HOW DO I REQUEST A DBS CERTIFICATE ON BEHALF OF A VOLUNTEER?
All information regarding how to obtain a DBS and the DBS UPDATE facility is available at: www.gov.uk/dbs
HOW DO ADMINS OR PROVIDERS CHECK FOR ANY CHANGES TO A VOLUNTEERS DBS?
There is two ways to check if there has been any changes:
- Request a completely new DBS certificate
- Use the DBS UPDATE SERVICE to check on line (www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service)
It is important to note that DBS’s belong to the volunteer and not the organisation that processes the DBS, so a DBS certificate can be used by ANY organisation.
DBS UPDATE SERVICE
When the volunteer requests a DBS certificate they can sign up to the DBS UPDATE SERVICE for a small annual cost, this will allow any provider to check online if there has been any additional offences sinse the DBS certificate was issue.
Note: There is no legal obligation to do this (i.e. an organisation may decide that a 3 year old DBS certificate is fine)
Obviously organisations must always view both the certificate AND the update check, as the update check might show nothing, but the original DBS certificate may list offenses.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO ME?
It means that if your organisation processes a volunteers DBS and records a volunteer on the system as having a DBS, then a provider (eg. local football club) can create a DBS REQUIRED opportunity and also be able to check the volunteers basic DBS details when they sign up, including when it was issued and the DBS number (but not including any offenses).
IMPORTANT NOTE: Although system administrators are unlikely to add a volunteers DBS if it contains serious offences, it is still the responsibility of the provider to check the volunteers DBS details and offenses prior to them taking part on the opportunity.
The process would work as follows:
1) Volunteer registers on system
2) Local Football Club create opportunity which requires DBS
3) Volunteer wants to join the opportunity but doesnt have a DBS, so is prompted to contact the admin
4) Admin processes volunteers DBS and the volunteer is sent a DBS certificate through the post.
5) Volunteer shows DBS certificate to the administrator who checks it and if they are happy they mark the volunteer as DBS cleared.
6) Volunteer is then allowed to join Boys football club opportunity
7) Volunteer turns up on the day with certificate, and it is the responsibility of the Local Football Club to check for any offenses that may concern them.
Important Note 1: The Local Football Club can see on the volunteers information prior to the opportunity, giving them chance to contact the volunteer and ask them to bring along the DBS certificate on the day. This also gives the local football club the chance to check the DBS UPDATE website if the volunteer has purchased the DBS UPDATE SERVICE.
Important Note 2: Your system is only recording if the volunteer has a DBS which has been seen by the administrator and NOT showing that the volunteer has a DBS with no convictions, it is down to the local football club to check for convictions and decide if the volunteer is OK to do the opportunity.
HOW DO I KNOW WHICH CONVICTIONS ARE ACCEPTABLE?
You can read more about acceptable convictions for various roles by going to: www.gov.uk/government/publications/dbs-referrals-factsheets