A new organisation to oversee criminal records checks, referrals and barring investigations has been set up in a bid to provide employers with a “one-stop-shop” service.
The Disclosure & Barring Service was formed out of the merger of the Criminal Records Bureau and Independent Safeguarding Authority in an attempt to make the checking process clearer and simpler.
The DBS will also be responsible for introducing various government reforms such as portable CRB checks to eliminate the need for multiple and unnecessary repeat applications and the roll-out of an online update service to make it easier for employers to assess the suitability of individuals for employment purposes.
Minister for criminal information, Lord Taylor of Holbeach, said: “The DBS will provide a seamless service, which will protect vulnerable groups, including children, in our society, while at the same time making checks simpler for individuals and their employers.”
But he warned that employers should not rely solely on such checks when making recruitment decisions. “They have a professional duty to ensure that staff are properly managed and supervised and that, if they have concerns, information is referred to both the police and the DBS,” Lord Taylor added.
Other changes to the current criminal record check system include the introduction for the first time of an independent right of review in order to enable individuals to challenge the information disclosed about them before it is given to their employer or potential employer.
Moreover, in future, a single criminal records certificate will only be sent to applicants and no one else, while the number of positions that require barring checks has been reduced from 9.3 million to five million.
