DBS and Safer Recruitment

Safer Recruitment and People Management

Safeguarding - Why Safer Recruitment is so Important resource provides a clear explanation of key terms, our responsibilities and relevant examples from the diocese of Guildford.

DBS

Section 9 of the Safeguarding e-manual details the requirements and good practice guidance for Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks within the Church of England.
A Confidential Declaration Form (CDF) must be completed prior to undertaking an Enhanced or Enhanced with Barring DBS check. Confidential Declaration Form FAQ will assist you with familiarising yourself with this requirement.
PCC members and DBS checks - The Charity Commission strongly recommends that all trustees should be DBS checked at the enhanced level (without barred list) where they are eligible - A charity is classed as a children’s charity if anyone there undertakes Regulated Activity with children, and an adults’ charity if anyone carries out legally defined work with adults. If your PCC sponsors and approves, work/activities in its own name with children, young people, or/and adults with care and support needs, then the members of the PCC are considered trustees and will be eligible for an Enhanced DBS check without barred list check with he relevant workforce. This applies even if the trustee does not personally work with children or adults. If the charity is not a children’s or adults’ charity, then a Basic DBS check would still be appropriate.

DBS checks

The purpose of undertaking DBS checks for eligible roles is to ensure that individuals who pose a risk to children, young people, or vulnerable adults are not placed in positions where they have access to these groups.

Each parish is responsible for undertaking DBS checks for its staff and volunteers. The Diocese is responsible for DBS checks for all clergy.

Parishes may choose their own DBS provider or opt into the Diocesan umbrella arrangement with Matrix Security Watchdog (MSW). If parishes would like to opt into this arrangement, please contact DBS@cofeguildford.org.uk.

For parishes that have opted into the arrangement with MSW, here is a template Privacy Notice that you may wish to use to explain to your DBS applicants how their data is processed.

MSW contact details:

Tel. 01420 558752 (Lines are open 9:00am-5:30pm Monday to Friday)
e-mail: dbs.enquiries@teammatrix.com

Digital ID checks

A digital ID check is a fully digital way of verifying an applicant's identity. Instead of showing physical documents, the information can be provided digitally. Identity checking digitally is quicker and more robust as the technology used is capable of spotting fraudulent documents much better than a typical human can.

Requesting a digital ID check as part of the DBS application process means DBS Validators don’t have to be involved in the identity checking process and the result of the ID check can be received within minutes once the applicant has submitted their documents to the IDSP (Identity Service Provider).

TrustID - Acceptable documents for a digital ID check

TrustID - Selfie guide

TrustID - Guide to results

Overseas Criminal Checks

If a DBS is required for the role and the applicant has lived, worked or volunteered outside the United Kingdom for a continuous period of six months or more at any point within the previous 10 years, an overseas criminal records check must also be carried out, either via a third party provider or by the applicant requesting a Certificate of Good Character from the relevant embassy(ies) - Section 8.6 of CofE Safer Recruitment and People Management guidance. The application process for the certificate varies from country to country and up-to-date guidance can be found on GOV.UK. The overseas criminality check service is offered by MSW.

Where the information cannot be obtained or is not available, the applicant should be asked to provide evidence of their attempt to obtain a certificate and the responsible person should take extra care when taking up references or checking any previous employment record and, in such cases, it would be advisable to seek additional references, as well as actually speak to referees on the telephone. It is acknowledged that if someone has been travelling abroad, e.g. on a gap year where a number of countries would be visited, it will not be possible to obtain the information in this format. Therefore, it is even more important that the references and any previous employment or volunteer experience is verified.

Blemished Disclosures

If a DBS disclosure is blemished, the parish is required to contact the Diocesan Safeguarding Team, and the recruitment must be put on hold. The process is as follows:

1. Please confirm by email if the applicant has completed the Confidential Declaration Form

2. DBS will produce a confidential certificate and send to the named person only

3. Please ask the applicant to send a copy/photo of the certificate to the Diocesan Safeguarding Team email address

4. DSA will review the blemish, complete risk assessment and speak with the named person if required

5. DSA will advise parish on outcome of risk assessment and if safer recruitment can continue

DBS Validator Training

Safer Recruitment and People Management module is mandated prior to attending DBS Validator training. This online module can be accessed via the National Safeguarding Training Portal.

Click on the link below to register for a 2.5-hour DBS workshop delivered by Kelly Matthews, the DBS Regional Outreach Adviser. The session is held on MS Teams.

Thursday 21 May 2026 1:00pm-3:30pm - register here

DBS resources