What is a criminal record check and why do I need one?
A criminal record check generates a record of a person's criminal convictions and/or cautions, and depending on the level of check, any other information deemed relevant by the Police.
The volunteer role you have applied for involves working with children/young people and/or adults at risk, it is not covered by the provisions in the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Exceptions Order 1975. This means that SSAFA can apply to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) for a criminal record check.
The following roles require a vetting check:
The DBS is responsible for processing and issuing criminal record checks. The DBS also makes decisions as to whether an individual should be barred from engaging in regulated activity and maintains a list of these people. As an organisation accessing criminal record information SSAFA is committed to acting in accordance with the DBS Code of practice.
Not all cautions and convictions will be disclosed using a check and "filtering" is the process that DBS uses to determine whether information should be removed from a person's certificate or not. There is guidance about filtering on the DBS Website.
SSAFA partners with a company called Agenda Screening Services who undertake different vetting checks electronically, including DBS checks.
A member of the Volunteer Experience Team will act as a verifier and arrange a video call at a convenient time to verify three original documents. These documents are used to prove your identity and address. The verifier will then initiate a check for you online via the Agenda website.
The list of documents required by the DBS can be found here. You need to provide a valid combination using these guidelines.
The easiest combination is usually; a passport and photocard driving licence and a utility bill (dated within the past 3 months) or a council tax bill (dated within the past 12 months).
The documents shown to the verifier have to be original and not downloaded from the internet.
All of your personal details must be identical across all three documents shown, any change in name needs to be evidenced for example, if you have changed your name after marriage and some of your documents have your married name and some have your maiden name then you need to also show your marriage certificate which will evidence this name change. An alternative solution is to provide a fourth document from the DBS approved list of documents which shows your married name.
You will then be sent an automated email from Agenda with a link to their web portal where you need to complete an online form. In this form you will be asked to input the following details: passport and driving licence numbers (as available), National Insurance number, changes of name, and address details for the past 5 years.
Finally, you will be asked to confirm that you agree to your details being checked before the submission is sent.
Once you submit your part of the form to Agenda, they will send off your completed form to DBS who will undertake the check.
You may be telephoned or emailed by Agenda Screening Services to confirm details on your form.
Once the checks are completed you will receive a DBS certificate posted directly to you. SSAFA will also receive a notification that the check has been returned with the certificate number and issue date. These details are saved for our records on our volunteer database.
Using the Update Service
We will not accept update service for new volunteers, only those who are renewing their DBS with us. The reason being that the update service just lets us know that nothing has been included since their last check and we don’t know if anything was flagged then.
The update service is a free service for volunteers, allowing an organisation to check the status of their DBS certificate on demand. To join the update service, you have to apply online within 30 calendar days of the DBS certificate issue date (i.e. not when the certificate arrives in the post). You need to renew your entry into the update service each year.
Please note: we are only able to accept checks via the update service for re-checks for existing volunteers, and not volunteers who are new to SSAFA. This is because the update service only informs us if there is any change to the original check and we will not have access to or be able to see that.
If you require any further information regarding the Update Service please contact the Volunteer Experience team at [email protected].
How long will it take for my DBS certificate to be returned?
The DBS works to a target of 95% of checks completed within 8 weeks though if there are any queries that need investigation, this will add more time to the process. Many checks are completed much sooner in about 2-3 weeks.
What happens if?
Some volunteers have convictions or cautions that are identified during a check. Having a positive check does not automatically exclude you from volunteering at SSAFA. If the central office team receives a notification that your check is positive a process is followed.
SSAFA will be alerted if any information is returned on a check however no details will be provided. This means we need to talk to you about what has been disclosed and view your certificate.
Your local Volunteer Development Manager (VDM) will be informed in confidence and contact you to have a conversation about what has been disclosed and to see your original certificate (via video or face to face).
Following this, a vetting panel comprised of a small number of employees will meet to review the information and make a decision about participating in the role you have applied for.
If relevant, the VDM will contact the relevant volunteer manager to let them know your check has been returned with information on it. You will be made aware of this.
SSAFA considers a volunteer’s whole application when making decisions about suitability. A criminal background check is one part of this, as is information from your initial application form, interview and references.
In the vast majority of situations, the panel will conclude that you are able to continue to volunteer in your chosen role. Where the panel determines there are concerns with this, then we will discuss with you the possibility of being involved in SSAFA in another role if appropriate and in some rare circumstances, we will need to decline your application.
We commit to reviewing checks as quickly as possible, keeping any information confidential and limited to those involved in decision making.
For more information about DBS vetting checks please contact [email protected]