Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will steps to ensure that bodies working with young people are required to verify an individual’s DBS certificate directly with the Disclosure and Barring Service.

The safety and security of young people is top priority for this Government and DBS checks are one way we can help to protect them.

The DBS is moving to a model where ‘online results’ will be the default way in which employers engage with DBS products. This approach will help to improve employers’ confidence in any online result that they view, as it will be viewed via secure Government web services.

The Crime and Policing Bill will further strengthen the Disclosure and Barring regime by removing the exemption which currently prevents those working closely with children but under supervision from undergoing the highest level of DBS checks (enhanced with a check of the children’s barred list).

There are already a number of security features relating to Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificates to assist organisations with verifying their authenticity. These include the certificate being produced on a uniquely sized paper stock, the presence of a crown seal watermark, and a complex design using specific inks. Nevertheless, if an organisation is unsure of a DBS certificate’s authenticity, then they can contact the DBS to explore their concerns.

Additionally, the DBS run an ‘Update Service’ which can confirm whether a DBS check is up to date and contains the most recent relevant information. This annual subscription service allows employers to do an online check which confirms whether the certificate that has been presented to them remains valid, or whether they should apply for a new DBS check to be presented with any updated criminality information.