Category Archives: DBS News and Advice

New guidance has been issued by the Disclosure and Barring Service for people who are thinking about applying for work overseas, particularly in the charity and overseas aid sectors. This is particularly relevant with the recent devastating earthquake in Turkey, which has left thousands in need of overseas help.

As basic disclosures can be obtained by anyone, many organisations and public bodies use these as certificates of “good character”, allowing the employer to find out about someone’s current and unspent criminal records. Many councils around the UK are calling for this basic level of checking to be compulsory for anyone applying to work as a local councillor representing their local communities.

Rules about vetting of people who do MOT testing changed in April 2022. Under the new rules, new MOT testers need to apply for a basic disclosure check before they can start carrying out tests. The rules apply to newly qualified MOT testers, testers who have previously been accredited for MOT testing but who have taken a short time away from the profession, and for anyone who has previously been accredited as a MOT tester but who has not tested in the previous five years.

St John Ambulance volunteers are a common sight at many major sports matches, concerts and public events, providing first aid and emergency healthcare. St John Ambulance is a volunteer-led organisation, which is appealing for new volunteers to step forward for training. What commitment is expected from those stepping forward to help out?

It has been 10 years since the Disclosure and Barring Service in England and Wales started their work checking criminal records. The Disclosure and Barring Service, or DBS, replaced the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) who handled vetting before 2012. Although it is still fairly common to hear people talking about applying for a CRB check, or waiting for a CRB certificate, this is old terminology.

A collective of background checks is often referred to as a pre-employment check and includes credit checks and reference requests. However, one of the most common forms of background checks in Scotland is a disclosure, which assesses the criminal background of job applicants.

People searching for a job will be familiar with background checks, as will businesses hiring new employees. However, there can be several types of background screening to consider. A DBS Checks details any criminal history of an applicant, but the details shown can depend on the role a person is applying for.

When applying for a job, there are often a series of background checks that must be undertaken beforehand. Many assume that requesting their own disclosure is the fastest way of completing background checks, and in some instances, this can be true. However, the type of disclosure needed can vary, so it won’t always be possible for people to request their own disclosure.

List 99 was a register used and managed by the Department of Education and Skills and held the names of individuals barred from working with children. Although people still cite List 99 Checks, they stopped in 2002 and were replaced by the Children’s Barred List.

A DBS Check will always show serious offences when conducting a background check. However, a certificate will not show some convictions for several reasons. The following looks at how offences are detailed on a DBS Certificate and instances where results will be filtered.