DBS Checks are provided by the Disclosure and Barring Service and are available at three different levels. The type of DBS Check carried out can depend on the role, but an Enhanced DBS Check is a must for those working with children, but does it include a List 99 Check?
What Is a List 99 Check?
There can be some confusion regarding List 99 Checks because although the term is still used, the process has been renamed. List 99 was a register of names available to the education sector showing those not permitted to work with children.
The Department of Education and Skills initially managed the list, but since the merging of the Criminal Records Bureau and Independent Safeguarding Authority in 2012, List 99 is now referred to as the Children’s Barred List.
The reason why an Enhanced DBS Check is required is that this level of check also allows businesses and organisations to check a persimmon is not listed on the Children’s Barred List.
Is The Barred List Restricted to the Education Sector?
Given that schools and other educational institutions used the List 99 Check, many may assume the same is true for the Barred List, but this isn’t the case. An Enhanced DBS can also include a Barred Lists check, meaning any business or organisation can use it.
However, an individual cannot request their own Enhanced DBS Check, so it will always need to be requested via a corporate account due to the sensitive nature of such checks.
How to Carry Out an Enhanced DBS Check?
An Enhanced DBS Certificate can be requested via the Disclosure and Barring Service or via an agency. When a business asks for an Enhanced DBS Check, it will need to provide the person’s name, address and date of birth along with supporting documentation to verify their identity.
What Documentation is Required for an Enhanced DBS Check?
A business needs to obtain photographic identification like a passport or driving licence along with proof of address to ensure the person is who they say they are.
Businesses must also inform the person about any background checks being carried out. Failure to do so could mean data protection is breached, which can have several legal ramifications for a business.
The proof of address must be captured from a utility bill, credit card statement or bank statement. A driving licence can be used as proof of address if it has not been used as photographic identification. For example, if a passport was used as a photographic ID, a driving licence will act as proof of address.
However, if the applicant used the driving licence to prove an address, then other documentation will be needed to establish a person’s identity.
Once all the information is collected, businesses and organisations can make an application online.
Many people prefer to use an external agency, as the results can be obtained quicker, and those with several background checks to carry out can easily access digital results in a secure cloud environment.
