An introduction to DBS checks

The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendment orders prohibit discrimination against persons with prison/criminal records, within defined limits relating to the length of the sentence and the period free of a criminal record after the sentence was completed. Therefore once the sentence and qualifying time free of a criminal record have lapsed, the conviction is described as 'spent' and the person no longer needs to state this when asked about their criminal record.

However, where a post involves significant contact with children or vulnerable adults, and in certain other cases, the University is entitled to make enquiries about the applicant's entire criminal record and will seek a certificate from the Disclosure & Barring Service.

Please note that having a criminal record will not necessarily bar you from working with us.  This will depend on the offence and the relevance of the offence to the position applied for.

Level of disclosure

For positions working with children and vulnerable adults, an Enhanced DBS certificate will be requested.This involves an extra level of checking with local police force records in addition to checks with the Police National Computer and the government department lists held by the Department for Education and Skills and the Department of Health, where appropriate. The majority of posts which require a DBS certificate within the University will be subject to an Enhanced Certificate.

All other positions covered by the the Exceptions Order 1975 to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 are subject to a Standard DBS certificate. This contains details of all convictions on record (including spent convictions), plus details of any cautions, reprimands or warnings.  It is unlikely that it will be necessary to conduct a Standard DBS certificate on any positions at the University.

International staff

Certificates for applicants with a substantial record of overseas residence, including current UK residents and British nationals, may not include information on convictions from outside the UK.

Unless the applicant has little or not previous residence in the UK, a certifiacte should still be sought.  Should the applicant have periods of overseas residency in the EU, they will be asked to obtain certificates of good conduct or extracts from their criminal record to show to their HR Business Partner.

There are also other countries outside the EU where criminal record information is available.  Your HR Business Partner will contact the relevant body in the country they have resided in to obtain infromation on any criminal convictions.  The DBS can offer guidance on the availability of criminal record checks in a variety of foreign countries.

Existing staff

In the event that existing staff are taking on additional duties which may require them to complete a certificate, this will be discussed with them fully by their line manager before the paperwork is completed.

Casual workers

Casual workers such as those on the Temporary Staff Bank or casual workers in the Sports Office who are working with children or vulnerable adults on behalf of the University may need to complete a DBS certificate.

Students

Students who require a DBS certificate for work experience which is part of their academic programme should go through the Admissions Office.

Where an individual is both a student and an employee of the University, it should be self-evident whether the DBS certificate is required in connection with their employment (processed by HR) or their course of study (processed by Admissions).