DBS Guidance

The Church in Wales is committed to the safer recruitment of all who work for the Church, including clergy, employees and volunteers. The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) helps the Church in Wales make safer recruitment decisions by processing and issuing DBS checks.

Anyone applying for an employee or volunteer role in the Church in Wales would be expected to comply with safer recruitment practice, which might include a criminal record check of the applicant.

A recruiting manager might need to request a DBS check for any paid or volunteer role in the Church that includes significant contact with children and/or adults at risk or a role that includes regulated activity as defined in the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 and amended under the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012.

Please note: This guidance applies only to DBS checks for lay (non-ordained) roles organised at Mission/Ministry Area Level. Checks for all clergy (ordained) roles and for a small number of Licensed lay roles (Readers/LLMs) are coordinated through your Bishop’s Office.

When the online application has been submitted, the applicant will be presented with a screen that explains that they must have the information they have provided in their application checked against their ID documents. There is a link on the screen to a summary of the type and number of documents that must be provided but details of ID evidence which the DBS accepts can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dbs-identity-checking-guidelines.

Your local verifier will be in touch to arrange a face to face check with your ID documents.

The recruiting manager will initiate the DBS application using My Church People. The applicant will receive an email with a link to complete an online form. Once this is completed, a verifier will be in touch to verify the applicant's ID documents in person.

Most basic checks will be processed by the DBS within fourteen days and most enhanced checks within eight weeks but it can take longer if the applicant has moved around the UK in the five years prior to the application because several police forces will need to be involved in the checking process.

The applicant can use online services provided by the Disclosure and Barry Service to check the progress of basic or enhanced checks using their application reference number.

The applicant can track the progress of a basic check by using the DBS online account tracking service. They do not need to create an account but will need their application reference number, surname and date of birth.

The applicant can track the progress of their enhanced application using the DBS tracking service. They will need their application reference number and date of birth to track the application.

When the DBS has completed its checks, disclosure information is sent to the applicant by post as a DBS certificate.

If the certificate has no disclosure information recorded, My Church People will automatically update and the recruitment process can proceed.

If the certificate records convictions, cautions, reprimands, warnings or other relevant information the applicant will be asked to submit the original certificate to the Church in Wales Safeguarding Team for further scrutiny. The recruiting manager will be advised to suspend the safer recruitment process pending further enquiries. The certificate will be considered by Triage/Safeguarding Team to decide whether or not the information presents a barrier to appointment. The DBS only issues conviction details to the applicant so they can choose whether or not to reveal the content of their certificate. However, the safer recruitment process cannot proceed until the certificate has been seen.

Please note that the applicant must not work with children and/or adults at risk in a paid or volunteer role until the information on their DBS certificate has been considered and you receive confirmation from the Church in Wales Safeguarding Team that you may proceed with the safer recruitment process.

A DBS check has no official expiry date. However, any information included in a check is accurate only at the time the check was carried out.

The Church in Wales expects everyone who works for the church, both lay and ordained and whether volunteer or paid, to undertake a new DBS check every three years, or sooner if there is evidence that the individual’s criminal record has changed since their last check, so employees and volunteers might be asked to apply for further checks during their time with the Church in Wales. A new DBS check is also needed if an existing employee or volunteer is being considered for a different role that requires a DBS check at a different level.

The Church in Wales does not accept DBS certificates obtained for roles outside the Church in Wales in lieu of a new check unless the applicant is registered with the DBS Update Service.

If an applicant is registered with the DBS Update Service then they will be able to transfer their DBS certificate from a previous role unless:

• they need a certificate for a different type of ‘workforce’ (for example, they have an ‘adult workforce’ certificate and need a ‘child workforce’ certificate)
• they need a different level certificate (for example, they have a basic DBS certificate and need an enhanced one)

Please ask the applicant if they are registered with the Update Service and complete the relevant section of My Church People. The recruiting manager will contact the applicant to assess whether or not they need a new check. The recruiting manager will:

• check that their identity matches the details on the certificate
• check the certificate is the right level and type for the position concerned
• check to see if anything has changed since the applicant registered for the update service

A series of DBS guidance leaflets that provide information about regulated activity, eligibility and DBS checks for people working with adults and children in the charity sector can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dbs-guidance-leaflets.

Recruiting managers are particularly advised to read the guidance on working with adults in the charity sector and working with children in the charity sector.

If you have any other questions about the Disclosure and Barring Service or DBS checks please Contact My Church People.