Enhanced DBS & Mental Health

[DBSWorries]

I've just been offered a job but I need an enhanced DBS and I'm worried something will come up and they'll retract the job offer.

I have no criminal history whatsoever but a few times I have had dealing with the police for poor mental health and suicide attempts. I have never been sectioned but have been taken to A&E by the police.

Does anyone know if this stuff is likely to appeared on the enhanced DBS? I can't stop worrying about it.

I think that it is for criminal activity, I have had to have several and , depending on which service carries it out, my fare evasion from about 35 years ago comes up

@Mydogisagentleman I hope it's just criminal. I have read online that sometimes other things can be disclosed and I'm hoping this is not one of those instances.

Depending on the job, it may be worth letting your new employer know in advance that this sort of thing may show up

@Mydogisagentleman Maybe - but I would kick myself if that lost me the job and the DBS didn't show it anyway.

Anyone else have any words of advice? I can't stop worrying about this.

I used to work in a dept that processed the DBS. Bad mental health won’t appear. The “other things” that people have mentioned are things like accusations which doesn’t result in criminal charges. So things like if a vulnerable person claimed they were abused by a carer but there wasn’t enough evidence to charge them criminally.

So as long as you didn’t threaten to hurt anyone but yourself during these episodes I can’t see how your mental health would be relevant.

@Weatherwarnings Thanks - that gives me some hope. I wasn't a threat to anyone but myself, but it was fairly recent so that worries me slightly. Hopefully that won't make a difference.

I have been sectioned on a few occasions and I have been arrested for my own safety. None of this has ever shown up on an enhanced DBS.

@Elisheva Thank you - I hope I have the same experience!

@DBSWorries I had a normal DBS check and as I applied for it myself and then sent it to new employer I got to see "the results" first. As I have no criminal history it was basically a blank bit of paper with my name on it.
Maybe it will be the same that you will see the results before employer does?
For what it's worth I don't think mental health problems will show on a DBS check. And if it does you can always explain it to employer then. If they holder it against you, it's illegal discrimination and probably would be awful to work for in that case.
Best of luck! I'm sure it'll be fine.

No that kind of thing doesn't show up.

It's for criminal things only

@Pepsipepsi @wheresmymojo Thanks both. I think this one is going straight to my employer but fingers crossed it will be ok anyway.

That shouldn't come up on a DBS. I wouldn't mention it.

If there is something on your DBS it gets sent to you and your employer gets a note on their system saying there is something on your DBS. This is to allow you to see it first and decide if you’d rather just withdraw from the role or take it in and explain yourself. If it’s blank it shows on their system as clear!