Hi all,
I volunteer with school and scouts and my colleagues DBS checks tend to come back in a week while mine usually take about a month. I have the DBS update service with school but Scouts require a new check every five years.
I put in a few subject access requests after my last school new check in 2021 to try to understand why my checks consistently take longer than other people's but didn't get anything useful back.
For my scouts renewal I applied on the 27th of February but the application seems have been stuck at stage 4 - with the police - since the 8th of February! I've had to step back from scouting because my 5 years renewal date came and went on the 30th of March.
I tried calling 101 but they referred me to the DBS helpline which terminates with an answer machine. This whole thing is making me feel deeply paranoid. I have had diagnosed anxiety for most of my life and have come into police contact through this a couple of times where I've become very distressed in public but both of those incidents happened over ten years ago, neither led to a fine, caution or charges (the police are very fair and caring, to be fair) and I've had at least six enhanced blank DBS checks since, to be a magistrate, kids football coach, school and scouts without them taking so, so long!
I know that most people get them back in days but has anyone else out there had to wait this long? It's ruining my peace of mind!