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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Reply from Home Office re DBS and GRC

67 replies

Ali1cedowntherabbithole · 12/09/2019 22:12

I contacted my MP after the questions raised on the thread linked below. I asked for clarification about identity checks for DBS could be verified if someone has a GRC and is living with a new identity.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3653715-Challenor-showing-off-their-new-birth-certificate.

MP didn't bother to reply but I have received the following "correspondence reply" from the Home Office.

Thank you for your email xxx to the Minister for Children and Families about the Disclosure Barring Service ( DBS and your concerns on the effectiveness of the checks that are made on people who are transgender , which has been passed to the Home Office for a reply.

One of the important roles of the DBS is to help employers make safer recruitment deci-sions to ensure that people who want to work with children and vulnerable adults do not have a previous record of causing them harm. An essential part of this public protection role is to check the identity of the applicant through the verification of the documents they use to prove their identity. DBS checks are therefore dependent upon being able to con-firm and verify all names used by an individual when checking whether they might pose a threat to others, for example whether they have been convicted of a serious offence.

For these very important reasons, applicants for a DBS check are asked to produce doc-uments from a primary set (a current valid passport issued by any country, UK photo card driving licence, UK biometric residence permit or a UK birth certificate issued within 12 months of birth) together with other trusted Government issued documents or finan-cial/social history documents. This includes ensuring that the applicant provides details of all addresses where they have lived in the last five years. The DBS guidance has been carefully constructed to ensure that the process is as secure as possible and is kept under review.

Our policies must adhere to the important protections afforded to transgender people, such as protecting an individual’s gender history, which are enshrined in the Gender Recogni-tion Act 2004.

Being able to validate an identity is a crucial part of ensuring that a criminal record disclo-sure is sent to the right person, rather than to someone who has adopted a false identity in order to hide a criminal past. The Government believes that the above process provides the right balance of maintaining high standards of identity checking, whilst at the same time, not being so restrictive that it prevents legitimate applicants from completing the DBS identity checking process.

I hope this is helpful in explaining the position.

So basically "an essential part of this public protection role is to check the identity of the applicant through the verification of the documents they use to prove their identity" unless they have a GRC and then it doesn't matter.

There is no safeguarding.

OP posts:
Withington · 12/09/2019 22:14

Another thing that "will never happen". It doesnt take a genius to see how this will be abused.

Binglebong · 12/09/2019 22:15

UK birth certificate issued within 12 months of birth

So does that mean an amended birth certificate doesn't count? Oh, never mind, was being silly and logical there.

SarahTancredi · 12/09/2019 22:20

What are you worried about. It will obviously never ever ever ever happen. If it does people can just call the police. Hmm

Ali1cedowntherabbithole · 12/09/2019 22:22

So does that mean an amended birth certificate doesn't count?
Give over with your logic now. It will count for special people.

Nothing worrying here at all.

OP posts:
ImGenderfree · 12/09/2019 22:23

The DBS is against a name and address and the documents are used to verify that. If the employer is not told of any previous names (can they request that if a GRC has been obtained and can they even request to know whether there is a GRC in place?) If so is the employer relying on someone to volunteer the information or are records linked? I’m interested if anyone knows the answer?

Binglebong · 12/09/2019 22:25

Sorry Ali1. I am deeply disappointed with myself. Sad

Michelleoftheresistance · 12/09/2019 22:32

So basically there is a loophole, but it will Never Never Happen Because Its Impossible, and heresy to suggest otherwise.

And when it does happen, as is inevitable, it will be because of other reasons and the victim's fault in some way and the perp wasn't actually covered by the One True Faith because reasons.

We're still in the realm of how many children and vulnerable people will be collateral damage to making trans people above the law. Its when stupid replies like this come back that I really wonder how big and sinister this agenda is, because to a sane person this is ridiculous.

LangCleg · 12/09/2019 22:32

Jesus tapdancing Christ.

Well, I suppose they got marginally closer to clearly saying that a GRC makes your DBS meaningless.

Whatisthisfuckery · 12/09/2019 22:45

Fucking hell, I’m both flabbergasted and not coloured shocked at all. So any rando can get a GRC, which doesn’t look that hard tbh, then sail through a DBS check despite having a form sheet as long as their arm for god knows what?

Fuck me, it’s an open goal.

Journalists?

Whatisthisfuckery · 12/09/2019 22:47

And then when they get caught reoffending they can be locked up with captive women? Fucking jesus H fucking christ!

newtlover · 12/09/2019 22:51

yes, JOURNALISTS where are you
don't make us do it all ourselves

Ali1cedowntherabbithole · 12/09/2019 23:06

It's so blatantly obvious whose rights have priority isn't it?

OP posts:
RobinMoiraWhite · 12/09/2019 23:08

There is no loophole. Trans individuals are checked to the same standards as anyone else. But the certificate does not reveal previous identity to the recipient organisation if the individual does not want it revealed. Perhaps all those expressing (misguided) outrage might want to put down their megaphones and examine their reasons for jumping to the conclusions they have?

littlbrowndog · 12/09/2019 23:15

How does that work then robin ?
Because you are not making sense

SirVixofVixHall · 12/09/2019 23:16

They haven’t even answered the question. Just waffled on.

Datun · 12/09/2019 23:17

robin

If I have changed my name on my passport, birth certificate, drivers license, bank accounts and everything else, and give the DBS those documents, at what point will they connect to my previous name in the DBS office?

SonicVersusGynaephobia · 12/09/2019 23:19

Robin, it relies on the transgender person declaring their previous identity.

Now, most trans people will, of course, but do you think the ones who have a criminal past they need to hide in order to get the job they want will be volunteering information they oboe will disqualify them? Or might I suggest criminals are not known for their honesty?

TeaForDad · 12/09/2019 23:26

I still can't believe anyone ever thought, or still does think, that a birth certificate should be changed and effectively back-dated.
Insane

CatalogueUniverse · 12/09/2019 23:27

Birth certificate issued within 12 months of birth. Where is the date issued on the certificate? Does it change if the details change?

Datun · 12/09/2019 23:31

If the new birth certificate has the current date, how does it work? If they say where is your original certificate, and you say I don't have it, it's gone. What next?

LangCleg · 12/09/2019 23:33

There is no loophole.

Oh give over. It's tired.

LangCleg · 12/09/2019 23:34

Birth certificate issued within 12 months of birth.

You don't have to provide a birth certificate, original or altered. It's one of a choice of documents.

Datun · 12/09/2019 23:40

You don't have to provide a birth certificate, original or altered. It's one of a choice of documents.

Got it.

So RobinMoiraWhite, any chance you could respond, given your post?

CatalogueUniverse · 12/09/2019 23:40

Just reading the dbs info on .gov

Yeah that’s wide open. Passport, driving licence and one other document where the issuer will have used the first two as proof of identity.

Datun · 12/09/2019 23:42

I think we all understand that if they are honest, the crimes will be revealed to the employer, but not under the original name. Thereby protecting their original identity.

But if they're not honest?

You know, like every paedophile in the country?