The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) is supporting children's summer holiday activity providers to ensure they 'are on the ball' with safeguarding essentials.
School may be out for the summer but nurseries, children's centres, holiday clubs and learning providers will be staging activities - and providing supervision - for hundreds of thousands of children across the country.
DBS supports employers to make safer recruitment decisions by processing and issuing criminal record checks and by maintaining the Adults' and Children's Barred Lists (records of people not permitted to work in regulated activity with vulnerable groups, including children).
DBS wants to help organisers of extra-curricular activities stay clued-up on necessary steps they should take to ensure the highest levels of safety for school-age children under their supervision. Here are some vital safeguarding considerations:
- Have DBS checks been carried out for your employees and volunteers?
- You can find out which DBS check is the right one for your employee via our checker tool here
- Volunteers operating in roles involving contact with children will be eligible for a free DBS check. Detailed DBS guidance on the application process for volunteers can be found here
- Are you aware of the 'legal duty to refer' where an individual may have harmed or put a child or vulnerable adult at risk of harm?
- Information around how to make a Barring referral can be found here
- If you are unsure whether you are following best practice safeguarding processes, check out support and guidance provided by DBS
- DBS Regional Outreach Service advisers work closely with organisations and networks within their designated regions. They offer free workshops, training and resources, to help support and inform organisations on how to safeguard children and other vulnerable groups.
