This tool is intended to help those involved in processing DBS checks for people working with children or vulnerable adults. You will be taken through a series of questions to help determine if a particular role is eligible for an enhanced check, including whether or not it is eligible for barred list checks.
Points to remember:
It is important that the role you are assessing is clearly defined and that you only consider activities which fall within the role description.
You will need to identify if the role involves working with children, vulnerable adults, or both. If both, you can assess the work with children and vulnerable adults separately and combine the results.
There are situations where an activity is not eligible for an enhanced check even though it might otherwise be eligible.
This tool does not cover every role nor does it examine eligibility for standard checks. It examines eligibility for enhanced checks and barred list checks. More information about the different DBS checks and links to further eligibility guidance.
Start
What type of role is it?
Working with children or in an establishment for children
Working with vulnerable adults
Management role
None of these
What does the role involve?
Providing health care or personal care
Teaching, supervising or caring for children
Giving advice or guidance
Moderating an electronic interactive communication service
Conveying children
Childminding, fostering or adopting
Working in an establishment for children but not working directly with children
Living in a household where another person works with children
None of these
Which will the person be providing?
Health care
Personal care
Is the person a health care professional, or will they be providing health care under the direction or supervision of a health care professional?
Any reference to health care provided by, or under the direction or supervision of, a health care professional includes a reference to first aid provided by any person acting on behalf of an organisation established for the purpose of providing first aid.
Yes
No
Will the person be providing any form of treatment or therapy for children?
Yes
No
Will the person be carrying this out frequently or overnight?
Frequently means on four or more days in any period of 30 days. Overnight means at least once between 2am and 6am where there may be face-to-face contact.
Yes
No
Will the person be providing relevant personal care to children?
Yes
No
Will the person be providing any other form of care for children?
Yes
No
Will the person be carrying this out frequently or overnight?
Frequently means on four or more days in any period of 30 days. Overnight means at least once between 2am and 6am where there may be face-to-face contact.
Yes
No
Will the person be supervised?
Select No if the person is a paid worker carrying out the activity in a specified establishment.
Yes
No
Is the advice or guidance provided wholly or mainly for children and does it relate to their physical, emotional or educational well-being?
Yes
No
Will the person be carrying this out frequently or overnight?
Frequently means on four or more days in any period of 30 days. Overnight means at least once between 2am and 6am where there may be face-to-face contact.
Yes
No
Is it legal advice?
Yes
No
Will the person be moderating a public electronic interactive communication service in the following circumstances?
the service is likely to be used wholly or mainly by children,
the person has, for the purpose of protecting children, a function relating to—
monitoring the content of matter which forms any part of the service,
removing matter from, or preventing the addition of matter to, the service, or
controlling access to, or use of, the service, and
the person has access to the content of the matter and contact with users of the service.
Yes
No
Will the person be carrying this out frequently?
Frequently means on four or more days in any period of 30 days.
Yes
No
Will the person be driving a vehicle which is being used only for the purpose of conveying children, and any person supervising or caring for them, under a contract or similar arrangement?
Yes
No
Which will the person be involved in?
Childminding
Fostering
Adopting
Will the person be providing any of the following?
early years childminding in respect of which a requirement to register arises by section 33(1) of the Childcare Act 2006 (requirement to register);
later years childminding in respect of which a requirement to register arises by section 52(1) of that Act (requirement to register);
early years childminding or later years childminding, if it is provided by a person who is registered by virtue of section 62(1) of that Act (voluntary registration of childminders);
later years childminding for a child who has attained the age of eight, if a requirement to register would arise in respect of that provision by section 52(1) of that Act if the child had not attained that age.
Yes
No
Will the person be fostering a child or be living in the same household as a foster parent?
Yes
No
Will the person be adopting or be a special guardian to a child or be living in the same household as an adopter or special guardian?
Yes
No
Is the establishment any of the following?
an educational institution which is exclusively or mainly for the provision of full-time education to children;
a school falling within section 19(2) or (2B) of the Education Act 1996 (pupil referral units etc) which does not fall within paragraph 1;
an alternative provision Academy which does not fall within paragraph 1;
an establishment which is exclusively or mainly for the provision of nursery education (within the meaning of section 117 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998);
an institution which is exclusively or mainly for the detention of children;
a children's home (within the meaning of section 1 of the Care Standards Act 2000);
a home provided in pursuance of arrangements under section 82(5) of the Children Act 1989;
a children's centre (within the meaning of section 5A(4) of the Childcare Act 2006);
Relevant childcare premises.
Yes
No
Is the work for or in connection with the purposes of that establishment and will the work give the opportunity to have contact with children?
Yes
No
Will the person be working frequently in that establishment?
Frequently means on four or more days in any period of 30 days.
Yes
No
Is the person a volunteer who will be supervised at all reasonable times?
Yes
No
Is the person undertaking the work in pursuance of a contract for the provision of occasional or temporary services?
Occasional or temporary is not further defined by legislation. You should apply the ordinary meaning of these terms, i.e. occasional - 'a particular occasion or on an irregular basis'; temporary - 'lasting only for a limited period, not permanent'.
Yes
No
Is the establishment any of the following?
a further education institution (within the meaning of section 140 of the Education Act 2002) where the normal duties of the work involve regular contact with persons aged under 18;
a 16 to 19 Academy (within the meaning of section 1B of the Academies Act 2010) where the normal duties of the work involve regular contact with persons aged under 18;
a hospital which is exclusively or mainly for the reception and treatment of children and where the normal duties of the work will give the opportunity for contact with children.
Yes
No
Does the person live in the same household as an individual who has been or is being assessed to carry out regulated activity with children and they both live on the premises where that activity would normally take place?
Yes
No
Will the person have regular contact with the children?
Select Yes if the person lives in the same household as a foster parent, adopter, or special guardian.
Yes
No
Does the person live in the same household as an individual who has been or is being assessed to carry out work which would have been regulated activity with children before September 2012 and they both live on the premises where that activity would normally take place?
Yes
No
What does the role involve?
Providing health care or personal care
Providing psychotherapy or counselling (but not life coaching)
Providing social work
Assisting with general household matters
Assisting in the conduct of an adult's own affairs
Conveying adults
Working in a care home but not providing personal care
Working in a high security psychiatric hospital
None of these
Which will the person be providing?
Health care
Personal care
Is the person a health care professional, or will they be providing health care under the direction or supervision of a health care professional?
Any reference to health care provided by, or under the direction or supervision of, a health care professional includes a reference to first aid provided by any person acting on behalf of an organisation established for the purpose of providing first aid.
Yes
No
Is the psychotherapy or counselling related to health care the adult is receiving from, or under the direction or supervision of, a health care professional?
Yes
No
Will the person be providing relevant personal care to adults?
Yes
No
Is the person a registered social worker who will be providing relevant social work to an adult who is a client or potential client?
Yes
No
Will the person be providing assistance in relation to general household matters to an adult who is in need of it by reason of age, illness or disability?
Assistance in relation to general household matters is day to day assistance in relation to the running of the household of the adult concerned where the assistance is the carrying out of one or more of the following activities on behalf of that adult—
managing their cash,
paying their bills,
shopping.
Yes
No
Will the person be doing anything on behalf of the adult by virtue of any of the following?
a lasting power of attorney created in respect of the adult in accordance with section 9 of the Mental Capacity Act 2005,
an enduring power of attorney (within the meaning of Schedule 4 to the Mental Capacity Act 2005) in respect of the adult which is—
registered in accordance with that Schedule, or
the subject of an application to be so registered,
an order made under section 16 of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 by the Court of Protection in relation to the making of decisions on the adult's behalf,
the appointment of an independent mental health advocate or (as the case may be) an independent mental capacity advocate in respect of the adult in pursuance of arrangements under section 130A of the Mental Health Act 1983 or section 35 of the Mental Capacity Act 2005,
the provision of independent advocacy services (within the meaning of section 248 of the National Health Service Act 2006 or section 187 of the National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006) in respect of the adult,
the appointment of a representative to receive payments on behalf of the adult in pursuance of regulations made under the Social Security Administration Act 1992,
representing or supporting the adult in pursuance of arrangements made under section 67 or 68 of the Care Act 2014 (independent advocacy support).
Yes
No
Will the person be conveying, or be assisting in conveying, an adult who needs to be conveyed by reason of age, illness or disability in the following circumstances?
the conveying is on behalf of an organisation, whether or not the person who does, or assists in, such conveying is employed by that organisation,
the conveying is to or from a place in which the adult will receive, or has received, health care, relevant personal care or relevant social work, and
the person does, or assists in, such conveying for the purpose of enabling the adult to receive that health care, relevant personal care or relevant social work.
Yes
No
Will the person be employed in any of the following positions and, in the course of that employment, be conveying adults who need to be conveyed by reason of age, illness or disability?
hospital porter;
emergency care assistant;
ambulance technician;
driver employed in the Patient Transport Service or employed to assist that driver in carrying out the conveying.
Yes
No
Will the person be working in a care home which is exclusively or mainly for adults and will the work give the opportunity to have contact with the adults resident there?
Yes
No
Will the person be carrying this out frequently or overnight?
Frequently means on four or more days in any period of 30 days. Overnight means at least once between 2am and 6am where there may be face-to-face contact.
Yes
No
Will the person normally be working in a hospital used only for the provision of high security psychiatric services?
Examples of such hospitals are Broadmoor, Rampton, and Ashworth.
Yes
No
Will the person be providing an activity mentioned in paragraph 1 to adults mentioned in paragraph 2?
Paragraph 1 (the activities)
any form of care or supervision;
any form of treatment or therapy;
any form of training, teaching, instruction, assistance, advice or guidance which is provided wholly or mainly for adults mentioned in paragraph 2;
moderating a public electronic interactive communication service which is likely to be used wholly or mainly by adults mentioned in paragraph 2 and where the person has access to the content of the matter and contact with users of the service;
representing or providing advocacy which is on behalf of a statutory service and where the normal duties of the work enable the person to have access to the adults;
conveying.
Paragraph 2 (the adults)
adults who live in residential accommodation provided in connection with required care or nursing;
adults who live in sheltered housing;
adults who receive, at the place where they live, care of any description or assistance provided by reason of age, illness or disability;
adults who receive any form of health care, including treatment, therapy or palliative care of any description;
adults who receive support, assistance or advice for the purpose of developing their capacity to live independently in accommodation, or sustaining their capacity to do so;
adults who receive any service provided specifically for them because of their age, illness or disability, excluding a service provided specifically for an adult with one of more of the following disabilities (unless they have another disability) — dyslexia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia, Irlen syndrome, alexia, auditory processing disorder, dysgraphia;
adults lawfully detained in custody;
adults supervised by the National Probation Service;
adults who receive assistance with the conduct of their affairs—
by virtue of a lasting or enduring power of attorney, or an order from the Court of Protection, in accordance with the Mental Capacity Act 2005, or
from an independent mental capacity advocate within the meaning of section 35 of the Mental Capacity Act 2005, or
from independent advocacy services within the meaning of section 248 of the National Health Service Act 2006 or section 187 of the National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006, or
from a representative who receives payments under regulations made under the Social Security Administration Act 1992;
adults who receive, or whose representatives receive, Direct Payments for social care or health care under section 57 of the Health and Social Care Act 2001 or section 12A of the National Health Service Act 2006.
Yes
No
Will the person be carrying this out frequently or overnight?
Frequently means on four or more days in any period of 30 days. Overnight means at least once between 2am and 6am where there may be face-to-face contact.
Yes
No
To assess what level of check a management role is eligible for, please go back and assess the roles of the people the manager will be responsible for on a regular day to day basis.
Does the person hold any of the following positions?
school governor;
proprietor of, or individual who takes part in the management of, an independent school or an alternative provision Academy;
trustee of a children's charity;
trustee of a vulnerable adults' charity;
member of a fostering panel;
member of an adoption panel;
a position which would have been a regulated activity with children before September 2012;
a position which falls within the definition of "work with adults".
Yes
No
Result: The role is not eligible for an enhanced check
You can see if the role is eligible for a standard check or consider a basic check
Result: You can request an enhanced check without a barred list check
Result: You can request an enhanced check with a children's barred list check
Result: You can request an enhanced check with an adults' barred list check
Result: You can request an enhanced check without a barred list check
You cannot request an enhanced check for someone who carries out regular day to day management or supervision of this role
Result: You can request an enhanced check without a barred list check
You can request the same for someone who carries out regular day to day management or supervision of this role
Result: You can request an enhanced check without a barred list check
You can request an enhanced check with a children's barred list check for someone who carries out regular day to day management or supervision of this role
Result: You can request an enhanced check with a children's barred list check
You cannot request an enhanced check for someone who carries out regular day to day management or supervision of this role
Result: You can request an enhanced check with a children's barred list check
You can request the same for someone who carries out regular day to day management or supervision of this role
Result: You can request an enhanced check with an adults' barred list check
You can request the same for someone who carries out regular day to day management or supervision of this role
The following activities are not eligible for an enhanced check—
1. Incidental Activity
Any activity which is not an intended and reasonably expected duty of the role.
Any form of teaching, training or instruction of children which is merely incidental to teaching, training or instruction of adults.
Any form of care for or supervision of children which is merely incidental to care for or supervision of adults.
2. Family and Personal Relationships
Any activity which is carried out in the course of a family relationship. A family relationship includes a relationship between two persons who live in the same household and treat each other as though they were members of the same family. This does not include fostering or adoption arrangements.
Any activity which is carried out in the course of a personal relationship and for no commercial consideration. A personal relationship is a relationship between friends or family friends.
3. Group Activity
Any activity by a member (service user) of a group who merely assists or does anything on behalf of or under the direction of the group leader.
4. Employed Child
Teaching, training or instruction provided to a child in the course of the child's employment.
Care for or supervision of a child in the course of the child's employment.
Advice or guidance provided for a child in the course of the child's employment.
Employment includes any form of work which is carried out under the supervision or control of another, whether or not the person carrying it out is paid for doing so.
This exception does not apply if the child is under the age of 16 and the activity is carried out by a person in respect of whom arrangements exist principally for that purpose.
Basic check
Shows all unspent convictions and conditional cautions.
This check is available for any position or purpose.
Before an organisation considers asking a person to apply for any of the checks below, they are legally responsible for ensuring that they are entitled to submit such an application for the role.
Standard check
Shows all convictions and cautions except those that are protected.
This check is only available for positions that are included in the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975. Please refer to the eligibility guidance for standard DBS checks.
Enhanced check
Shows the same as a standard check and may also contain any relevant information that the police include in the disclosure certificate.
This check is only available for positions that are included in the Police Act 1997 or the Police Act 1997 (Criminal Records) Regulations. Please refer to the eligibility guidance for enhanced DBS checks.
Enhanced check with barring information
Shows the same as an enhanced check and includes a check of one or both of the barred lists.
A health care professional is a person who is a member of a profession regulated by a body mentioned in section 25(3) of the National Health Service Reform and Health Care Professions Act 2002—
General Medical Council
General Dental Council
General Optical Council
General Osteopathic Council
General Chiropractic Council
General Pharmaceutical Council
Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland
Nursing and Midwifery Council
Health Professions Council
Health Care
Health care includes all forms of health care provided for individuals, whether relating to physical or mental health and also includes palliative care and procedures that are similar to forms of medical or surgical care but are not provided in connection with a medical condition.
Relevant Personal Care
Relevant personal care means—
physical assistance which is given to a child who is in need of it by reason of illness or disability and is given in connection with eating or drinking,
physical assistance which is given to a child who is in need of it by reason of age, illness or disability and is given in connection with—
toileting,
washing or bathing, or
dressing,
the prompting (together with supervision) of a child, who is in need of it by reason of illness or disability, in relation to the performance of the activity of eating or drinking where the child is unable to make a decision in relation to performing such an activity without such prompting and supervision,
the prompting (together with supervision) of a child, who is in need of it by reason of age, illness or disability, in relation to the performance of any of the activities listed in paragraph 2 where the child is unable to make a decision in relation to performing such an activity without such prompting and supervision,
any form of training, instruction, advice or guidance which—
relates to the performance of the activity of eating or drinking,
is given to a child who is in need of it by reason of illness or disability, and
does not fall within paragraph 3, or
any form of training, instruction, advice or guidance which—
relates to the performance of any of the activities listed in paragraph 2,
is given to a child who is in need of it by reason of age, illness or disability, and
does not fall within paragraph 4.
Specified Establishment
A specified establishment is any of the following—
an educational institution which is exclusively or mainly for the provision of full-time education to children;
a school falling within section 19(2) or (2B) of the Education Act 1996 (pupil referral units etc) which does not fall within paragraph 1;
an alternative provision Academy which does not fall within paragraph 1;
an establishment which is exclusively or mainly for the provision of nursery education (within the meaning of section 117 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998);
an institution which is exclusively or mainly for the detention of children;
a children's home (within the meaning of section 1 of the Care Standards Act 2000);
a home provided in pursuance of arrangements under section 82(5) of the Children Act 1989;
a children's centre (within the meaning of section 5A(4) of the Childcare Act 2006);
relevant childcare premises.
Relevant childcare premises are any part of premises on which a person carries on—
any form of childcare (within the meaning of section 18 of the Childcare Act 2006) in respect of which they must be registered under that Act;
any form of such childcare in respect of which they may be registered under that Act, whether or not they are so registered;
any form of child minding or day care (within the meaning of section 19 of the Children and Families (Wales) Measure 2010) in respect of which they must be registered under that Act.
But premises on which a person carries on childcare or child minding are not relevant childcare premises if the premises are the home of a parent (including any person who has parental responsibility for a child or who has care of a child) of at least one child to whom the childcare or child minding is provided.
Fostering
A person fosters a child if—
the person is a local authority foster parent within the meaning of section 105 of the Children Act 1989;
they are a person with whom a child has been placed by a voluntary organisation under section 59(1)(a) of that Act;
they are a private foster parent.
A person is a private foster parent if they look after a child for reward or in pursuance of an arrangement made by someone other than a member of the child's family and—
they foster the child privately within the meaning of section 66(1) of the Children Act 1989,
they would be so fostering the child but for subsection (2) of that section (minimum period of 28 days), or
(in the case of a child who has attained the age of 16) they would fall within paragraph (a) or (b) if the child were under the age of 16.
Special Guardian
A special guardian within the meaning of section 14A of the Children Act 1989.
Relevant Childcare Premises
Relevant childcare premises are any part of premises on which a person carries on—
any form of childcare (within the meaning of section 18 of the Childcare Act 2006) in respect of which they must be registered under that Act;
any form of such childcare in respect of which they may be registered under that Act, whether or not they are so registered;
any form of child minding or day care (within the meaning of section 19 of the Children and Families (Wales) Measure 2010) in respect of which they must be registered under that Act.
But premises on which a person carries on childcare or child minding are not relevant childcare premises if the premises are the home of a parent (including any person who has parental responsibility for a child or who has care of a child) of at least one child to whom the childcare or child minding is provided.
Supervised
Supervised means subject to the regular day to day supervision, as is reasonable in all the circumstances for the purpose of protecting any children concerned, of another person who is engaging in regulated activity with children.
For the definition of regulated activity with children before September 2012, please refer to Legislation.gov.uk.
Relevant Personal Care
Relevant personal care means—
physical assistance, given to a person who is in need of it by reason of age, illness or disability, in connection with—
eating or drinking,
toileting,
washing or bathing,
dressing,
oral care, or
the care of skin, hair or nails (but not where that assistance relates solely to the cutting of the person's hair),
the prompting, together with supervision, of a person who is in need of it by reason of age, illness or disability in relation to the performance of any of the activities listed in paragraph 1 where the person is unable to make a decision in relation to performing such an activity without such prompting and supervision, or
any form of training, instruction, advice or guidance which—
relates to the performance of any of the activities listed in paragraph 1,
is given to a person who is in need of it by reason of age, illness or disability, and
does not fall within paragraph 2.
Social Work
Social work which is required in connection with any health, education or social services
Care Home
An establishment is a care home if it provides accommodation, together with nursing or personal care, for any of the following persons—
persons who are or have been ill;
persons who have or have had a mental disorder;
persons who are disabled or infirm;
persons who are or have been dependent on alcohol or drugs.
But an establishment is not a care home if it is—
a hospital (within the meaning of the National Health Service Act 2006); or
a children's home,
or if it is of a description excepted by regulations.
School Governor
member of or clerk to the governing body of an educational institution which is exclusively or mainly for the provision of full-time education to children or a maintained nursery school (within the meaning of section 39 of the Education Act 2002);
person appointed by the governing body of a maintained school to serve on a committee established by that body;
member of or clerk to a committee (established in accordance with regulations made under paragraph 15 of Schedule 1 to the Education Act 1996) which acts as the management committee of a school falling within section 19(2) or (2B) of that Act (pupil referral units etc).
Children's Charity
A charity is a children's charity if the individuals who are workers for the charity normally include individuals engaging in regulated activity with children under arrangements made by the charity and which are in accordance with the purposes for which the charity was established.
Vulnerable Adults' Charity
A charity is a vulnerable adults' charity if the individuals who are workers for the charity normally engage in any activity which is "work with adults" under arrangements made by the charity and which are in accordance with the purposes for which the charity was established.
For the definition of "work with adults", please refer to Legislation.gov.uk.
Regulated Activity Positions
For the positions which would have been a regulated activity with children before September 2012, please refer to Legislation.gov.uk.
Work With Adults
For the definition of "work with adults", please refer to Legislation.gov.uk.
Standard Check
A standard check shows all convictions and cautions except those that are protected.
A standard check is only available for positions that are included in the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975. Please refer to the eligibility guidance for standard DBS checks.
Basic Check
A basic check shows all unspent convictions and conditional cautions and is available for any position or purpose.
