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Also known as List 99, this is the list of people who are formally blocked from working with specific groups. Enhanced disclosures will usually involve a search of this list.
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In Northern Ireland, the criminal records check system is run by AccessNI, and provides broadly the same level of information to employers and individuals.
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Your certificate will be sent to your home address. After you have shown it to your employer, they will usually return it to you, after taking a note of the number.
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There are many different combinations of documents which you can use for a check. If you don’t have identity documents in your own name, speak to the DBS for advice first.
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Under rehabilitation law in all parts of the UK, crimes and convictions drop off the end of your criminal record after a set period. An unspent conviction hasn’t reached that stage yet.
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CRB stands for Criminal Records Bureau. This organisation has been replaced by the Disclosure and Barring Service in England and Wales.
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A standard DBS certificate will include all current convictions and cautions, plus any older conviction information which the Police feel is relevant to the application.
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Part of the process involves checking the identity of the person making the application, so you’ll need key documents such as passport, driving licence, utility bills or credit card statements.
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There is no expiry date printed on a DBS certificate. Employers have to make their own decisions about how often they want to repeat tests on workers, based on their own safeguarding policies.
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It all depends on the sentence, and the age of the person involved. Some of the most serious crimes will never be spent. Look on an online calculator if you think it might affect you.
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Your employer should be able to help with your DBS application, but the DBS can also respond to queries by either email or phone, during standard office hours.
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In order to search effectively, the DBS will need all previous names, whether given names or surnames.
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The jobs which require a DBS check are called regulated activity. There is lots of information online about which jobs need a DBS check. As a general rule, these are jobs in childcare, education and healthcare.
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Not every job needs a DBS check. In some occupations, such as working with children or in healthcare, your employer needs to check your background by law.
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The level of detail shown on a DBS certificate will depend on the type of check. There are three levels of check, Basic, Enhanced and Standard.
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A basic DBS check is the least detailed check. The certificate will show the applicant’s unspent record only, both convictions and cautions.
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The most detailed DBS check is an enhanced certificate. This will show current convictions and cautions, older information if relevant, and also any relevant intelligence held on the police computer.
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Update is a subscription service offered by the Disclosure and Barring Service which gives you real-time access to your disclosure information using an online database.
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The certificate is the end of the DBS process, and is a physical piece of paper sent out in the post to the applicant, not their employer.
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A CRB check is a type of background check run in the United Kingdom, which looks into an individual’s criminal record, or other police intelligence.
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