Volunteers who work with children or vulnerable adults in a regulated activity are eligible for both standard and improved DBS checks. It is essential to consider if monitoring is necessary or if other safeguards provide adequate protection. Only certain volunteer functions and activities are eligible to receive checks, and it is a crime to request a check from DBS if the position isn't eligible for one. Volunteers do not have to pay for the DBS check, but organizations will have to pay a small administration fee if they use a coordinating entity.
In order to receive a check from DBS, a volunteer must perform unpaid work for the benefit of an unrelated third party, with no intention of obtaining anything in return. They must also work in a regulated activity with children or vulnerable adults. Unless volunteers participate in a regulated activity, there are no legal requirements. If a person helps regularly, they may be subject to a check.
Occasional events may not be regular enough. Organizations should be careful about what they ask uncontrolled volunteers to do, such as avoiding situations where they take children to the bathroom. Helping at evening events (even if parents are present) can be considered a regulated activity, depending on the level of supervision provided to volunteers. It is recommended that organizations consider writing a check to volunteers who regularly help at one-off events; contact DBS for advice on eligibility. If a person works or volunteers to work abroad for a charity, they may be eligible for a DBS check if the eligibility decision is made in England or Wales.
The 2002 Regulations of the Police Act 1997 (Criminal Record) define a volunteer as “any person who participates in an activity that involves dedicating time, without compensation (except for travel expenses and other approved out-of-pocket expenses), to do something that is intended to benefit a third party and not a close relative”. If the eligibility decision is made in England, Wales, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man, they may be asked to obtain a basic DBS check, since the work they are going to do does not allow for a standard DBS check, improved or improved with prohibited lists. Fundraisers who carry out regulated activities with children would be eligible for improved verification of DBS in the child workforce, with a check of the List of Prohibited Children. The charity can request improved DBS verification in the child workforce with a Children's Prohibited List check for any helpline call operator who handles this work. If the person in Zambia has never visited the UK, a DBS check is unlikely to provide an accurate view of their criminal record.
In its general guidelines, it is recommended that organizations talk to DBS if they think they may need to keep disclosures for longer. Other people from schools who are not carrying out the above activities may also be asked to request an improved DBS check by checking the List of Prohibited Children if they meet the criteria in part 4 of Annex A. The eligibility decision is still being made in London, so the organization can ask them to request improved DBS verification in the child workforce with a verification of the Prohibition List for children. These activities were defined with the intention of excluding volunteer roles whenever possible, so supervised volunteering with children generally do not fall into this category. It is important for organizations and volunteers alike to understand DBS checks when working with children or vulnerable adults in regulated activities. Knowing which roles require checks and which don't can help ensure that everyone involved is safe and protected.
Organizations should consider writing checks for volunteers who regularly help at one-off events and contact DBS for advice on eligibility when necessary.
