These days, and quite rightly so, anyone who works with children, the elderly, or indeed anyone considered to be vulnerable, either in a paid, or voluntary capacity, has to produce an up-to-date DBS check.
This stands for ‘Disclosure and Barring Service.
It was formerly known as a CRB check. It provides information about an applicant’s previous criminal record, and/or convictions if indeed there are any. Thankfully for most of us, any DBS check will come back clear, and you’ll be good to go.
LOOKING FOR A JOB
When you are looking for a job, these days you almost have to jump through invisible hoops in an attempt to tick all the boxes the potential employer asks for. Especially agency staff. So it’s advisable if you are looking for work in the care sector, to get your DBS check in place before you make any career moves.
BEWARE OF SCAMMERS
But as if being asked to prove you are a conviction-free person, with no criminal record isn’t stressful enough, whilst you are trying to prove all this, there ARE criminals out there, happy to rip you off during the DBS application process.
So make sure you are visiting the right websites to apply for your DBS check. Avoid ones that will take more money from you than you need to pay to provide the document.
The only place you need to go is the gov. uk website
The DBS check application process is quick and easy, and the fee is just £18.00 (correct as of July 2022). You will receive an online confirmation when your application is approved. A paper copy will follow in the post within about 7 days of your application.
It really is simple. Yes, you’ll need the usual stuff like your National Insurance number, and passport/driving license. They will ask where you have lived for the past 3 years
WAGING WAR ON SCAMMERS
One of the best defenses we have against scammers is Artificial Intelligence, especially in detecting rogue bar codes, and QR codes which are often issued on things like DBS certificates for identification purposes.
Let’s face it, almost all areas of our lives these days have a bar code somewhere within it, from shopping to passports, and Industrial Vision Systems can read all code types, at high speeds, and deliver accurate results. They can ensure that the codes contain the correct information, and can be verified to reassure us that any documents are genuine and have come from the right source.
This method of veriification is invaluable to every industry, especially those that are vulnerable, and open to abuse by online scammers.
DON’T LOSE YOUR MONEY
If you are not careful, you may find yourself on a site like one called Clearcheck which also offers to provide you with your DBS check. The main difference is that this one will want a fee of around £85. But it will provide exactly the same thing that the gov. uk site offers for £18.00.
That’s a big difference, especially if you are already finding things tough because you are unemployed.
So do be careful. Make sure you apply for your criminal records check through the correct agency, and not a scamming site. It can be very financially costly to make a mistake.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF DBS CHECK
There are three types of DBS checks: basic, standard, and enhanced. The basic check will only show convictions in England and Wales while the standard shows all convictions in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Enhanced criminal background checks show all convictions around the world including those which may be spent under UK law.
However, for most job applications, the basic check should be sufficient. But it’s always best to ask which one your potential employer or agency requires to stand the best chance of securing a job.