More than quarter of a million people have used the DBS Update Service – which allows employees to check their criminal record status.
The Update Service was launched by DBS last year allowing people to access a continually up-to-date certificate, when they need it, for an annual fee of £13.
The service keeps certificates up-to-date by carrying out regular checks. Subscribers can take their certificate from role to role, where the same level and type of check is required, without having to re-apply. Sectors using it may include education, social care and health, which often see people working for a number of employers at the same time or making regular changes of employer.
Ofsted Early Years have just mandated the use of the Update Service, for newly registered child-minders.
DBS Chief Executive, Adriènne Kelbie, said: “Every day at DBS we focus on making sure children and vulnerable people are protected and kept safe. We are very proud of the work we do and how we help to safeguard our communities. We also want to make sure that our customers can gain access to information about their criminal record easily to ensure that employers can make appropriate and timely decisions.
“The Update Service is a perfect way of doing this as it means people can check online to see if their certificates are still valid and they don’t have to wait to start a new role. We are continually looking at ways of making our services more accessible to our customers and giving them the digital environment they expect.
“Work is under way on a new web portal for applicants and we are looking at rolling this out next year. We are all about protecting the public. So, to be able to do this, without being an unnecessary barrier for recruitment decisions, is something which makes me very proud.”
A teaching recruitment agency, Vision for Education, has been using the Update Service since its launch and 92pc of their candidates have already subscribed.
Julie Shaw, Vision for Education Director, said: “The advantages are obvious to all parties – schools in particular are reassured that all possible steps have been taken to ensure the accuracy of a candidate’s record in real time. We have peace of mind knowing that we’ve taken every reasonable step to ensure the safety of pupils and this gives candidates greater freedom to gain work quickly. The DBS check is not the only safeguarding tool for agencies, but it’s a very powerful one.” Go to www.gov.uk/dbs
About the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
A Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB) sponsored by the Home Office, the DBS was established under the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 and merged with the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) in December 2012. The DBS in England and Wales provides services for:
Disclosure – By providing criminal records and barred list checks to organisations as part of their pre- employment and management checking processes
Barring – By considering referrals made by organisations when an individual suspected of causing harm to a child or vulnerable adult has left this role, voluntarily or as the result of an investigation. Certain criminal offences, known as ‘Autobar offences’ also may result in an individual being added to the Barred List, either for adults, for children or for both. The DBS also determines whether the information provided on certificates applied for warrants consideration for barring.
For more on the DBS go to: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/disclosure-and-barring-service
