Common Errors to Avoid When Completing Your Online DBS Check
It’s much easier to apply for an online DBS check, compared to the paper CRB checks of the past. The whole process online is much more convenient and efficient. You can complete the application at a suitable time to you. You know that it has safely reached DBS and hasn’t become lost in the post. You’re notified electronically by DBS that they’ve received it. If you have any queries, it’s much easier for DBS to respond to an online form, rather than having to sift through a stack of paper forms. The online system can prompt you about any empty fields. But it is still possible to have errors on your application, and this article is to help you avoid these, so that your DBS check runs as smoothly as possible; after all, most people are undertaking DBS Checks so that they can start new employment or certain placements, or voluntary work. The sooner your check comes back clear, the sooner you can start.
Any errors on your DBS application can cause delays. The errors listed below are some of the more common ones that crop up regularly:
Inaccurate Address Information
On a DBS Check you need to include your current address, and all the places you have lived in the past five years. This includes anywhere you have lived in those years, whether you have lived in a new city as a student (even though you may have had your home address too) you still need to include this. Even if you’ve just lived somewhere a few months, or a few weeks as a proper address, where things like your bank statements were sent to, this needs to be included.
If you leave any gaps in your address history for this five-year period, your DBS form would be rejected. If you’re unsure about any numbers of flats, or houses, or the correct post-code to places, do be sure to check all this thoroughly before completing your form.
Incorrect Names
It’s important to ensure you spell previous names correctly. You must also include all previous names. If you have changed your name by marriage; or have legally swapped a first and middle name, it’s important to include all of these on the DBS form. If you officially have a middle name, even if you never use it in day-to-day life it must appear on your DBS check. Middle names can be of vital importance to differentiate you from other candidates with similar names, especially if your surname is a common one. You want to ensure that you’re easily differentiated from other people, especially if they have a criminal record, and you don’t.
Ensure Dates of Birth are Correct
Sometimes there can be errors made by people completing the date of birth. Sometimes people are so used to writing the date at the top of letters, they put the current year, out of habit, rather than their year of birth. Other times, if a birth certificate has been misplaced, there could be an error made. It also could simply have been mistyped.
Typing Errors
It is very easy to make errors when typing; accidentally hitting a key that you didn’t mean to. If you’re in an email or Word document, this may be flagged up with the spell checker, but in a DBS check this doesn’t occur. So, it’s always worth reading carefully, and re-reading your DBS application before you send it off.
Correct Supporting Documents?
Finally ensure that you supply all the documents that the DBS check requests, they do have very strict rules. You will need to supply documents from two different groups. Read the instructions carefully, to ensure that you are supplying what is needed.
Completing your DBS online, is definitely an easier way of carrying out this process, and by following the steps above, this will help to reduce any errors, and mean that your DBS Check can be processed swiftly.
