Many of us are familiar with what are DBS checks. However, if you’re not, you should be, especially if you’re a business owner or employer. Even more so when you’re hiring someone to take on a role where they are responsible for people who are vulnerable for example, or may have access to sensitive and confidential information. DBS checks essentially perform a very thorough and comprehensive background check on that individual. Allowing you as the employer to make an informed and correct decision on whether to go ahead with the next stage of the recruitment process.
Better to be safe than sorry
Sometimes it can be tempting to bypass these checks if you’re in a rush to get a position filled as an employer. However, this should never be done. As an employer, you need to ensure that safeguarding the people you look after is your absolute number one priority above everything else.
At the interview stage, someone can come across as the perfect candidate for the job. However, you shouldn’t solely base your decision on a hunch or a first impression. As a DBS check could uncover that there is a criminal conviction in their history that would be a huge red flag.
It’s also important to note that if you’re based in sectors such as health and social care, where you’re responsible for the care of elderly and vulnerable people, it’s a legal requirement to notify the DBS if you have had to dismiss someone due to negligence in their role and causing harm. Something that may not necessarily go as reported by the police but something any future employer needs to know about.
The different types of DBS checks
Depending on what industry you’re in and the level of information you’re wanting to know will determine which DBS check you need. There are a total of four different DBS checks. These are the basic, standard, enhanced and enhanced check with barred lists. All of these different types of checks must be requested by the employer and the individual who is subject to the checks must give their permission for the respective checks to be made. It’s only when the checks have been fully carried out and the applicant passed are they able to accept any offer of employment that may have been made to them.
Ensuring that you make the right decision
Even if you’re not based in the health and social care sectors, carrying out a DBS check can be very beneficial. It can help you avoid making ‘bad hires’ which is not only financially detrimental to the business but also prolongs the recruitment process. There’s also the possibility of an individual damaging the reputation of the company should you hire someone, who for example, has a history of offensive social media posts in charge of your companies social media.
Background checks not only cover and reveal any criminal convictions, but they can also give you an insight into someone’s personal employment history, medical history, media searching and qualifications. Other checks can be carried out to find out similar information however, the most popular and comprehensive by far is a DBS check.
Safeguard your business today
If you want to start ensuring that you are making the right decisions when it comes to hiring people, ensure that you start putting checks in place. Enhanced DBS checks are by far the best way to get the best insight into what type of person you have applying for that job and can tell you straight away if you should carry on with the recruitment process or not. They may take more time to carry out but it’s well worth the wait to ensure that you don’t make any bad hires and that you are legally compliant and safeguarding your business and the people you look after.
If you have been the subject of a DBS check you can also get a DBS certificate from the DBS update service. Which is an online subscription service that hosts your DBS check. It means that any employers that apply to can see proof of your certificate (with your permission of course) and a lot more efficiently. This also demonstrates to them that you’re transparent and of course have passed the DBS checks.
In Summary
DBS checks are important for employers no matter what industry you’re in, but even more so in the social and health care sectors. These checks help ensure that the people that you’re recruiting and taking on are responsible and legally allowed to carry out that job with the utmost care.
