About us

The DBS helps employers make safer recruitment decisions each year by processing and issuing DBS checks for England, Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.

DBS also maintains the adults' and children's Barred Lists and makes considered decisions as to whether an individual should be included on one or both of these lists and barred from engaging in regulated activity.

DBS Checks

Our disclosure team carries out DBS checks (previously known as CRB checks) that result in certificates being issued to an individual. Employers can then ask to see this certificate to ensure that they are recruiting suitable people into their organisation.

There are four levels of check:

basic check
standard check
enhanced check
enhanced check with barred list(s)

You can find more detailed information about DBS checks here.

Barring

Where requested, an enhanced certificate will also include a check of one or both of the DBS barred lists. If an individual is listed, this will appear on their DBS certificate.

It is our responsibility to maintain these lists. This area of our work involves making fair, consistent and thorough decisions that are appropriate to the behaviour that has occurred, and considering the risk of future harm.

People are brought to the attention of our barring team in one of three ways: