Thousands of young people across the UK will be getting ready to head off to University in a couple of months. There’s lots to organise – accommodation, finding new flatmates, books and coming up with a back-up plan in case the A-level grades aren’t as expected. Should you be adding a criminal record check onto the list?
Courses Requiring a DBS Check
The laws around criminal record checking specify a number of occupations which need a DBS check. This list is extensive, but mainly includes people in healthcare, or who work with children or vulnerable adults. There is no point on embarking on, for example, a university course to be a teacher if you have a long list of criminal convictions for violence as you are unlikely to get a job. Also, many university courses in education or healthcare combine classroom education with work shadowing or on the job training. Students may be left in charge of children or patients, so most university courses will ask students to go through the process of getting a certificate before the start of term.
What DBS Check do I Need?
Universities will give advice and guidance on which level of check is required for each course. In most cases, students who are applying for a place to study medicine, teaching, nursing and similar courses will need an enhanced disclosure check, the most detailed available. This check looks at someone’s entire criminal record, not just recent offences. Checks take several weeks to turn around, so get moving on the paperwork as soon as possible as students will not be allowed out on placements or shadowing until their certificate has been received. Although students aren’t generally paid for the work they complete when out of university on placement, this doesn’t qualify them for the volunteer exemption. Students will be expected to fund the cost of their own DBS checks. Students who live in Scotland or Northern Ireland will apply through the similar bodies in their own area.
Other DBS Checks for University?
For other courses, DBS checks will not be required, and students will be able to start university without completing any paperwork. The one exception to this is students who are thinking of moving int private rented accommodation rather than student halls. Many private landlords will ask all tenants to go through a basic DBS check as a condition of their insurance. Insurers will often ask for a guarantee that nobody in the property has a current criminal record, and again the student or tenant will be expected to pay for this themselves.
If you are being asked to apply for an enhanced disclosure check before starting your course, the Admissions Department at your university should be able to provide all of the guidance you need. Always check with them if you have any questions about how to complete the form. Students who need a basic check for a landlord can manage this process themselves online, including the section about verifying their identity which can now be done digitally.
