What is Disclosure and Barring Service?

The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) is an executive agency of the Home Office that was formed in 2012 by merging the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA). It processes criminal record checks for England and Wales (Scotland uses Disclosure Scotland, and Northern Ireland uses AccessNI) and maintains two barred lists: the children's barred list and the adults' barred list.

For children's activity businesses, the DBS serves two crucial functions. First, it processes the Enhanced DBS checks that your staff and volunteers need before they can work with children. Second, it maintains the children's barred list — a register of individuals who are prohibited from working with children. It is a criminal offence to knowingly employ someone on the barred list in a regulated activity with children.

As an employer, you are legally required to check the DBS status of your workforce and to refer individuals to the DBS if they are dismissed (or would have been dismissed) because they harmed or posed a risk of harm to a child. Failing to make a referral when required is also an offence. The DBS Update Service allows ongoing monitoring of staff certificates, which can streamline your compliance processes significantly.