DBS Checks for Teachers: Ensuring Student Safety in Schools
Prioritising the safety and well-being of students in schools is of the utmost importance. As part of our commitment to safeguarding, here at Aaron’s Department, we understand this importance, and are experienced in making sure you get the correct check, quickly. In this article, we will provide valuable information about DBS checks for teachers and highlight our automatic update service, which ensures continuous coverage for teaching staff.
DBS Checks for Teachers: The Essentials
DBS checks are a crucial aspect of maintaining a safe learning environment. All teachers in the UK, including supply teachers, are required by Ofsted to undergo an Enhanced DBS check. This check reveals any spent or unspent convictions or cautions that the applicant has, and this is not subject to the filtering of convictions. It also includes information relevant to the teaching role from the applicant’s local police force, which they may include at their discretion.
In addition to the Enhanced DBS check, teachers must also undergo a Children’s Barred List check. This check verifies if an individual has been barred from working with children. These checks are necessary to ensure that teachers are fit to carry out regulated activity, such as teaching, instructing, caring for, or supervising children.
What Is Regulated Activity?
When working with children, Regulated Activity includes, but is not limited to:
- Personal care
- Providing healthcare
- Foster care, or registered childminding,
- Teaching, training, coaching or mentoring,
- Any work taking place in a Specified Place* (e.g.: schools, nurseries or children’s hospitals), or where the person will have unsupervised contact with children for more than 3 days in a 30-day period.
* Specified Place is the legislative term used in this context for “anywhere we might reasonably expect to find children” - Managing or directly supervising the day-to-day activities of anyone who is involved in Regulated Activity
We go into more detail on regulated activity in one of our other articles, DBS Regulated Activity- 5 Things You Should Know.
Applying for DBS Checks for teachers.
Here at Aaron’s Department, we pride ourselves on providing an efficient and streamlined DBS service to employers, making the whole experience straightforward for everyone. A DBS check for teachers is essential, so it should be as easy as possible.
Continuous Coverage with our Automatic Update Service
We understand that the safeguarding of students is an ongoing responsibility. To address this, we are offering a brand-new service, our Automatic DBS Update Service Checker. This service allows teaching staff to maintain continuous coverage and ensures that their DBS certificates remain up-to-date. If your organisation regularly renews DBS checks for teachers, then this service is one for you, giving continual coverage for staff, meaning peace of mind for everyone.
Employers that use our Automatic DBS Update Service Checker can verify the validity of a teacher’s DBS certificate online, with the teacher’s consent, using our secure, in-house platform. This ensures that safeguarding procedures are consistently enforced, promoting a safe and secure learning environment. This service not only saves time and effort, but also enhances the overall effectiveness of safeguarding procedures in schools.
Conclusion
DBS checks for teachers, including supply teachers, are an essential part of safeguarding, required to work in schools across the UK. Aaron’s Department is committed to ensuring student safety by providing efficient DBS checks for teachers, services tailored to the needs of teachers. Our automatic update service offers continuous coverage, simplifies the renewal process, and enhances safeguarding procedures. By partnering with us, educational institutions can prioritise the safety and well-being of their students, knowing that their teaching staff are appropriately vetted, with the additional option of regular Update Service checks.
To find out more, you can contact us at contact@aaronsdepartment.com or call us on 0113 877 0171, we’re always happy to help.