Children Protection History / DBS checks

[KMaih97]

Hello.
I have recently been accepted onto a midwifery degree(something I’ve wanted since I was a child). I want to be very excited but one issue is giving me major anxiety.
I had my first child at 15 in DV relationship, social services were involved because of my age and the father being an abusive adult. My daughter was put on a child protection plan but when I left the relationship he was arrested for DV and she was taken off the register. (We haven’t seen him since)
My daughter is now in high school and I’ve gone on to have 2 more daughters who have never had any social services involvement.
Im currently awaiting my enhanced DBS and I can’t shed the fear that this is going to show up and end my midwifery journey before it’s started.
Ive worked really hard to get to this point but if it is going to show up I’d like to know.
I can’t get excited to start this degree at the moment 😢

Contact your Uni OP, they’ll have dealt with all sorts like this. Unless the enhanced DBS is widely different to teaching it shouldn’t prevent you training or working as a midwife, however, you should disclose it every-time you apply for a new position.

Thanks - I do already volunteer on the maternity ward. But recently noticed my DBS certificate for that was just a standard one. So was worried incase this was different.

Don’t think it will be a disaster they more than likely will ask then can make a decision about it

When a DBS comes back with info on it, it usually invokes a risk assessment that takes into account the info, how long ago, and context.

You sound very much the victim, so the best advice would be yo just engage with the process and be honest.

Well done, and do be excited 👏

I’m not sure that would show in a DBS certificate. If it did, it’s not a pass/fail situation- the employer speaks to the employee about it. I work in a school and know that we have people with offences from when they were teens. You were clearly in a horrific situation and it was a long time ago- they will understand. In terms of applying for jobs, with safer recruitment in schools, the application forms often ask about previous CP- not sure if the same happens for midwifery. Again, you would just need to add the context.

Enhanced DBS checks show spent and unspent convictions and cautions. They may also show, if requested, inclusions on the children's and/or adults' barred lists. Local police forces may also release extra information about the applicant as part of the check.
Doubt it will show up

DBS checks are for criminal things, not social services. I'm pretty certain it won't come up.

The DBS certificate will come direct to you not your employer/university.

I doubt this would show up but speak to the uni. If it does come up then you should declare it to every new employer. I know a social worker with the offence of assaulting a police officer on her record. So pretty serious but the context was that she was a teen who accidentally threw something in the wrong direction. Context is everything and therefore sensible discussion is needed.

This won't show on an enhanced DBS

Surely you were the victim. Unless you had a police record it won't come up on dbs.

DBS just shows if you have any criminal convictions.

A not insignificant number of social workers have a history of involvement with social services when they were younger which is why they choose the profession as adults. If it's not a problem for them it shouldn't be f9r you.

Indeed I would have thought that your experiences would actually be seen as a positive for entry on to the midwifery course!

This won't come up on a DSB check. They only show criminal records, or in rare circumstances, when someone has been dismissed from a job working with vulnerable people.