a few days. There are various types of organisations, from those Primarily focused on profit-making to International Charities. Either way some of these will require a form of Police / criminal check dependant on the role and government regulations.

Unlike a Basic Disclosure you cannot apply as an individual for an enhanced DBS check for yourself. This check must be carried out via a registered agency. Those who are applying to work in a care home for example, would have their DBS checks carried out by an agency the care home is registered to. An individual would provide their potential employers with personal identification, proof of address and address history of 5 years.

Many UK residents regularly work or live outside of the UK. This may be on a short term or more permanent basis. The levels and requirements of the checks may vary dependent on what and where the check is required for.

It can come as quite a shock to apply for a job in a hospital, in the courts service or in any other type of organisation and find out that you must get something called a “Basic Disclosure”. It can get even more confusing when people start to refer to police checks, CRB checks, background checks, or any other terms. Here’s what you need to know about Basic Disclosure, and what the process will involve.

Have you ever been in the situation of not understanding what someone is telling you because of the quantity of jargon and abbreviations they use. If you’re an expert in a subject then using jargon becomes second nature but don’t fall into the trap of thinking everyone else has the same level of understanding as you. Here’s some of the terms you’ll come across in connection with DBS, and what it all means.

There are many different occupations in the UK which are advertised as requiring enhanced disclosure, or enhanced police checks. This can all sound a bit worrying if you don’t understand the system, but in most cases checking is very straightforward and nothing to be concerned about.

Despite the Brexit process being well underway, the UK government has recognised that we need workers from the rest of the EU and further afield to work in our health services, care homes and other areas of the economy. Workers from overseas are entitled to the same rights as workers from the UK, so must be paid at least minimum wage, have the same holidays, pension rights and so on. Employers also have the same obligations to check that their recently arrived workers from overseas have nothing in their criminal records which should prevent them from working with vulnerable adults or children. But how do you check the records of someone who has been in the UK for a very short time only?

Most British workers are aware that in order to work with certain vulnerable groups, staff members need to be checked over by the authorities to make sure they are suitable for that type of work. Many other countries have similar legislation, aimed at protecting children from people who might cause them harm. There are separate bodies for checking people depending on whether you live in Northern Ireland, Scotland or England and Wales, and in most cases employers are fairly good at knowing the law and making sure they adhere to requirements. It’s not always easy to know where to turn if you are confused though.