Myth Busting; 5 DBS Check Myths
DBS Checks help employers hire the right employees for their business. They prevent employers from hiring people for job roles, that their past criminal history suggests they may be unsuited for. This is vital for people applying for jobs that have regulated activity with children or vulnerable adults.
The DBS application process is simple and straightforward to complete, but this article is here to bust any myths and fake news about DBS Checks.
Myth One: You Won’t Be Employable if you Have a Criminal Record
This is a myth because it is possible to gain employment with a criminal record. There is the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act which means that you should be given a fair opportunity when applying for jobs, if your past convictions aren’t relevant to the job you’re applying for. The exception to this, is if you are on the Barred Lists, and you want a job with children or vulnerable adults, it’s against the law for you to seek employment in these areas.
Myth Two: You Either Pass or Fail a DBS
This is a myth because a DBS Check is not something you pass or fail. Instead, it is simply a record of your past criminal history that may show spent, and unspent convictions, cautions, other information held by the police relevant to the job and depending on the level of check you have done, whether you are on any barred lists. Once the employer is presented with this information; it is then their decision whether they think you are the right candidate for the job role. If you don’t have any criminal convictions, the DBS check would be perceived as ‘clear’ rather than a pass.
Myth Three: DBS Checks are a Legal Requirement
This is a myth because they aren’t required by law, it is up to the business to decide if they want to conduct them as part of their recruitment process. But most good employers have ‘best practice’ policies that suggest these should be conducted.
Myth Four: DBS Checks Expire
This is a myth because DBS Checks don’t have an expiry date. But, if employers want to be kept up to date on their employees, it can be a good idea to do checks every two or three years, because otherwise they wouldn’t know about any crimes committed between the last check and the current date.
Myth Five: Anyone Can Request a DBS Check
This is a myth because it depends on the type of DBS check. Anyone can apply for a Basic DBS Check for themselves. But only an employer can apply for a Standard or Enhanced DBS Check on behalf of an employee, and depending on what the job role is, an Enhanced DBS Check may not be appropriate. If the job involves regulated activity working with children or vulnerable adults, then an Enhanced DBS Check with Barred List is sensible to check that in a person’s past criminal behaviour has not placed them on any Barred Lists.
Hopefully this article has cleared up and fully busted any myths about DBS Checks.
