DBS Update Service Checks for Employers
The DBS Update Service (DBSUS) is a subscription service run by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). Signing up for this service means that DBS certificate holders gain a level of portability over their DBS check(s). This service is charged at £13p.a. and by subscribing to it, certificate holders can:
Add/Remove DBS Certificates
View employers who have checked the status of a certificate
Amend their contact details.
The key aim of the DBSUS is to improve the speed and ease of the recruitment process for those within regulated industries like education or care.
If applicants are working within the same workforce, it allows movement between roles without needing another online DBS check to be completed. Rather than carrying out another check, employers can:
Access a free online status check for an individual’s DBS check.
Be notified of any new information relating to that check.
A ‘Status Check’ is simply the act of looking up a subscriber’s DBS certificate information online to check for new information. This is commonly referred to as a DBS Update Service Check.
Carrying out Status Checks
To carry out a Status Check as an employer, you would follow this link and be required to enter the following information:
Your organisation name
Your forename
Your surname
Once you’ve entered this, the DBS system would ask you for the candidate's certificate information, as listed below:
DBS Certificate Number
Surname as it appears on the certificate
DOB as it appears on the certificate
The DBSUS would then show whether the status of the applicant's check has changed.
It is important to note that, the DBSUS will not show the original certificate. It only shows new information. For a subscription to the DBSUS to be valid, the certificate owner needs to have kept the original certificate. As an employer, you must have seen this before carrying out a Status Check.
Accepting an Existing Certificate on the DBS Update Service
Before accepting an existing DBS certificate, which is registered to the DBSUS, organisations need to be sure of a couple of things:
You have consent from the individual in question that you can carry out a Status Check of their existing DBS Check
You have examined the original DBS Certificate. If the candidate cannot provide this, their DBSUS subscription is invalid, and you cannot accept it.
You have confirmed the DBS Certificate matches the individual's identity
You have confirmed that the level of DBS Check is appropriate to the job they are applying for.
The last point is key when accepting an existing DBS Certificate. Not only does the level of DBS Check need to be the same, but it also needs to have the correct Workforce and Barred List included. Some DBS Certificates will disclose criminal history and barring information that is only relevant for working with adults. Some will only contain information relating to children.
Accepting an existing DBS Certificate of the wrong level or type can be a safeguarding risk because a recruitment decision would be made without all the relevant information. For example, someone applying to work at a care home may have an Enhanced DBS Check registered to the DBSUS. If this individual had been working at a primary school, this check would only be relevant for working with children. This makes it unsuitable for work in a care home, as that person could be barred from working with adults.
Accepting the wrong type of DBS Check can also potentially be a criminal offence. This is because under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (ROA) employers cannot view certain information about someone’s criminal record if it is not legally relevant to their role. This is why it’s so important for employers to double check that any existing DBS certificate they are accepting is of the correct type and level.
For more information about the DBS Update Service, click here.
For more information about anything in this article, or, how our screening solutions can help you, get in touch! You can give us a call on 01254 355688 or drop us an email at letstalk@personnelchecks.co.uk