Enhanced DBS Check without a Barred List Check

An Enhanced Check searches against criminal records and other sources, including the Police National Computer (PNC). The check may reveal convictions, cautions, reprimands and warnings.

An Enhanced DBS Check may also include relevant (”approved”) information the police have on record even if it has not resulted in a caution or conviction (for example if allegations have been made and reported to the police).

Work with adults

The activities which are eligible for an Enhanced DBS Check without a Barred List Check are detailed below. The activities must be carried out wholly or mainly for adults in receipt of a health and social care service as defined below:

• Is living in residential accommodation, such as a care home or a residential special school;
• Is living in sheltered housing;
• Is receiving domiciliary care in his or her own home
• Is receiving any form of health care;
• Is detained in a prison, remand centre, young offender institution, secure training centre or attendance centre or under the powers of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999;
• Is in contact with probation services;
• Is receiving a welfare service of a description to be prescribed in regulations;
• Is receiving a service or participating in an activity which is specifically targeted at people with age-related needs, disabilities or prescribed physical or mental health conditions or expectant or nursing mothers living in residential care (age-related needs includes needs associated with frailty, illness, disability or mental capacity);
• Is receiving direct payments from a local authority/HSS body in lieu of social care services;
• Requires assistance in the conduct of his or her own affairs.

Activities with adults in receipt of the above health and social care services:

Individuals carrying out one or more of the following activities with adults in receipt of the above services will be eligible for an Enhanced DBS Check without a Barred List Check. The activity must be carried out regularly* by the same person.

• Providing any form of care, supervision, treatment or therapy. (“Care” in this context excludes the provision of “personal care” which is a “regulated activity”);
• Providing any form of teaching, training, instruction, assistance, advice or guidance on their emotional or physical well-being;
• Face to face contacts with adult residents in a care home;
• Representing or providing advocacy on behalf of a statutory service and has contact with an adult;
• Providing transportation wholly or mainly for adults and their carers to and from places where they will be receiving / or have received healthcare services (excludes taxis which can be used by the general public);
• Individuals who are specified office holders e.g.
• Chief executives of local authorities that have any social service functions
• Directors of adult social services
• Individuals who have to register with the CQC in order to provide a health or social care service i.e. registered managers and service providers
• Elected members of a local authority, members of the executive of a local authority or a member of any committee of the executive (including area committees and sub committees) who discharge social services functions

* Regularly is defined as:

• Frequently: at least once a month on an ongoing basis
• Intensively: any time on four or more times in any thirty day period
• Overnight: any time between 2am and 6am which gives the opportunity for the person to have contact with an adult

Work with Children

Work with children includes anyone who works or volunteers on a supervised basis with children in a specified role or a specified place.

The activity with children must be carried out regularly* by the same person.

Specific roles that are eligible for an Enhanced DBS Check without a Barred List Check are listed below and are on the basis of supervised access to children whilst undertaking those roles:

• Providing any form of care, supervision, treatment or therapy; (Care in this context excludes ”personal care” which is a “regulated activity”)
• Providing any form of teaching, training, instruction, assistance, advice or guidance on their emotional or physical well-being;
• Moderating a chat room
• Providing transportation wholly or mainly for children (and their carers or guardians) to or from places where they will be receiving / or have received health care services (excludes taxies which can be used by the general public);
• Work with children also includes individuals who have regular day to day management or supervision of individuals carrying out the above activities.

Specified places include work or volunteering in a range of establishments including:

• An educational institution (e.g. a school or a PRU)
• A Nursery
• A children’s hospital
• A children’s detention centre (e.g. a prison or remand centre)
• A children’s home or a children’s care home
• Childcare premises

*Regularly is defined as:

• Frequently: at least once a week on an ongoing basis
• Intensively: any time on four or more times in any thirty day period
• Overnight: any time between 2am and 6am which gives the opportunity for the person to have contact with a child.

Please note: Employees or volunteers working in an unsupervised capacity in a specified role or specified place will be in “regulated activity” and will therefore be eligible for an Enhanced DBS Check with a Barred List Check (see below).