Not sure if Security consultants shold be DBS checked?

The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). Although DBS Checks are not required by law, OFSTED state that all schools in the UK must conduct DBS Checks on staff. This allows hiring managers to make suitable and safe hiring decisions. Responsible companies will carry out background checks on contractors and consultants, working on company premises. This helps them mitigate risk, that they’re maybe opening the company up to insider risks, data loss, theft or unauthorised access to restricted areas and personnel.

Who needs a DBS Check?

We would recommend anyone who is in a position of trust undergoes a DBS Check. Basic Checks are a public service; they are available to any employer, and they can help to make suitable recruitment decisions. There is not a list of people who can and can’t have one; the only rules are what levels or type of check you qualify for.

What kind of DBS Check is recommended for those working in a company or education?

There is no particular type of DBS Check required in order to work in a company or education. However, Personnel Checks would recommend that employers in children’s education sectors conduct an Enhanced DBS Check on all potential employees, as the nature of the sector involves working primarily with children. An Enhanced Check goes into more depth and allows the employer to also conduct a search of the Children’s Barred List

A Standard DBS check is suitable for certain roles, such as a security guard, security testing, or security consultant.

The certificate will contain details of both spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands and warnings that are held on the Police National Computer, which are not subject to filtering.

Security guards and security staff are in positions of responsibility and trust, which means that employers like to (and should) run background checks to make sure that they have the right people for the job. The most common way of checking an individual’s background is to request a DBS check, which involves searching through their criminal record on the Police National Computer (PNC) and highlighting any relevant offences. The results are displayed on a DBS certificate. This guide will tell you everything you need to know about DBS checks for security staff.

What information is disclosed on a basic DBS certificate?

A basic check will contain details of convictions and conditional cautions considered to be ‘unspent’ under the terms of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1974/53 The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 aims to give those with convictions or cautions the chance - in certain circumstances - to wipe the slate clean and start afresh. Under the Act, eligible convictions or cautions become ‘spent’ after a specified period of time known as the ‘rehabilitation period’, the length of which varies depending on how the individual was dealt with. A table of rehabilitation periods for the most common sentences and disposals can be found here https://www.gov.uk/guidance/rehabilitation-periods, along with some example scenarios.

Brainstorm Security DBS policy

At Brainstorm Security Ltd, we make it policy that all employees also have a current basic DBS check and certificate when working with customers on site or carrying out physical penetration testing or training sessions. This is, over and above, the rigorous background and vetting checks we do with all employees to ensure our customers can feel confident and secure when allowing us to enhance their security.