Why are DBS Checks so important? Look at the impact

The impact of Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Checks goes far beyond just making safe recruitment decisions. Pre-employment vetting checks can indirectly impact individuals, organisations and communities in ways you may not expect.

Carrying out DBS Checks lets employers know the criminal history of an applicant or current employee. While this is the primary purpose of DBS Checks and will enable you to decide if a person is suitable to the workplace, you should always be mindful of the ways stakeholders can be affected.

How do you want to be seen by your community? If you want to be seen as caring, your approach to DBS Checks must be more than just satisfying contractual obligations or legal requirements. It’s bigger than you and your employees.

Consider your community

Let’s look at a topical example of how people can be impacted by DBS Checks.

Last week (August 2021), Birmingham City Council terminated its contract with a transport service for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) because it couldn’t demonstrate the correct DBS Checks for its drivers.

This provides a real case study of the knock-on effects when DBS checks are not carried out.

Let’s examine the numbers behind this story:

• The local authority had less than two weeks to find a new transport provider before the school term began.
• Over 800 vulnerable children were put at increased risk of disruption to essential transport.
• Hundreds of parents, families and carers were affected, causing ‘trepidation’ and ‘anxiety.’
• Teachers and staff at six specialist and mainstream schools faced potential changes to arrival arrangements.
• More than 200 drivers at the transport service face uncertainty about their jobs.

It’s easy to see how many people can be affected by DBS Checks, or the lack of them. The shockwaves reach way past the employer and its employees.

In this case, it has caused emotional and logistical issues and damage for vulnerable children, their loved ones, the local authority and education staff.

Put certainty in safeguarding

Understanding these types of knock-on effects is not only crucial for your own reputation and industry standing, it can make or break your relationship with your community and stakeholders.

Keeping your community in mind can help you to:

• Pre-empt problems
• Plan your response
• Protect your stakeholders
• Minimise risk for all parties.

At Checks Direct, we make every check count and you can, too. Our friendly and experienced advisors process thousands of independent and verified DBS Checks a year.

To put the certainty into your safeguarding measures, contact us for one-to-one expert advice or register now to process applications.