If your role involves working with a vulnerable group as an employee or volunteer please check with your Parish Safeguarding Officer or the Diocesan Safeguarding Administrator if you require a DBS check and to complete a Confidential Declaration Form.
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
For more information regarding the DBS please visit: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/disclosure-and-barring-service
The diocese requires that a DBS be completed prior to the appointment to any role, paid or voluntary, working with children or vulnerable adults on behalf of the Church of England.
The DBS Update Service is an online subscription service that lets individuals keep their DBS certificates up to date and allows employers or organisations to check a certificate status online, with the individual's consent. Once registered with the DBS Update Service, the same certificate can be used again when applying for a position which is in the same workforce and where the same type and level of check is required.
If you have more than one certificate, covering different workforces, then please ensure that you upload each certificate. The Update Service does not provide a facility to check roles which need the “working from home” requirement.
Registration of a certificate lasts for one year and registration is free for volunteering positions, however paid positions cost £13 a year. Certificates need to be registered with the DBS Update Service strictly no later than 19 days from the date of issue, shown on the certificate. The DBS will contact individuals each year to confirm renewal of their subscription, if they do not receive a response from the individual; the subscription is ceased and details removed from the update service.
Further information regarding the DBS update service, as well as a guide for applicants, can be found at www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service
DBS Consent Form | PDF
Confidential Declaration Form
This is a House of Bishops’ requirement and must be completed prior to the appointment to any role, paid or voluntary, working with children or vulnerable adults on behalf of the Church of England and before a DBS application is requested or completed by the individual.
The completion of the Confidential Declaration Form is the responsibility of the parish, as part of their safer recruitment process and is independent of the DBS application. Once completed, the form should be returned and checked by the Incumbent and securely stored for as long as the appointed person remains in post.
Important notice: Please change the contact information on the form that requests the form be sent back to Alison Baalham to your own PSO or Safeguarding Administrators information before using the form.
Confidential Declaration Form | DOCX
Privacy Notice | DOCX
Further resources
Church of England Practice Guidance: Safer Recruitment | PDF Please note this is currently under review
Recruitment of ex-offenders | PDF