Who are the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS)?
The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) merged on 1st December 2012 to form the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The DBS are a non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Home Office, which helps employers make safe and informed recruitment decisions.
The DBS do this by allowing employers involved in certain types of work, known as ‘regulated activity’, to carry out criminal records checks on new or existing staff. In the rest of this article we’ll look at exactly what the DBS do to support UK employers.
What Do the DBS Do?
Process Requests for Disclosures
A DBS Check, also known as a Disclosure, involves a search of police records and, in relevant cases, barred list information. Once a DBS Check has been completed, they issue a DBS certificate to the applicant. The DBS certificate then needs to be presented to the employer to help them make an informed recruitment decision.
As information released on DBS certificates can be extremely sensitive and personal, a code of practice for recipients of DBS certificates has been developed to ensure that any information they contain is handled fairly and used properly.
Manage Barring Referrals
Referrals are made to the DBS when an organisation has concerns that someone has caused or poses a future risk of harm to vulnerable groups, including children. For employers engaging in regulated activity, there is a legal responsibility to make a barring referral to the DBS if you have concerns or evidence of harm regarding a staff member or volunteer.
You can learn more about how to make a barring referral here.
Make Barring Decisions
The DBS endeavours to make fair, consistent and thorough barring decisions that are appropriate when considering the harm that has occurred or was at risk of occurring. The DBS are keenly aware of the impact barring or not barring can have both to the person under consideration and those with whom they have contact. This means they must make very difficult and finely balanced decisions.
Who Do the DBS Work With?
Managing the UK’s criminal record and barring infrastructure is no easy task. It is managed by the DBS in partnership with several other organisations:
Police forces in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man – the police provide information that is held locally, or on the Police National Computer
ACRO Criminal Records Office (ACRO) – manages criminal record information and improves the exchange of criminal records and biometric information
Responsible Organisations – a Responsible Organisation is an organisation that is registered with DBS to submit Basic DBS checks
Registered Bodies - a Registered Body is an organisation that is registered with DBS to submit Standard, Enhanced, and Enhanced with Barred Lists DBS checks
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