Careful consideration should be given to whether monitoring is necessary or if other safeguards provide adequate protection. Only certain volunteer functions and activities are eligible for review, and it's a crime to request a check from DBS if the position isn't eligible for one.
DBS checks
should not be used simply to check boxes “just in case”. Not every position that works or volunteers for a charity is eligible to pass a standard, improved or enhanced DBS check with banned lists.Volunteers at schools that are not supervised will need to perform a DBS check with a prohibited list check, as they are considered to be carrying out a “regulated activity”. Organizations that do not complete this number of checks can work with a “coordinating entity” (which normally charges a fee) to process the checks on their behalf. As an activity in and of itself, fundraising for a non-profit organization does not qualify a person to receive a standard DBS check, improved or improved with banned lists. Drivers can only undergo standard DBS checks, improved or enhanced with prohibited lists in very specific circumstances.
If the trustee is also engaged in regulated activities, both functions must be made clear in the “Position Requested” field of the DBS check request form. This would allow them to ask the trustee to request an improved DBS check for the adult staff, verifying the list of excluded adults. Anyone carrying out an activity included in the definition of regulated activity with adults can request an improved DBS verification, including a verification of the list of prohibited adults by the organization to decide if they are suitable for the position. More information on how to obtain a criminal background check abroad can be found in the Home Office's guide on criminal background checks.
for foreign applicants. Moderators of chat rooms created to be used primarily by adults who receive any of the specific services or activities in paragraphs 9 and 10 of the legal definition of “working with adults” (step 1 of Annex A) may be asked to request improved DBS control among the adult workforce, without the need to check the list of prohibited adults if they do so often enough. Could a volunteer from my group receive a DBS check if they visit a home where there is a vulnerable child or adult? For example, functions that meet the requirements for standard disclosure (i.e., are included in the order of exceptions to the Offender Rehabilitation Act) are set out in the DBS eligibility guide on the GOV. Helplines that are set up for any member of the public, not specifically aimed at adults, can only ask their workers or volunteers to request a basic DBS check. An improved DBS check will include certain information about you that appears in local police records, if the police deem it relevant. However, in order to perform a DBS check, it is essential that someone make decisions about whether people are fit to carry out certain activities.
If the person in Zambia has never visited the UK, a DBS check is unlikely to provide an accurate view of their criminal record. Eligibility decision makers should consider the activities carried out by people who work or volunteer in religious organizations, for whom they carry them out and how often, to determine their eligibility. In its general guidelines, it recommends that organizations talk to DBS if they think they may need to keep disclosures for longer.
