DBS check

[KnockedDownAndKnockedOut]

Speaking hypothetically, if I put in a report to the police for domestic abuse but not reported a crime, asked for no further investigation, follow up or visit, just a report on system for backup if something went against me, would that appear on their DBs check?

I don't want to stop or ruin their career, I just wanted to protect myself if things went further south, but don't want them knowing I've done it because they will act different if they found out

@KnockedDownAndKnockedOut I'm confused? Unless something was proved it wouldn't go on a DBS check?

I get that but when looking online it's says all records with local police and that's what I'm confused about. I don't know enough about DBs to say what will appear.

Depends on what action the police take. They’re not a repository for your notes.

Unsubstantiated allegations can and often do appear on an enhanced DBS check, but not a standard one. For example, if the person applied for a job in the police, working with firearms, in a school or care setting, the enhanced DBS would show any unproved allegations that could affect that role; if the police consider the allegations unrelated, then they may withhold.

But yes, allegations do get saved and entered, but it's discretionary.

@MungoforPresident I'm probably being a bit stupid here, but then what's to stop anybody making things up, reporting them to the police, and then it going down as "unsubstantiated"?

I thought it would only be convictions on there

@KnockedDownAndKnockedOut If you report an incident or a pattern of incidents related to domestic abuse, then you will have reported a crime, and the police will likely investigate wether you want them to or not.

If someone is being violent against you, then report it. Don’t worry about whether it shows up on a DBS! Anyone that works with vulnerable people and in need of a DBS, who is also a domestic abuser, shouldn’t be in that job in the first place.
Hope you’re OK.

A couple of posters think that only convictions or things that have been proven will appear on a DBS check. That is not true. An enhanced DBS check includes non-conviction information that the police consider to be relevant. So, for example, if someone is under investigation for child sex offences, that would appear on their DBS check even though nothing had yet been proven.

@KnockedDownAndKnockedOut - You should not worry about whether the information will appear on a DBS check. It will only do so if it is a job that requires an enhanced check (in essence, a job working with children, young people or vulnerable adults, or specific regulated activities) and the police consider it to be relevant. If the police would consider it relevant and you don't report the abuse, you could be enabling him to abuse vulnerable people at work.

This is an odd question. If this person is being abusive towards you report it. You can’t report something for it to be left on file- that’s unfair. The perpetrator would be afforded the opportunity to say ‘no that didn’t happen’. The police will take it forward with or without your consent. Yes it’s likely that an investigation for abuse will show up on an enhanced dbs check unless the alleged perpetrator shows themselves to be innocent. That’s one of the reasons that the police would investigate this type of accusation.

I just wanted to protect myself if things went further south, but don't want them knowing I've done it because they will act different if they found out

OP, forget reporting it, are you safe? I’d get yourself organised and ready to leave.

No. If police think it relevant any reported crime will be included.

If you report it, police will decide if it needs following up.

I'm really confused by this thread. @KnockedDownAndKnockedOut if you report your ex to the police it won't show up on your DBS, but it might show up on his. Myself and my exs ex wife have made countless reports to the police about our ex. Last time I did a DBS it was clean and she regularly does enhanced dbs which are also clean.

@Hyroplate So what's to stop somebody making something up which is completely untrue?

Human decency ?

The system is designed to capture information on the basis "if it saves one child". So allegations are allegations and will be recorded.

Stop worrying about the consequences for somebody else’s poor behaviour. Report them.

Why does someone violent deserve a clean DBS?

She's asking if it'll show on his, not hers. She wants to record it for information but not have him find out.

Ahhh ok. TBH from what I know about reporting my ex you have to do it more than once and things have to be really bad for the police to be able to do anything. And then the police would need to consider how relevant it, DV accusations can be a his said/she said situation if there is no previous history or a conviction.

My ex had a conviction for gbh against his ex and so many reports to the police for DV.

Nothing, but that doesn't generally happen, and if it was a one off it probably wouldn't be reported on a DBS, but it's not unusual for a a man to have multiple complaints against him that witnesses chose not to take forward. Whilst it's posaible for the police to take those forward without the victim's cooperation, it's going to be hard to get a guilty verdict. It's right that people who need to know are advised of that kind of info.

@Hyroplate I disagree that people wouldn't try to make unfounded claims though. It happens in family courts all of the time, for example. There are some nasty people about. Surely the police couldn't just say "Oh your ex said this - we have no evidence whatsoever and you've just split up - but we'll record that on a DBS."
But I absolutely agree that genuine cases should all absolutely be reported.
I can see that multiple separate complainants obviously adds weight.

Probably yes, but if three exes have said it...?

Like I said, multiple independent complainants of course changes things somewhat.

You can read the guidance the police follow when deciding what to include on a DBS at Statutory disclosure guidance - GOV.UK. Note that one of the tests is that the information should be credible. That is not as strong a test as the information being true, but an allegation that is clearly not credible should not be included.