Criminal record checks

A criminal records check gives information held by the police and government departments on a person’s criminal record which enables an organisation to make an assessment on the suitability of a person applying for a paid or volunteer role with them.

It is a requirement of charity regulators that organisations will check anyone whose role makes them eligible for a check. 

England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland each have their own processing body responsible for processing criminal record checks which is why criminal records check are referred to by different names depending on the body that processes them.

• England and Wales = DBS checks
• Northern Ireland = Access NI checks
• Scotland = Disclosure checks (also known as PVG checks)

Each check provides details of an individual's current criminal record including information such as convictions, cautions, reprimands and warnings held on the police national computer and those held by local police forces. 

A person who has a recent check or is a PVG Scheme member should never be seen to have a 'free pass' to working with children or other vulnerable groups. Checks should always only be used as part of an overall safer recruitment process and alongside other preventative safeguarding processes.

For those in regulated roles in Scotland, membership of the appropriate PVG Scheme is a legal requirement. The PVG Scheme includes ongoing monitoring, which means Disclosure Scotland can notify an organisation if any new information arises about someone working or volunteering in a regulated role.   

Other types of checks do not include this ongoing monitoring. To ensure an organisation is aware of any new information, for eligible roles a check should be regularly renewed, for example every three years.  

Most organisations in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will need to appoint an Umbrella Body, like Thirtyone:eight, who can carry out checks on their behalf. 

Levels of DBS Check

• Basic - Unspent convictions and conditional cautions
• Standard - Spent and unspent convictions, and cautions (subject to filtering).
• Enhanced - Spent and unspent convictions, and cautions (subject to filtering), Relevant Police Intelligence.
• Enhanced with Barred List Checks - Spent and unspent convictions, and cautions (subject to filtering), Relevant Police Intelligence, and Children's and/or Adult's Barred list check (optional).

Levels of Access NI Check

• Standard - Spent and unspent convictions, informed warnings, cautions and diversionary youth conferences .
• Enhanced - Spent and unspent convictions, and cautions (subject to filtering), Relevant Police Intelligence and police records held locally.To work with children and vulnerable adults, the check may include information held by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
• Enhanced with Barred List Checks - If an applicant is involved in Regulated Activity the enhanced check must include a check of the DBS barred lists. The DBS is a non-departmental public body (NDPB), sponsored by the Home Office. The DBS is responsible for maintaining the two barred lists, the ‘Children’s and Vulnerable Adults’ lists. 

Full details of what appears on a certificate can be viewed at https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/information-disclosed-in-a-criminal-record-check