People Dancing

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.

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. If you have been asked by an employer to apply for an Enhanced DBS check for a role for which you’re not sure is eligible, or which level of check is appropriate, please contact People Dancing or the DBS for advice. 

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 £13 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.

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 theInformationHub's simple filtering guide

Contacts:

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.

People Dancing DBS Registered Body
Shelley Trevelyan, Membership Services Coordinator and Lead Countersignatory. For further information about the DBS Enhanced Check service offered by People Dancing or to request an application form. E-mail: shelley@communitydance.org.uk Tel: 0116 253 3453 between 10am - 6pm.

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.