Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
If your group or organisation works with children or vulnerable adults, it may be necessary for paid staff and volunteers to undergo DBS checks (formerly known as CRB checks).
DBS checks are designed to help organisations from public, private and VCSE sectors to make safer recruitment decisions by identifying candidates who may be unsuitable for certain areas of work, especially those which may involve contact with children or other vulnerable members of society.
How can Thurrock CVS help?
As a registered DBS Umbrella Body, Thurrock CVS is able to help groups and organisations through the process of applying for DBS checks on staff and volunteers.
Our role is to:
- Check and validate the information provided by the applicant on the application form
- Establish the true identity of the applicant through the examination of a range of documents using guidance provided by the DBS
- Ensure the application form is fully completed and that the information it contains is accurate
- Countersign applications to confirm that the organisation has an entitlement to access criminal records information
- Ensure compliance with the DBS’s code of practice.
Applicants and employers can use the DBS update service https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service to keep a certificate upto date or carry out checks on a potential employee’s certificate. This service is free to volunteers and for paid workers, the subscription costs £13 per year.
There are 3 types of criminal record checks:
Standard – £42.20 Spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands, final warnings (£24.20 if you are a volunteer)
Enhanced – £62.20 as above, plus any additional information held locally by police forces that’s reasonably considered relevant to the post applied for (£24.20 if you are a volunteer)
Please note there is a one of charge of £12 to register your organisation as a sub organisation of Thurrock CVS.
A DBS check has no official expiry date. Any information included on a check will be accurate at the time the check was carried out. It is up to an employer to decide if they think a new check is needed.
For full guidance on the Disclosure & Barring Service please click here
For the ID documents required for DBS checks click here.
It can be difficult to determine if a DBS check needs to be performed, and at what level, the DBS have produced a case study with three examples to help clarify. Download here
For more information on this follow the link here
If you would like further information please get in touch by emailing Jacqui@ngagethurrock.org.uk
Other services
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- Event management
If you would like further information please get in touch by emailing Jacqui@ngagethurrock.org.uk