DBS checking and things

Hello all. I realise that more and more nowadays (understandably) where jobs involving going into homes/ looking after children etc. - applicants are being asked to supply a DBS certificate. Four years ago, I temporarily worked for a ‘supply teachers’ agency, where DBS checks were needed…but quite often these checks were paid for by the employer/hirer/agency after interview…not by the employee. However, more and more I’m seeing that applicants - going for jobs of near minimum wage, (even dog walking etc). are being asked to provide a DBS certificate - paid for by the job applicant.

Now…please! - without me being ‘avalanched’ with forum responses… can someone simply give me a sensible conclusion - there seem to be so many alternatives …DBS’s and/or ‘enhanced DBS’s’? This is all new to me, as I’ve worked in many private households for celebs/HNWI’s and never needed them before (please don’t shout me down/avalanche me!) I do understand people are becoming more paranoid and understandably so/protective.

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Kind regards

Georgia

Were you checking how to spell avalanche on wikipedia?

From my limited knowledge Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks can be carried out by an employer, not you. You could apply and state that you give permission for such a check to be performed on you. If you want to be proactive, you can apply for a Basic Disclosure, which is available in Scotland, but anyone from the UK can request one on him or herself. The Basic Disclosure certificate shows any ‘unspent’ criminal convictions you may have in the UK; details can be found at https://www.mygov.scot/basic-disclosure/ and it costs twenty-five Scottish pounds.

Likely, whomever is asking for the DBS check doesn’t know too much about it and has just seen others ask for it, so they would be happy with the Basic Disclosure.

Do make sure if you are applying for anything like this, or just researching it, to go to the .gov.uk sites and not any of those sponsored sites listed first by google. There are lots of sites that are not official, but will charge you an extra fee to do something you could do for yourself.

Well pointed out there are several websites that offer to do what you can do yourself. Including visa applications, DBS checks, even car road fund renewals. Some look very official butvif they are not sites with gov.uk as a suffix its going to cost extra.

As I understand it from my daughter who is a Manager of a children’s nursery…& when I worked as a T.A, you have to have an enhanced CRB check if working with kids or elderly people in case you live with anyone who has a criminal record. My daughter tells me that once you have your CRB etc, you can register it on-line, pay £12 a year & if there are any changes they will be added automatically, except for change of address. That way you or the employer pays once & it just costs you £12 a year, & any future employer just has to check the CRB no. on-line. It is compulsory to do so where she works. Don’t know if this is of any use!

Andy’s right - employers should be sorting out a fuller DBS check for you, although they’ll need your consent and often for you to fill out certain details. You can’t do it yourself. The Disclosure Scotland check (unhelpfully named, as its used throughout the UK) is personal, but again an employer could get your consent and sort it for you.

Hello all. Thank you for your advice. So just to double check. I’ve been advised that this is a good website…quicker, simpler than the Scottish one…even though it still has TEN stages in it’s application!

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