Community Action Fareham is registered as an umbrella body with the DBS (the Disclosure and Barring Service)  and provides training for community groups.  If you would like us to countersign Disclosure applications for your organisation, click here for more details. 

If your organisation works with children or vulnerable adults then you will want to update yourselves about the latest regulations.  A summary with links is given below.  You may find it beneficial to attend a briefing.  These are being presented frequently usually taking 2 hours.  The update briefings are not a substitute for Safeguarding Awareness Training or training for the Designated Safeguarding Officer.

In summary

DBS checks, previously called CRB checks are only a small part of a safe recruitment process.

A child is someone who is under 18 years of age.  The definition of vulnerable adults is not as easy; it is about adults who require support for their own care because of frailty, learning disability or other forms of reduced capacity to look after themselves.

During 2011 and 2012 there were a number of significant changes, in legislation and process, that all organisations, that engage with children or adults who may be vulnerable, need to take account of.

The Freedom's Act changed the definition of "Regulated Activity" and withdrew the concept of "Controlled Activity"

One of the most important aspects of this is that people who are barred from working with children or vulnerable adults , because they have been placed on the Children's Barred list or Vulnerable Adults Barred list, must be excluded from working in that organisation.  The only way to check the barred list is through a DBS check.  Definitions of Regulated Activity are presented in the DBS booklet.

Organisations that involve children or adults who need support should undertake a risk assessment.  This would include an assessment of the risk related to activities, the wellbeing of the clients and of the workers and to the organisation.  From December 2012 organisations which consider there is a substantial risk of someone abusing they clients may continue to use DBS checks but, If the work is not "Regulated Activity", they may not access the Barred Lists.  This is permitted through legislation provided by the Police Act 1997.   The DBS (CRB) Code of Practice covers this but it must be "substantial unsupervised contact".

The ID requirements for DBS checks changed between May and September 2012.

The DBS Disclosure Application forms have changed with only the "new" form being accepted by DBS after 1st March 2013.

The following resources may be helpful

Briefing sheet on the changes

DBS Changes to Disclosure and Barring Booklet

Safer Recruitment Checklist

Our Summary Sheet of ID Check requirements        |        DBS instructions about checking ID       |       DBS ID Check scenarios

Community Action Fareham's Training Web page  - look for    Update Briefings    |    Safeguarding Awareness Training     |     Training for DSOs 

Record of Appointment decision

Model Safeguarding notice  - we recommend that a safeguarding notice is displayed in any place where children's or vulnerable adults activities table place.  it is good to put a version on the website and with the literature of any major activity.

Stop it Now - link for posters

Parents Protect - a project of the Lucy Faithful Foundation aiming to enable Parents to raise awareness with children

DBS (CRB) Code of Practice

Charity Commission's guidance "Strategy for Dealing with Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults Issues in Charities"

General information is on the DBS website