DBS Guidance & FAQs

Policy, procedure, fact sheets, templates and models for the full Safer Recruitment process can be found on our Policies, Guidance & Resources page.

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DBS eligibility - what level of check does the role require?

From 1st September 2026, the rule about the supervision of individuals working/volunteering with children (under 18 year olds) was removed from the legal definition. This means that some individuals are now in Regulated Activity with children when they were not before, because they were sufficiently supervised by someone else.

These useful links regarding this change were emailed to all of our registered Lead & Additional Recruiters on Wednesday 26th August 2026:

• Change to the definition of regulated activity with children from 1 September 2026 - GOV.UK
• Common misconceptions about the removal of the supervision exemption for regulated activity with children
• What type of role is it? - Find out which DBS check is right for your employee - GOV.UK

Please review your parish DBS records for individuals that work/volunteer with children (under 18-year-olds) as they may now be eligible for, and therefore require, a higher level of DBS check.

If, after reading the guidance, you are still unsure about eligibility, please contact our DBS umbrella body thirtyone:eight for advice.

• Church of England Safer Recruitment FAQs (updated January 2024, Word)
• Church of England Safer Recruitment Guidance - Section 9: Disclosure & Barring Service
• Church of England DBS Role Eligibility Guidance Toolkit (Word)
• DBS Checks Working with Children in Places of Worship - leaflet explaining eligibility within faith groups (PDF)

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Basic DBS checks

From January 2024, parishes can process Basic DBS checks for roles that are not eligible for an Enhanced DBS check. Examples include Authorised Local Preachers (ALPs), Parish Safeguarding Officers (PSOs), Lead/Additional Recruiters and some PCC members.

A Basic DBS check covers any conditional cautions and unspent convictions under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974.

The current cost for a Basic DBS check via thirtyone:eight is £28.22 per application. The Diocese of Chelmsford will pay for the first five Basic DBS checks for each parish. The PCC is responsible for any additional checks, and an invoice will be raised once the certificate has been issued.

80% of Basic DBS checks are currently completed within 48 hours.

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Before starting a DBS application

The Diocese of Chelmsford expects that all individuals complete and submit the relevant Confidential Declaration Form to their PSO/Lead Recruiter before each DBS application or online Status Check.

• Confidential Declaration Form for BASIC DBS Checks (Word)
• Confidential Declaration Form for ENHANCED DBS Checks - Church of England
• Privacy Notice (to be provided to applicants with either Confidential Declaration Form) - Church of England

If you have queries about completing the Privacy Notice, please email safeguarding@chelmsford.anglican.org

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What to do if a DBS certificate is 'positive', 'blemished', 'not clear' or 'has trace'

Every Enhanced DBS application produces a certificate with one of two statuses:

• 'Certificate contains no information' - the certificate contains no criminal convictions, cautions, warnings, reprimands or other police information.
• 'Please wait to view applicant's certificate' - the certificate contains information and the recruiter must view the applicant's certificate before the individual can begin work with children or adults at risk.

If the certificate has information ('positive'):

• The applicant must present their DBS certificate to their Recruiter.
• The Recruiter cross-references the certificate against the applicant's Confidential Declaration Form to check for discrepancies.
• The DBS certificate MUST always be referred to a Chelmsford Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser (DSA). A DSA is qualified to identify and assess the relevance of any offences and will make a recommendation concerning suitability.
• If the applicant does not wish their certificate to be seen, the application must be terminated.

Contact details for Chelmsford DSAs are on the Our Safeguarding Team page.

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DBS expiry dates and the recheck cycle

If an individual is still in a role requiring an Enhanced DBS check, they must complete a new check BEFORE their current certificate expires. This is calculated from the issue date of the certificate, not the date they started the role.

From 2024, the Diocese of Chelmsford operates on a 3-year recheck cycle, in line with the NST's 2021 Safer Recruitment and People Management policy.

Please keep your DBS certificate safe - the issue date is printed on it. The Chelmsford DST does NOT hold copies of DBS certificates and will NOT send reminders before your certificate expires.

We recommend contacting your Recruiter approximately 3 months before your certificate's expiry to allow time for a new application.

Note: Enhanced DBS checks for Clergy, Readers/LLMs and those with PTO should NOT be processed at parish level. These individuals should receive contact from their Archdeacon's or Area Bishop's Office - if not, they should contact that office directly about 3 months before expiry.

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Frequently asked questions

Below are a selection of our FAQ's - if you can't find your answer here then please email safeguarding@chelmsford.anglican.org

• What is the DBS?

  On 1 December 2012, the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) and the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) merged to form the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

  Its main aim is to aid safer recruitment decisions and prevent unsuitable people from working with vulnerable groups.

• What are the different levels of DBS check?

  Basic DBS check: covers unspent convictions and conditional cautions under the ROA 1974.

  Enhanced DBS check: covers spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands and warnings from the Police National Computer, plus relevant non-conviction information from police forces.

  Enhanced with Barred Lists DBS check: as above, plus a check of the children's and/or adults' barred lists.

• What personal data do you record?

  Please read our Safeguarding Privacy Statement before you submit your personal details for a DBS check (UK Criminal Record Check) and/or Overseas Criminal Record Check or online Status Check. It explains what information we record and how we use it.

  As a Registered Body The Diocese of Chelmsford adheres to the DBS Code of Practice.

• How do I track a DBS application?

  Enter your application reference number and date of birth into the DBS Tracking Service.

• How do I escalate a DBS application?

  If the DBS Tracking Service shows your application has been with the DBS for more than 60 working days, call DBS Customer Services on 0300 0200 190 to escalate.

  After 70 days you can request the address of the relevant police force and write to them directly.

• What if my certificate was dispatched but I haven't received it?

  If the Tracking Service shows your certificate was dispatched more than 14 days ago and your postal address has not changed, you can request a reprint within 93 days of the issue date. Complete the DBS reprint form and email it to DBSReprints@dbs.gsi.gov.uk.

  The Dicoesan Safeguarding Team cannot do this on your behalf.

• What if I have lost my DBS certificate?

  If the certificate has been lost or destroyed after you received it, the DBS cannot process a reprint. You will need to apply for a new DBS check and pay a new admin fee.

  The Dicoesan Safeguarding Team does not hold copies of DBS certificates.

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For more information or to report anything wrong with this page please contact The Safeguarding Team