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Over the years the Disclosure and Barring Service system has changed, and the most important change in recent times has been the ability for an individual to request a criminal record check on themselves. There are however some limits to this system.

Councils around the country are trying to tread a fine line between speeding up the process of getting new carers on board, but at the same time ensuring that processes are robust enough to safeguard some very vulnerable children and young people.

If there’s one phrase we’ve heard more in the last couple of months than any other, it’s “key workers”. This phrase is something you’ll hear multiple times a day from television reporters and government briefings.

According to an investigation by leading technology publication New Scientist, a large number of government websites have serious security issues which could put you at risk. The government operates over 3000 different websites under the gov.uk domain name, covering everything from central government departments to smaller district council websites.

Data Protection consultants have warned third sector organisations about the growing trend for extensive screening checks on workers. Following on the heels of safeguarding scandals in the charity sector, data protection consultants are seeing a rush by charities to ramp up the levels of screening carried out for both employees and volunteers.

A recent political scandal in Scotland involving the SNP Finance Secretary and texts sent to teenage boys has seen renewed calls for disclosure checks for anyone taking public office. Although in the case of the SNP politician there has been no arrest, no charge and no prosecution, politicians from other parties have tabled a motion to add elected representatives into the list of people who require enhanced disclosure checks.

The list of people who require a DBS check to carry out their work is constantly changing. Keeping track of all the changes can be tricky. One of the biggest changes in recent months seems to have flown entirely under the radar. This change affects garage owners and people who are running MOT checks on your car.

Pressure is being brought on the Disclosure and Barring Service to change its policy on youth cautions. A year after a landmark ruling by the Supreme Court, people applying for enhanced disclosure checks still have the possibility of cautions received many decades ago appearing on their certificate.

Any time the DBS check system hits the headlines it’s usually because someone has been waiting weeks or months for their check to come back. There are however some tips and tricks which you can use to maximise your chances of speeding through the system.

The Welsh Assembly has passed legislation to ban parents from smacking their children, following the lead of the Scottish parliament which passed similar legislation in 2019.