08/07/2026
DBS checks (Disclosure and Barring Service) are an important part of any organisation’s safer recruitment toolkit. They provide information about convictions, cautions, and, where appropriate, police information, helping organisations make safer recruitment decisions and protect the vulnerable adults and children they work with.
However, the DBS system is not only about accessing information, it is also there to protect individuals’ rights. Under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, people are entitled to keep certain old convictions private once they become “spent.” DBS eligibility rules help maintain this balance, ensuring organisations only request the level of information they are legally entitled to see while still supporting safe recruitment practices.
Because of this, DBS eligibility can sometimes feel complicated. Once you consider the different workforce categories, definitions of regulated activity, and defined work, there are ten different levels and combinations of checks available. These range from a Basic DBS check, which is available to anyone and only shows unspent convictions, through to Enhanced DBS checks with
both children’s and adults’ barred list checks.
Full guidance on DBS eligibility and the different levels of checks can be found on the DBS pages of the E-portal and on the official gov.uk website.
To help organisations build confidence and understanding, the Eportal recently launched a “Test Your DBS Knowledge” quiz.
The quiz covers:
There are 12 questions in total, and when the quiz was trialled at a recent network meeting in Maldon as part of the Your Essex Community place-based work, the average score was just 5.5 out of 12, with scores ranging from 2 to 7.
This highlights something many organisations experience — DBS processes can be complex, and even experienced professionals can find the rules difficult to navigate.
Take the quiz today and see how confident you are in understanding DBS eligibility and safer recruitment responsibilities.
Sign up for the next DBS workshop from E-Portal partner, Maldon and District CVS to gain practical guidance, improve compliance, and have the opportunity to ask questions about real-life scenarios and eligibility decisions.
