A DBS certificate is a certificate that details a person’s criminal history. It is issued to the applicant’s home address, so the applicant can check the information before giving it to an employer. While most employers don’t ban people with criminal records, it’s always a good idea to explain any changes in circumstances since the form was made. Mistakes are rare, but if you find something wrong, you can dispute it with the employer.
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Enhanced DBS Checks Show Details of Convictions
Enhanced DBS Checks will reveal details of convictions and other relevant information held by your local police force. These records may be more comprehensive than the standard DBS check. A routine DBS check will reveal details of spent convictions and cautions, as well as warnings and reprimands. But it only sometimes shows these details. Some beliefs are protected, meaning they will not be listed.
A person can apply for an enhanced DBS check if working with children or vulnerable adults. Some of the roles that require this kind of check are teachers, medical professionals, and carers. Barring list checks can also be requested with these checks. However, people cannot apply for an Enhanced DBS check on their own behalf. They must be requested by their employers. You may ask yourself, “who can view my DBS certificate?” The applicant (the person receiving a DBS check) can access their certificate through their DBS online account.
Basic DBS Checks Don’t Show Details of Cautions
Unlike enhanced DBS checks, Basic DBS Checks do not show caution details. These cautions have been issued in the past and have yet to be deleted. This means that someone’s convictions from the past will not be seen by employers. You can still use Basic DBS Checks for employment purposes, but be sure you are not hiring someone with a cautious history.
Enhanced DBS Checks include all the information in an enhanced check, plus a search of the DBS Barred Lists. The DBS keeps these lists and may consist of people with cautions or convictions. Employers can request an examination of these lists if they hire someone for a specific position, such as working with vulnerable groups.
Information From The Police Can Be Included in a DBS Check
Police can include information from local police records in an enhanced DBS check. This can be problematic as it could consist of a criminal conviction or even a sexual offense. However, this information does not automatically disqualify an applicant from a role. It should be assessed separately.
If you disagree with the information on a DBS certificate, you can dispute it. The Disclosure and Barring Service will refer the dispute to the relevant police force, and the police force will send you a replacement certificate. Alternatively, you can ask the Independent Monitor to investigate the information.
The police are not obliged to disclose all of the information on a DBS certificate, but they can reveal information relevant to a job application. There are specific guidelines for determining whether police information should be included on a certificate. The Guidance on Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 gives more details.
Non-Conviction Information Can Be Filtered Out of a DBS Check
It used to be that police records of non-conviction offenses were not disclosed on DBS certificates. However, that has changed. Since the introduction of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, specific minor and old convictions are no longer being told. For example, if you have a caution for driving a vehicle under eighteen, this information will not be reported on your DBS certificate. The DBS filters these out as part of the DBS Filtering Rules.
There are several ways to filter non-conviction information out of a DBS certificate. The first is to request the basic DBS check. An introductory statement will show only unspent convictions, conditional cautions, or fixed penalty notices. However, you can request an enhanced DBS check if you want more details. This will include details of pending offenses, allegations, and non-conviction information.
Relatively Rare For Non-Conviction Information to Be Included in a DBS Check
You can contact the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). A DBS certificate is not a public record but includes information about a person’s criminal history. The disclosure of such information depends on several factors, including the type of job a person is applying for. For example, if you’re applying for a job as a private investigator, you can ask to see the person’s criminal record before you hire them. In addition, you can challenge information on the certificate.
You can challenge the information in a DBS certificate if you think it is inaccurate or incomplete. For example, it is inappropriate if a person’s DBS certificate contains information about non-conviction offenses. In such a case, you can bring a judicial review in the High Court to challenge the information on a person’s certificate. You can get legal aid if you cannot pay this fee.
