DBS update service

Sorry. That was a mistake I made.
I mean why wouldn't an organisation accept a DBS certificate on the update service if it keeps your records up to date

I don't understand what you mean.

Why wouldn't an organisation accept a DBS on the update on the update service and tell you do another one?
It keeps all of your records up to date.
What planet are they living on?😅

The welsh equivalent Estyn did check for DBS every three years. But now check for DBS or update service check.
If you are having troubles with schools in the sane LA it might be worth contacting the LAS Central HR who would hopefully be able to confirm the update service is acceptable and then you'd be able to provide the confirmation to the schools you are visiting.

That is totally untrue
There is NO requirement to re-do DBS checks every 3 years, the DfE actually questions if it is a good use of public funds

Ofsted dont look at DBS checks in that way- they certainly don't and never had failed a school because they are more than 3 years old.

Yeah, I can see it's really annoying if schools choose not to use it.

So that's saying a DBS on the update service is fine, schools don't need to ask candidates to get a new one?

Yes, that's what is supposed to happen, the problem is that a lot of places don't seem to know what the update service is.

Four places isn't that many though. I can go to four schools in a week.

So that's saying a DBS on the update service is fine, schools don't need to ask candidates to get a new one?

I've been on the update service for years - have used the same DBS for Ofsted, volunteering, a school and a nursery.

I dont bother any more and cancelled my subscription.

I have been with the same employer for years, and every time I move or get a promotion I have to do a new one, even if its in the same service or unit (promoted to team leader), and they wont accept the update. Seemed a waste of £13.

Who pays to be registered with the update service?

My supply agency pays for mine.

Just to clarify, I am not employed by a school but I visit schools as part of my job.

Who pays to be registered with the update service?

I had an issue earlier this year and actually lost paid work as the new organisation eventually advised they wouldn't accept my perfectly valid and fairly recent DBS cert, then took months to advise they couldn't find ne on the update service and asked me to apply for yet another new DBS. They have now asked for feedback.

Interesting. I've been on it for years and not a single school has accepted the update service! Bonkers how different people's experience is. It's clearly working somewhere.

I wonder if it's a primary/secondary thing. Or more a big school versus small school. Some of the schools I go to are tiny with three classes. Ge had people gather round my paper copy whilst discussing what they are going to do.

KCSIE 2024:

All offers of appointment should be conditional until satisfactory completion of the mandatory pre-employment checks. All schools and colleges must:

• verify a candidate’s identity, it is important to be sure that the person is who they claim to be, this includes being aware of the potential for individuals changing their name. Best practice is checking the name on their birth certificate, where this is available. Further identification checking guidelines can be found on the GOV.UK website.

• obtain (via the applicant) an enhanced DBS check (including children’s barred list information, for those who will be engaging in regulated activity with children). Note that when using the DBS update service, you still need to obtain the original physical certificate (see paragraphs 255-258).

Where a DBS certificate is required, it must be obtained from the candidate before, or as soon as practicable after, the person’s appointment, including when using the DBS update service (see paragraph 255 - 258).

Once the checks are complete, the DBS will send a DBS certificate to the applicant. The applicant must show the original paper DBS certificate to their potential employer before they take up post, or as soon as practicable afterwards. Schools and colleges will be able to compare any information disclosed on the certificate with any information shared by the applicant during the recruitment process. DBS guidance on how to check a DBS certificate can be found on GOV.UK.

Individuals can join the DBS Update Service at the point that an application for a new DBS check is made. Subscription to the service enables future status checks to be carried out by employers to confirm that no new information has been added to the check since its issue.

As good practice, many schools and colleges require new staff to join the Update Service as part of their employment contract. The benefits of joining the Update Service are:
• portability of a DBS check across employers
• free online checks to identify whether there has been any change to the information recorded, since the initial certificate was issued and advice whether the individual should apply for a new DBS check, and,
• that individuals will be able to see a full list of those organisations that have carried out a status check on their account.

Before using the Update Service, schools and colleges must:
• obtain consent from the individual to carry out an online check to view the status of an existing standard or enhanced DBS check
• confirm the DBS certificate matches the individual’s identity
• examine the original certificate to ensure that it is valid for employment with the children’s workforce, and,
• ensure that the level of the check is appropriate to the job they are applying for, e.g. enhanced DBS check/enhanced DBS check including with barred list information.

It's belt and braces - when I worked for the NHS, each trust had a similar policy of applying for one themselves.

I've been on the update service for years and never had an issue at schools/colleges

I’m not on the update service and I’ve just received a DBS for a new employer and it only took 2 weeks. I assumed it’s quicker as they only really search back until the date first one was issued. I haven’t bothered signing up to the update service as schools just don’t seem to accept them.

That really sounds to me like they don't know how DBS works.

I've recently registered with a new supply teaching agency with the update service and that was absolutely fine.

However, if I go to a school where I haven't been before and they ask to see my paper DBS and it's got a 2020 on as well as the name of a different agency they often start freaking out.

Sadly the schools trust I work with won't use it - they say that they don't want to rely on the id check undertaken by another organisation.

I am a freelancer working contracts that are sometimes as short as a couple of weeks, so it would be ludicrous if I had to apply to a new DBS for each organisation - my actual certificate is from 2019 and I haven't had anyone query my using that and providing the update service ID, although annoyingly a local authority that I have to apply to for a licence to practice still charged me the DBS fee when I updated my licence, despite not needing to carry out a new check!