A recent report from Parliament showed that far fewer people had signed up to use the DBS Update service which had been hoped for. The reasons for this are unknown, but part of the reasons may be down to the fact that people don’t understand the benefits of DBS Update and can’t see how it might benefit them. Here are five of the reasons why you should consider paying the annual subscription to the service.
Work Mobility
If you’re the sort of person who changes employers a lot, or just want the flexibility to be able to take on new jobs at short notice, it can be extremely frustrating to apply for a new DBS each time, especially when your employer won’t let you start work without it. DBS Update allows you to log into your account online to see your current DBS status as at today’s date. This can also be shared with your new employer, allowing you to start work right away.
Different Settings
Many of us work a couple of jobs part time rather than one full time job and might volunteer in another role in the evenings or at weekends. Having DBS update keeps things simple, in that all your information is in one place and you don’t have multiple different DBS certificates for different roles. It also lets you take up new jobs of volunteer roles without delay.
Dynamic Information
It’s often said that a DBS certificate is only valid on the day it’s issued. That’s because any convictions, cautions or Police intelligence about you won’t be disclosed to your employer until the next time your DBS is up for renewal, which could be three years away. DBS Update is a dynamic system which is updated regularly with any new information which the Police hold about you and which is relevant to your DBS. This gives added reassurance to employers.
See Who Is Checking on You
You’re in control of your DBS Update, not an employer and not any voluntary organisation you’re helping out. You are free to give your DBS Update login to any new employer to access your information online. You will receive notification any time your account is looked at, allowing you to check who is looking at your record, and making sure that your employer is not accessing your record multiple times, or allowing access by several people.
Challenge and Check
The DBS Update service may alert you more quickly to mistakes which have been listed on your record. Just as we’re encouraged to check our credit record for strange transactions which could indicate identify fraud, it’s a good idea to keep your eye on your DBS record too. It’s not unknown for offences committed by a person with the same name or same date of birth to end up on your record by accident. If you’re not using the DBS Update service, the first you’ll know of this is when it’s disclosed on your certificate. Update gives you the chance to correct the mistakes at the earliest opportunity.
