What DBS Check Do You Need to Work With Children in the UK?

Anyone planning to work with children in the UK, whether in a school, nursery, childminding setting, or as a volunteer with a youth group, will almost always be asked to complete a DBS check before starting.

For people new to this area, it is not always obvious which level of check applies, what the school or setting will ask for, or how long the process takes.

Why Are DBS Checks Required for Roles With Children?

A DBS check is a criminal record check carried out by the Disclosure and Barring Service, allowing schools, nurseries, and other organisations to see whether someone has a relevant criminal record before they start working with children.

This is a standard part of safeguarding practice across education, childcare, and many voluntary youth roles.

Roles involving what is legally defined as regulated activity with children, meaning close or frequent contact, generally require the highest level of check, which is an enhanced DBS check including a search of the children’s barred list.

What Does a DBS Check for Working With Children Show?

An enhanced DBS check for this type of role can include unspent and spent convictions, cautions, reprimands and warnings, relevant information held by local police, and a check against the children’s barred list, which records individuals who are legally barred from working with children.

Which DBS Check Do You Need to Work With Children?

Most roles involving direct contact with children fall into the enhanced category, but the exact requirement depends on the setting and how much unsupervised contact the role involves.

DBS Checks for Schools

School dbs check requirements are set out as part of statutory safeguarding guidance that schools must follow.

Before a new member of staff can begin unsupervised work with pupils, the school is required to see a valid enhanced DBS certificate with a children’s barred list check.

This applies to teaching staff as well as support roles such as teaching assistants, catering staff, and site staff who have regular contact with pupils.

Supply teachers and agency staff working across multiple schools can benefit from the DBS update service, since it allows schools to check an existing certificate’s status online rather than requesting a completely new application each time the person moves to a different school.

DBS Checks for Nurseries and Childcare Settings

Childcare DBS checks in the UK follow a similar pattern to schools. Nurseries are required to ensure staff have an enhanced DBS check with a children’s barred list search before starting unsupervised work with children. This applies to permanent staff, as well as bank or relief staff brought in to cover shifts.

Self employed childminders, who often work independently rather than as part of a larger organisation, generally need to arrange their own enhanced DBS check through a registered childminder agency or an approved umbrella body, since individuals cannot usually apply for this level of check entirely on their own.

DBS Checks for Teachers

Alongside the enhanced DBS check itself, teachers in England are also checked against the DBS children’s barred list and, depending on the role, may be subject to additional checks required by teaching regulatory bodies.

Newly qualifying teachers typically complete this as part of their placement and induction process, while teachers moving schools will usually need a new or updated check unless the update service is in use.

DBS Checks for Volunteers Working With Children

Volunteers in youth clubs, sports coaching, faith groups, and similar settings are often eligible for a free enhanced DBS check, since the role qualifies for a fee waiver under DBS rules.

The organisation running the group generally acts as the registered body, handling the application and identity verification on the volunteer’s behalf.

How to Apply for a DBS Check for Working With Children

• Confirm with the school, nursery, or organisation exactly which level of check is required for the role.
• Complete the application form with full address history covering the required period.
• Provide identity documents for verification, either in person or through an approved online identity service.
• Submit the application through the registered body, such as the school, nursery, or umbrella organisation.
• Wait for the certificate, which is generally posted to the applicant, with some providers offering online tracking of the application.

How Long Does This Type of DBS Check Take?

Enhanced checks for roles with children generally take longer than basic checks, since they involve a search of the children’s barred list alongside police and criminal record information.

Applications with accurate personal details and prompt identity verification tend to be processed more smoothly, while any mismatch in names or addresses can add delay, which is worth planning for ahead of a start date.

Does a DBS Check for Working With Children Expire?

There is no official expiry date attached to a DBS certificate. It reflects the information available at the point it was issued, so schools, nurseries, and other settings typically set their own policy on how often checks should be renewed, often reviewing them every one to three years.

Using the DBS update service allows a certificate to be kept current between roles, which many staff working across different schools or settings find useful.

Final Thoughts

Working with children in any capacity, whether as a teacher, nursery practitioner, childminder, or volunteer, comes with a clear safeguarding responsibility, and an enhanced DBS check with a children’s barred list search is central to that process.

Understanding which check applies to a particular role, and who is responsible for arranging it, helps schools, nurseries, and individuals plan ahead and avoid unnecessary delays before a new role begins.

Frequently Asked Questions