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DBS Checks

ThirtyOne:Eight The Diocese of Peterborough uses ThirtyOne:Eight as the organisation to adminster the DBS checks. In the parish, a Lead…

ThirtyOne:Eight

The Diocese of Peterborough uses ThirtyOne:Eight as the organisation to adminster the DBS checks. 

Who will process my DBS Check?

In the parish, a Lead Recruiter, who is sometimes also a Parish Safeguarding Officer, will process the applications for Church Wardens, PCC members, volunteers and employees. 

Clergy, Readers, Licenced and Authorised Lay Ministers or Worship Leaders have their DBS application processed by the Bishops’ Office.

How do I become a Recruiter or Lead Recruiter?

Please contact the Safeguarding Team by emailing safeguarding@peterborough-diocese.org.uk with the name of your parish and/or benefice.  We will send to you the New Recruiter Application Form, with a note of the ThirtyOne:Eight account number and organisation name for your parish/benefice.  The form requests a counter-signatory, which is usually the incumbent of the parish/benefice.  If you are in a vacancy, then the counter-signatory can be a church warden, another member of clergy associated with your parish, or a Reader/Lay Minister.  Email back to the safeguarding team a scanned copy (or a clear photograph) of the form, and we will forward it to ThirtyOne:Eight on your behalf.

How can I find out what DBS check someone needs?

The level of check a person requires depends on the work they are undertaking.  The three types of check used in the Diocese of Peterborough are Basic, Enhanced, and Enhanced with Barred List.  There are no minimum requirements for a Basic check to be carried out.  To find out if someone is eligible for an Enhanced or an Enhanced with Barred List check, ThirtyOne:Eight have an interactive Eligibilty Guide which is available to all their registered users.  This is not the same log in link as for processing a DBS application, please log in to the Member Portal.

The DBS Update Service

Following requests from parishes, and the change in guidance from the National Safeguarding Team, the Diocesan Safeguarding Team have researched the practicalities of using the DBS Update Service within the Diocese.  We have consulted with the Disclosure and Barring Service, safeguarding colleagues in other dioceses, and with ThirtyOne:Eight.

Our research has found that the challenges of using the Update Service in the church context outweigh the benefits that it will bring, and therefore the Diocese of Peterborough will not be accepting the use of the Update Service.  This decision has been ratified by the diocese’s senior leadership team and the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisory Panel.

The reasons for not using the Update Service are as follows:

  • Basic DBS checks are not eligible for the Update Service.
  • DBS checks which include “home worker” checks cannot use the Update Service.
  • The DBS certificate on the Update Service can only be used if the certificate is for the same level of check and workforce as required for the position undertaken.  For example, an Enhanced DBS certificate registered on the Update Service could not be used for a role which is only eligible for a Basic DBS check, or an Enhanced with barred list DBS certificate registered on the Update Service could not be used for a role which is only eligible for a Basic or Enhanced (without barred list) DBS check.
  • Individuals must not only register for the Update Service within 30 days of receiving their DBS certificate, they must also annually renew their subscription to keep their certificate current.  If the renewal is not done in time, then the subscription lapses, and if the DBS certificate is more than 3 years old, a new DBS check will be required anyway.
  • The employer/volunteer manager has to obtain and record signed consent to check the Update Service each time a new check is needed.
  • A new Confidential Declaration Form needs to be completed each time the Update Service is to be checked.
  • The administration for checking the Update Service is not less demanding than that of processing a new DBS application, meaning that using the Update Service does not reduce the administrative load on our Parish Safeguarding Officers and Lead Recruiters.
  • The original DBS certificate still needs to be seen to keep the Update Service valid, as an update will only advise that there has been no change to the original certificate, not what was recorded on the original certificate.

Information from the National Safeguarding Team around DBS checks

The NST have issued a statement to improve clarity about DBS check eligibility.  As always, if you are unsure about what level of DBS check is required for a role, you are welcome to contact us or go directly to ThirtyOne:Eight.  

The NST’s statement is as follows:

We understand that our recent item on DBS eligibility, regulated activity and PCC members may have caused some confusion and we apologise for that.  There has been no change to the legal position or to the requirements set out in the new Safer Recruitment and People Management Code of Practice (hereafter referred to as “the Code”.)

There are four levels of DBS checks:

  • Basic
  • Standard
  • Enhanced without barred list
  • Enhanced with barred list(s)

Anyone can apply for a Basic DBS check but there are strict legal criteria that must be met to apply for the remaining three types.  Being a PCC member does not automatically make someone eligible for the last two types of check – an enhanced DBS check, with or without barred list.

Key points:

  • All PCC members can be asked to complete a Basic DBS check.  As set out in the Code, this should be made clear before election.
  • Regulated activity has a specific legal definition under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2026 (as amended).
  • PCC members are unlikely to be carrying out regulated activity simply because they are PCC members.  PCC membership alone will not normally make sompel eligible for the last two types of checks – an enhanced DBS check without barred list information or an enhanced DBS check with barred list information.
  • The legal definitions of a children’s charity and a vulnerable adults’ charity are explained, with examples, in Appendix C of the Code.
  • The fact that a parish runs activities for children, such as a Sunday School, does not automatically mean that the PCC meets the legal definition of a children’s charity.
  • PCCs should seek appropriate legal advice to determine whether they meet the relevant legal definition.
  • As with any role, the specific responsiblities of an individual PCC member must be assessed to determin DBS eligibility (see again Appendix C of the Code).
  • Further guidance can be found in the Safer Recruitment and People Management Resources under the section on the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
  • The DBS Regional Outreach Service can provide advice and guidance to dioceses, cathedrals and other church bodies on DBS eligibility and regulated activity.  The service also offers workshops and training.  Contact your Regional Outreach Advisor for futher support.

The Charity Commission advises that:

  • Where a role is eligible for a standard DBS check, enhanced DBS check, or enhanced DBS check with barred list information, the appropriate check should be obtaioned; and
  • Where a role is not eligible for those levels of check, organisations should consider whether a basic DBS check is appropriate, based on their safeguarding risk assessment.