An essential part of our commitment to promoting a safer Church is ensuring that everyone who works or volunteers within our churches feels supported in offering their time and is suitable for the role they undertake.
As part of this commitment, we carry out DBS checks to identify any relevant convictions through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). In the Diocese of Derby, DBS checks must be renewed every three years and are processed through our provider, ThirtyOne:Eight.
What is a DBS check?
A DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check is a background screening process used in England and Wales to review an individual's criminal record. More information can be found here; https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/disclosure-and-barring-service/about
Who needs a DBS check?
If you are unable to locate the information you require, we recommend speaking directly to ThirtyOne:Eight (ThirtyOne:Eight - Contact Us) as the DBS experts, they will be able to answer your query most effectively.
Who is responsible for monitoring my DBS and training compliance?
Please use the key below to identify who monitors your DBS and training compliance.
The PSO (Parish Safeguarding Officer) is responsible for my DBS and training compliance and I am a paid employee, what do I need to know?
Please speak with the person responsible for DBS processing within your parish, typically the Parish Safeguarding Officer or DBS Administrator, who will be able to guide you through the application process.
Once you have received your DBS certificate, should you wish to subscribe to the DBS Update Service, this costs £16 per year and is not covered by the Diocese.
The PSO (Parish Safeguarding Officer) is responsible for my DBS and training compliance and I am a volunteer, what do I need to know?
Please speak with the person responsible for DBS processing within your parish, typically the Parish Safeguarding Officer or DBS Administrator, who will be able to guide you through the application process.
Once you have received your DBS certificate, we recommend that volunteers register for the DBS Update Service. This must be done within 28 days of the certificate being issued and is free of charge.
Registering for the Update Service can help reduce administration for both the applicant and the organisation. Further information is available on the DBS Update Service – GOV.UK website.
The Diocese are responsible for my DBS and training compliance and I am new to post, what do I need to know?
Please see below step-by-step process. Alongside this you will also be invited to become a member of our Safeguarding Hub, which is the system we use to track DBS and Training compliance. The invite from this will come from admin@mail2.parishdashboards.org.uk.
- Email dbs@derby.anglican.org asking to start the DBS process, please include which role you are applying for/hold as we need this information.
- A member of the Diocesan team will send you the relevant confidential declaration form (CDF), Privacy Notice and ID check form.
- Fill out and sign the confidential declaration form (CDF)
- Read the Privacy Notice.
- Fill out the ID check form
- The ID check form and accompanying ID documents (eg passport, driving licence) need to be verified and signed by a trusted person. Ideally this should be the local Parish Safeguarding Officer. Where this is not possible, it is accepted for Clergy, Churchwardens or PCC Secretaries to sign. Please note, if this isn’t possible, please contact the Diocesan team on dbs@derby.anglican.org to discuss alternative options.
- Both the CDF and ID check form need to be sent to the Diocesan team for processing. This can be done by email to dbs@derby.anglican.org or via post to Church House, Derby, DE1 3DR.
- The Diocesan team will initiate the DBS renewal process through our provider Thirtyone:Eight.
- An email will be sent to the candidate from ThirtyOne:Eight. This includes a link which, when clicked, will ask you to enter recent address history etc.
- No further action required, await outcome from Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). Applications can be tracked here; DBS Tracking Service
The DBS update service cannot be used for home-based roles which most covered under the Diocese are.
The Diocese are responsible for my DBS and training compliance and I need to renew my DBS, what do I need to know?
- You should have recevied a notification from the safeguarding hub that your DBS is due to expire in 3 months time.
- A member of the Diocesan team will send you the relevant confidential declaration form (CDF), Privacy Notice and ID check form.
- Fill out and sign the confidential declaration form (CDF)
- Read the Privacy Notice.
- Fill out the ID check form
- The ID check form and accompanying ID documents (eg passport, driving licence) need to be verified and signed by a trusted person. Ideally this should be the local Parish Safeguarding Officer. Where this is not possible, it is accepted for Clergy, Churchwardens or PCC Secretaries to sign. Please note, if this isn’t possible, please contact the Diocesan team on dbs@derby.anglican.org to discuss alternative options.
- Both the CDF and ID check form need to be sent to the Diocesan team for processing. This can be done by email to dbs@derby.anglican.org or via post to Church House, Derby, DE1 3DR.
- The Diocesan team will initiate the DBS renewal process using our provider Thirtyone:Eight.
- An email will be sent to the candidate from ThirtyOne:Eight. This includes a link which, when clicked, will ask you to enter recent address history etc.
- No further action required, await outcome from Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). Applications can be tracked here; DBS Tracking Service
The DBS update service cannot be used for home-based roles which most covered under the Diocese are.
I am unsure about the cost of DBS' to Parishes
Parishes are responsible for the costs associated with DBS applications and related services. The charges below are set by our provider, ThirtyOne:Eight and may be subject to change.
- Enhanced DBS checks for VOLUNTEER parish staff - free
- Enhanced DBS checks for PAID parish staff - £55.10
- ALL Basic DBS checks - £27.10 (we recommend a CDF Lite instead, see section below)
- ALL Digital ID checks - £4.25
Additional Information
- Enhanced DBS checks are free of charge for volunteers.
- The DBS Update Service is free of charge for volunteers, where the original check was an Enhanced DBS.
- For paid staff, enrolment in the DBS Update Service can only be completed by the individual applicant. The current cost is £16 per year (set by the Disclosure and Barring Service), payable by card at the time of registration. This cost is not covered by the Diocese.
- Thirtyone:Eight invoices the Diocese monthly. The Diocese then recharges these costs to the relevant parishes each month.
CDF Lite
DBS Update Service
The Diocese of Derby cannot accept a DBS Update Service check:
- For anyone who holds a licence, including clergy, Readers, or those with Permission to Officiate (PTO).
- Where the original DBS certificate was issued outside of the Diocese (If you are transferring from another Diocese and are registered for the Update Service via them, please make contact with us directly to discuss)
- £16 per year for paid workers. Payment is made directly to the DBS by debit or credit card. The Diocese of Derby is not responsible for these costs.
- Free for volunteers.
Information can be found here; DBS Update Service - GOV.UK
The Parish Safeguarding Officer (PSO) must obtain a recent, completed Confidential Declaration Form (CDF).
- If any answers are positive, send a copy of the CDF to dbs@derby.anglican.org for review by the Diocesan Safeguarding Team before proceeding.
- If all answers are "No", the CDF should be retained securely by the parish in line with diocesan policy.
Complete the form linked here as you would for a standard DBS application.
You must see the original DBS certificate and record:
- The DBS certificate number (not the Update Service registration number), including any leading zeros
- Date of issue
- Surname, forenames and date of birth as shown on the certificate (if different from the details already recorded)
- Position applied for
- The wording shown in each of the five status boxes, for example "No Information", "Not Requested", or "Certificate Contains No Information"
Send the completed DBS Update Service Check Form to dbs@derby.anglican.org.
Please do not send copies of DBS certificates.
The Diocese will carry out the Update Service check and will either:
- Confirm a successful DBS check and the renewal date, or
- Advise that a new DBS application is required
If you have any questions, please contact dbs@derby.anglican.org.
I have an accessibility issue and/or am struggling with this process.
We are committed to making our processes accesible to all, please contact a member of the team (Safeguarding Team) who will be happy to discuss this with you.
