People Dancing has been processing and countersigning Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) Disclosures for members since 2002 in it's capacity as a CRB Registered Body. From 1 December 2012, the CRB was re-named: Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS). This information refers to Enhanced DBS Checks for work with children, young people and vulnerable adults in England and Wales. For Scotland, please visit Disclosure Scotland. For Northern Ireland, please visit AccessNI.

Applying for an Enhanced DBS check

Professional, Associate and Higher Education Members can access People Dancing's DBS service.

What's the DBS application process, and how long does it take?

The application process is as follows:

1. Join People Dancing
2. Contact us to request a DBS application. Either email us, or call us on 0116 253 3453 within office hours and we’ll send an email with a link to a DBS request form which includes a payment facility
3. People Dancing will then issue DBS application instructions to you by email, including a link to upload your details on our DBS online application platform
4. Enter your details onto the People Dancing DBS platform online and create a Digital Identity to share with the platform using a UK passport to verify your identity (view below information on using Digital ID)
5. Allow approximately 7 working days for People Dancing to approve your application online and submit it to the DBS
6. The DBS aims to issue and despatch a certificate within 2 working weeks depending on the volume of applications.

 

Using the Digital Identity application route - FAQ’S

1. What is the ‘Digital Identity (Digital ID) route’ when applying for a DBS check? It is the quickest and most secure way to verify your identity, without the need to provide original documents or certified copies of your documents sent through the post, to support your application. The process is done by creating your Digital Identity via a downloadable smartphone app and sharing it with us via a QR code at the end of the DBS application form online

2. Is Digital ID a safe technology? The technology used has been certified to meet the most stringent security standards under government legislation, such as ISO/IEC 27001 - an international standard on how to manage private data and information

3. How does Digital ID work? Please click here for the applicant support information page from our DBS online platform provider

4. Who can use the Digital ID route? Any UK national with either: An ePassport (with embedded chip) OR A valid passport (without chip) and UK driving licence. That’s it, just one document, or two, if you do not hold an ePassport, which is the one with the chip, issued since approx. 2010

Note: Non-UK nationals are not able to use the Digital ID route because a document to show the Right to Work in the UK is required alongside two further valid documents. Non-UK applicants (including EU/EEA) must follow the manual identity checking route by sending in a valid seletion of 3 documents to People Dancing. We will then arrange a short Zoom call to verify yourself as the holder of the documents

5. What do I need in order to use the EasyID or YOTI app to verify my identity digitally? You will need a smartphone and a desktop computer or laptop or tablet, so that you can use your phone to scan the QR code at section 6 - the last page of the online DBS application form - which enables you to share your information with us

6. Is there an alternative to using the Digital ID route? If you are unable to use Digital ID or do not want to use it, you must complete the online DBS application form up to section 6 and then follow the manual identity checking route by sending in a valid selection of 3 documents to People Dancing. We will then arrange a short Zoom call to verify yourself as the holder of the documents

UK applicants: find a full list of DBS valid documents here to choose a combination of 3 documents

Non UK applicants: find a full list of DBS valid documents here to choose a combination of 3 documents.

DBS check fees

Important note: from 2 December 2024 the DBS are increasing their fees.

From 2 December People Dancing fees include the DBS fee, plus an online application fee and administration fee as follows:

• Professional Individual Member: £64, Professional Individual Member colleague £73, Volunteer helper/assistant £17
• Professional Organisation Member: £64 for paid positions, £17 for volunteer positions
• Associate Individual Member: £73.50
• Associate Organisation Member: £73.50 for paid positions, £17 for volunteer positions
• Higher Education Member: £73.50

Eg; DBS for Associate Individual applicant: £73.50 which includes; DBS fee, online application form fee, People Dancing admin fee.

Please note: Volunteer DBS requests are available only to those requesting a DBS check for a volunteer working for a Professional Individual Member or People Dancing Organisation Member.

Do you need an Enhanced DBS check?

Enhanced DBS checks are required for individuals having a certain level of access to; and/or working directly with, children/young people or adults at risk.

What is an Enhanced DBS check used for?

An Enhanced DBS check is used as a part of the recruitment process for those working in specific roles with children/young people and/or adults at risk. The activities an individual will undertake in a role should be assessed to decide if a check is required and if so, which level of check is applicable.

Do you, or does someone working for you need an Enhanced DBS?

The following list gives some examples of positions likely to be eligible for an Enhanced DBS check, but is by no means exhaustive: dance practitioners, teachers, activity leaders, healthcare workers, social work staff, child minders, unsupervised volunteers, managers responsible for staff working with vulnerable people, anyone working in a school, nursery, children's home, childcare premises, anyone providing healthcare, personal care, or who assists with the managing of someone’s affairs or finances. 

Examples of positions unlikely to be eligible for an Enhanced DBS check: administrators, receptionists, cleaners, catering staff.

Which level of DBS check is required?

The table below shows the level of check and the information that will be shown on the DBS certificate.

Level of DBS check	Information shown on the DBS certificate
Standard DBS check (not used for work with vulnerable groups)	Details of all spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands and final warnings (apart from filtered convictions and cautions*) held on central police records.
Enhanced DBS check	The same as a Standard check plus any additional information held on police records that are considered relevant to the job in question.
Enhanced DBS with barred list check (for work in 'regulated activity' only)	The same as an Enhanced DBS, plus a check of the DBS children and /or adult barred lists - a list of individuals who are barred from working with children or adults at risk. This level of check can be applied for with jobs that involve caring for, supervising or being in sole charge of children or adults at risk - in regulated activity.

* A Court of Appeal judgement in January 2013 stated that the disclosure of all cautions and convictions on a DBS certificate was incompatible with Article 8 of the Convention for Human Rights. As a result, filtering rules for old and minor cautions and convictions were introduced. See Filtering in Definitions and Contacts section below.

DBS home-based checks

An Enhanced DBS check can include a home-based check for work carried in-person at home. The work may include teaching, training, instruction, and guidance with children and/or young people only. Applicants may confirm they need a home-based check prior to uploading their application on People Dancing’s DBS online platform.

The purpose of a third-party check is to allow the police to consider information held not only on the applicant, but also on a family member or friend associated with their home address. Note: a home-based check is not the equivalent of a DBS check on a member of a household. If the household member has opportunity for regular contact with groups, they will require a separate DBS check.

What is regulated activity?

Regulated activity is a classification used to determine the level of DBS check an employee or volunteer should have. It relates to the child or adult workforce and corresponding definitions. Work in regulated activity is eligible for an Enhanced DBS check with barred list(s) check.

Regulated activity in relation to children

Refers to particular activities and frequency:

Activities: a) teaching, training, instructing, caring for or supervising children, or providing advice or guidance on well-being, or driving a vehicle only for children and b) work for a limited range of establishments (known as specified places, which include schools and colleges), with the opportunity for contact with children.

Frequency: Work under a) is regulated activity only if done regularly: “regularly” is defined as; once a week or more, or on 4 or more days in a 30-day period, or overnight. Work under b) is regulated activity, but does not include work done by supervised volunteers.

Note: if your work takes place in a school (DBS specified place) you will most likely be asked to provide or apply for an Enhanced DBS check inc. children’s barred list check.

Regulated activity in relation to adults

Refers to particular activities but does not have a frequency element:

Healthcare: health care professionals or acting under the direction or supervision of one, for example doctors, nurses, health care assistants and physiotherapists.

Personal care: assistance with washing and dressing, eating, drinking and toileting or teaching someone to do one of these tasks.
Social work: provision by a social care worker of social work which is required in connection with any health services or social services. 
The work referred to above is subject to a DBS check if done even only once.

Please note: the above lists of activities are not exhaustive.

Work in; care, residential, or community settings with adults at risk

If your dance work takes place frequently with adults at risk in the above settings, an Enhanced DBS check without barred list is applicable.

Child and Adult Workforce information

All enhanced DBS checks processed for Members of People Dancing will indicate that the work is taking place with children - in the 'Child Workforce' - only.

Enhanced DBS checks for work in the Adult Workforce (ie. work with vulnerable adults or adults at risk) may be processed, but as the guidance on regulated activity with child and adults differs, we must check eligibility prior to approving a check for the Adult Workforce. Definitions of regulated activity in either workforce can be found further up this page.

Prospective applicants should also be aware that some employers such as schools, may only accept a DBS certificate showing the Workforce that the certificate is being presented for. In other words, they might not accept a DBS certificate showing a combined Child and Adult Workforce check if the activities being undertaken are with children only. In light of this, practitioners working in both the Child and Adult Workforce may need to consider applying for separate workforce DBS checks.

The DBS Update Service

The DBS Update Service is an online subscription service that lets you keep your DBS certificate(s) up to date and allows employers to check a certificate online, with your consent. You can use your certificate again when you apply for a position in the same workforce, where the same type and level of check is required.

How to register for the DBS Update Service

Individuals may register online at the DBS website using their DBS Application Form ref. no., or DBS Certificate number. A fee of £16 is payable with a debit/credit card and an ID number is issued.
1. Registering using the DBS Application Form Ref. number: The completed and countersigned application form must reach the DBS within 28 days of your registering

2. Registering using the DBS Certificate number: The applicant must register their DBS certificate within 30 days of the DBS certificate issue date. Registering is not permitted beyond the 30 day deadline of the issue date on the certificate.

Although you may be able to take your DBS Certificate from job to job, the DBS Update Service does not take the place of a renewed DBS certificate.

You may be asked to re-apply if;

• The employer has taken the decision not to use the Update Service
• Your DBS certificate is no longer current and has been removed from the Update Service
• The employer may need another level of DBS check than the one you have, for instance, if you are required to have an Enhanced with Adult’s Barred List check, but currently hold a certificate that is for an Enhanced check only (without a Barred List check)
• The employer may need another workforce type of DBS check than the one you have, for instance you may be required to have a DBS check for work with children but your current DBS certificate is for work with vulnerable adults.

Visit the DBS website for more information: DBS Update Service guidelines for applicants and employers.

Definitions and contacts

Vulnerable adult (adult at risk) A person aged 18 or over, who receives or may need community care services because of a disability, age or illness, and who is or may be unable to take care of themselves or protect himself or herself against significant harm or exploitation.

Child A child is a person under the age of 18.

DBS definition of a volunteer “Any individual engaged in an activity which involves spending time, unpaid (except for travel and other approved out of pocket expenses), doing something which aims to benefit some third party and not a close relative”. Students on training placements or people on work placements are not eligible for volunteer DBS checks.

DBS certificate validity/expiry DBS checks do not carry a pre-determined period of validity because a conviction or other matter could be recorded at any time after it is issued. Each DBS check will show the date on which it was printed.

Eligibility Eligibility for a DBS check is based on the activity undertaken by the individual.

DBS tracking online Track the progress of a submitted DBS application countersigned by People Dancing on the DBS online tracking page

Filtering is the term that the DBS use to describe the process which will identify and remove from the DBS certificate convictions and cautions which should no longer be disclosed due to changes to legislation. It doesn't mean the conviction or cautions will be 'removed' or 'wiped'. For more information on filtering, please see: Unlock website - simple filtering advice

Contact:

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
The DBS contact centre is open 6 days a week from: 8am - 8pm on weekdays. 10am - 5pm on Saturday. Tel: 03000 200 190. Welsh language line: 03000 200 191.

For more information and registration to keep your DBS check up to date, visit: DBS Update Service

Disclaimer: Reasonable precautions have been taken to ensure the information in this document is accurate. However, it is not intended to be legally comprehensive; it is designed to provide guidance in good faith but without accepting liability.