Disclosure and Barring Service
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will consider the potential merits of requiring Disclosure and Barring Service checks to include civil offences where a safeguarding issue was involved.
Answered by Jess Phillips
The purpose of a criminal record check issued by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) is to provide information to employers and others to help them judge the suitability of an individual for a particular role.
On the highest level enhanced DBS checks, which are used for the most sensitive roles working with children or vulnerable adults, chief officers of police have the discretion to include non-criminal information held on their systems, if they consider it relevant and proportionate to disclose, to support safeguarding.
DBS checks are only one part of a broader safeguarding framework. Employers and organisations are expected to consider a range of factors when assessing suitability for roles, including references, employment history, and other relevant information.
We continually keep the disclosure and barring regime under review to ensure it remains effective and proportionate.
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