DBS Checks For Care And Nursing Homes

The DBS, or CRB as it was when it opened back in 2002 was introduced for many reasons, but primarily to safeguard vulnerable people such as children or adults requiring support or care.

Over the years, the DBS has evolved to process DBS checks for many different types or organisation, industry or charity, but possibly one of the primary industries that uses the service is care and nursing homes for adults and children. This is due to the fact that in most cases, the applicant needs to have a DBS check in place before they commence work. DBS checks for care workers play a critical role in ensuring the safety of the clients they care for.

Care work is broadly defined as:

• Assisting a person with activities such as dressing, eating and drinking, and washing and using the toilet.
• Being available to ensure a person carries out the above activities for themselves.
• Providing training or education in personal care.

DBS eligibility for Adult Care and Nursing Homes

When the DBS was introduced in 2002, if a care home was employing a staff member they would require an enhanced DBS check with a relevant barring list check whatever their role. This changed in September 2012 when the newly appointed coalition government decided to pull DBS checks back to what they believed was a proportionate level. With this the eligibility criteria for checks changed in certain environments and a list of tasks was introduced that the applicant had to be regularly carrying out in order to have an enhanced check with a barring list. This legislation change only applied to people working with vulnerable adults. So for example, for a carer. Manager, or someone providing healthcare or hands on assistance nothing changed, but if the applicant was a domestic, laundry assistant, maintenance operative or cook/kitchen assistant they became only eligible for an enhanced check without an adults barring list. There was also a frequency criteria introduced which meant the applicant had to be working within that environment more than three times a month or once overnight.

DBS Checks for Children’s Care Homes

There was no legislation change for people working within care homes for children, and whatever their role, whether they be responsible or caring for a child they remained to have an enhanced level check with a children’s barring list. The change only applied to those working with adults.

Home-Based DBS Checks

If care work is to be carried out in the applicant’s home – for example, if a client will visit them in their home – a home-based check is required. This in addition to the applicant’s check. A home-based check looks at and will potentially disclose relevant information about other people associated with the address at which the work will be carried out.