DBS certificates
Please seek legal advice if you are unsure whether you need to disclose your criminal history.
For impartial advice, contact Nacro or Unlock.
We will not issue a chaperone licence unless you have an enhanced criminal record certificate with children’s barred list check from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). This will include details of unspent cautions and conviction, as well as convictions or cautions that would not be filtered.
A criminal history will not necessarily bar you from chaperoning. To comply with the DBS code of practice, we will take criminal records into account only when offences are relevant.
We will let you discuss the circumstances of any offences with us before we decide on whether to issue a licence. We will cross-reference this with your DBS certificate.
Existing DBS certificates
If you already have DBS certificate, you may not need to apply for a new one if:
- it is registered with the DBS update online service, or
- you are employed by the county council or a council-maintained school and can demonstrate continuous service since it was issued, or
- it is issued within three months of the date we receive your chaperone application
New DBS certificates
If you do not have current or relevant clearance by the DBS, we will ask you to complete an application for a new check.
If you need a new DBS application, you must provide us with evidence of your identity. Your certificate is posted to your home address and you must send it to us.
If we do not hear from you within one month of receiving your certificate, we will destroy your application.