The DBA has created faith-specific guidance around DBS checks and can be found here:- DBS has created faith-specific guidance around DBS checks – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Some key points to note are set out below:
Adult workforce
The guidance clarifies that the main activities that will make a role eligible for an Enhanced DBS check without an Adult’s Barred List check are as follows:
- assistance, advice or guidance wholly or mainly for certain adults (for example, a support group for people dealing with illness)
- conveying certain adults to and from the faith centre (for example, driving a minibus on behalf of the faith centre to enable people who would otherwise not be able to attend due to age, illness or disability)
- day-to-day management of people undertaking these activities
These activities will only be eligible when they are provided to adults who fall within certain groups which are set out in legislation.
For faith centres, the most likely groups that fall within this are adults:
- living in residential accommodation because of their care or nursing needs.
- living in accommodation provided because they are or have been a pupil in a residential special school
- living in sheltered housing
- in receipt of care or assistance at home because of their age, health or disability.
- in receipt of the activity because of their age, illness or disability
The person carrying out the activity must be doing it:
- at any time on more than three days in any period of 30 days; or
- at any time between 2 am and 6 am and the activity gives the person the opportunity to have face-to-face contact with the adult; or
- at least once a week on an ongoing basis.
For example
An individual who drives the minibus for the church, whose role includes driving elderly and disabled individuals to and from church, and does this once a week every Sunday, would be eligible to apply for an Enhanced DBS check without the Adults’ Barred List check.
Regulated activity – adult workforce
Anyone who transports adults, on behalf of the faith setting, to, from or between anywhere they receive health care, social work or personal care so that they can access these services is in regulated activity with adults and eligible for an Enhanced DBS check with an Adults’ Barred List check.
Child workforce
Overnight and residential stays:
If any individual, whether staff or volunteer, is responsible for:
- the care or supervision of children other than their own overnight between 2am and 6am, with the opportunity for face to face contact – even if this is done only once – that person can get an enhanced DBS check with a check of the children’s Barred List (regulated activity)
- teaching, training or instructing children other than their own during this time or providing them with advice and guidance on their physical, emotional or educational wellbeing between 2am and 6am – that person can also get an enhanced DBS check with a check of the children’s Barred List (regulated activity)
