Will I Need a DBS Check for a University Placement?
Some courses that you study for at university, also require you to do a work experience placement to complete the course. This opportunity allows you to gain practical experience in the workplace. Medical students are a key example of this, and they will have placements at GP surgeries, hospitals, walk-in centres etc, they would require a DBS because they may be working with children or vulnerable adults. Other course with placements include childcare courses, and education teacher-training courses, these too would require DBS Checks because you’d be working in close proximity to children. Similarly social work courses may require you to work with children or vulnerable adults again.
What Type of DBS Do You Need for Your Course?
DBS Checks can be Basic, Standard or Enhanced. Depending on what your university work experience placement involves you doing, will determine what type of check you require. If you’re doing a graphic design, business admin, computer gaming, or architect course that has work experience placements, you may not need a DBS Check at all; or if they request one, it may be the most Basic level of check they request. If you’re working with finances, or sensitive data they may request a Standard DBS Check. If you’re working with children or vulnerable adults, then it will be an Enhanced Check.
A Basic DBS – This can be requested by the individual themselves, providing they’re over the age of 16 years old. It will report any unspent convictions that a person has.
A Standard DBS – This needs requesting by the organisation that you would be doing the work experience at, and it can often be for professional careers in law, accountancy, or veterinary surgeons.
An Enhanced DBS – This again needs to be requested by the organisation you would be doing the work experience at, and it will include roles where there is regulated activity with children or vulnerable adults, and the role you do, may mean you have unsupervised contact with them. These checks are also likely to check if you appear on Barred Lists to, these are lists of people who due to their past behaviour are banned from working with children or vulnerable adults.
If you need a Standard or Enhanced DBS Check, it may be either your university who is responsible for requesting this because the placement is part of your degree programme, or the organisation that you will be doing your work-experience at, but your university should be able to advise you who has responsibility for this. It is easy to complete the DBS application online (or on paper), but the online version is easier, protects against forms being lost in the post, and will prompt you if you’ve forgotten to fill out any fields (thus preventing your form being returned to you for more information, or being rejected).
At the time of writing, DBS checks cost approximately £23 for Basic and Standard DBS Checks, and £40 for an Enhanced DBS Check.
Having university students who are on work experience placements DBS checked, ensures that there is minimized risk to children and vulnerable adults, or businesses and organisations.
