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 include 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 contact 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 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 days
• Overnight: any time between 2 am and 6 am which allows the person to have contact with an adult

Work with Children

The changes to regulated activity with children will take effect from 1 September 2026, and the previous guidance regarding supervised roles being eligible for an Enhanced DBS Check without a Children's Barred List Check will no longer be applicable for many roles (Change to the definition of regulated activity with children from 1 September 2026 - GOV.UK)

Before 1 September 2026

• Individuals who taught, trained, instructed, cared for, or supervised children could be excluded from regulated activity if they were sufficiently supervised by someone already in regulated activity.
• These roles were generally eligible for an Enhanced DBS check without a Children's Barred List check. 

From 1 September 2026

• Supervision will no longer remove a role from regulated activity.
• If a person teaches, trains, instructs, cares for, or supervises children:
  More than 3 days in any 30-day period, or
  Overnight (between 2 am and 6 am),

they will be undertaking regulated activity with children, even if supervised. 

• These roles will become eligible for an Enhanced DBS check with a Children's Barred List check. 

Who is affected?

This change affects individuals who were previously excluded from regulated activity solely because they were supervised, including examples such as:

• School volunteers (for example, reading helpers supervised by a teacher).
• Assistant sports coaches supervised by a head coach.
• Staff and volunteers working in youth groups, charities, community organisations, or outdoor activity centres where they work with children under supervision.

Enhanced DBS Check Without a Children's Barred List Check

A role may still only be eligible for an Enhanced DBS check without a Children's Barred List check where:

• The person works with children but does not meet the frequency threshold for regulated activity.
• The activity is not undertaken overnight.
• The role falls outside the legal definition of regulated activity. 

Example 1 – weekly school reading volunteer

A parent volunteers at a primary school to listen to children read. They do this every Monday morning during term time. Because a teacher is always nearby and supervises them, the school decided that the parent is sufficiently supervised in line with the guidance set by the Department for Education (DfE) and asked the parent to apply for an Enhanced DBS check without a check of the Children’s Barred List.

Before 1 September 2026, the parent was not in regulated activity with children because a teacher supervised them. Following the legislation change, from 1st September 2026, the parent will be in regulated activity with children and will be able to get an Enhanced with Children’s Barred List check.  The school should consider the guidance from DfE on these changes to ensure the volunteer is still suitable for the role.

Example 2 – monthly school art volunteer

Another parent volunteers once a month at the primary school to help with art activities. Again, a teacher is always present to supervise them. This parent is not in regulated activity with children because they are not carrying out the role often enough. The parent was asked to apply for an Enhanced DBS check without a Children’s Barred List check.

The school does not need to consider the supervision changes for this role as it is not being carried out often enough to be regulated activity with children.

Example 3 – music club volunteer

A volunteer helps at a community music club for children twice a week where lessons are given, and children have the opportunity to play together. The main instructor is always there and supervises the volunteer.

Before 1 September 2026, the volunteer may not have been in regulated activity with children if the club decided that the main instructor supervised them sufficiently. From 1 September 2026, the volunteer will be in regulated activity with children because they instruct or supervise children often enough. The club should consider if the volunteer needs an Enhanced with Children’s Barred List DBS check.

Example 4 – outdoor activity centre

A paid activity instructor works at an outdoor activity centre. They lead climbing and canoeing sessions for different groups of school children 4 days a week. Teachers are present, and a senior instructor always supervises the instructor’s work.

Before 1 September 2026, the instructor may not have been in regulated activity with children if the centre decided that the senior instructor supervised them sufficiently. From 1 September 2026, the instructor will be in regulated activity with children because they instruct children often enough. The centre should consider if the instructor needs an Enhanced with Children’s Barred List DBS check.

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).