Applying For DBS Checks As a Transgender Applicant
Applying for DBS checks as a transgender applicant can be a daunting and exhausting experience, as a lot of personal information is required. Information like your previous name, current name, and personal information.
Understandably, you might not want to disclose this information to your employers to avoid workplace bullying, which is quite common in the transgender community.
A 2017 ACAC research paper confirmed that transgender employees are more likely to experience bullying daily. So it’s understandable if you might be skeptical about disclosing sensitive information to your employer.
Transgender applicants must know which part of their previous/current identity they must disclose and which they will keep confidential. The Disclosure and Barring Service introduced a confidential service for transgender applicants.
We will walk you through the process for transgender applicants and how to apply through a confidential service to prevent workplace bullying.
Applying Through The Sensitive Applications Team
Like any other applicant, a transgender applicant must complete a DBS check before starting a new role. Under the Gender Recognition Act 2004, DBS will provide a confidential service for a transgender, non-binary, or gender-fluid individual.
Just like we discussed earlier, choosing to provide sensitive information can further increase your chance of getting bullied in your workplace, like having employees deadname you. So, to prevent the misuse of your data and help protect your identity, you can apply through the DBS Sensitive Applications Team.
How to Contact The Sensitive Applications Team
If you’re an applicant and want to contact the sensitive applications team, you can do so by contacting the contact details listed below.
Telephone: 0151 676 1452, 0300 106 1452.
Email: sensitive@dbs.gov.uk
The telephone number does have out-of-work hours, so if you call and you get directed to voicemail, you can leave your details and get contacted back.
Will you still have to disclose the sensitive information to the Applications Team? You might have to disclose your previous names and addresses to the team. The sensitive applications team will protect your employer.
If you do not have any problem with your employer seeing your details, you don’t have to apply through the sensitive applications team and you can just submit your application directly.
It is crucial that you contact the team before you fill out the DBS check application. By doing so, the team can prevent your employer from seeing any information you don’t want out there.
Suppose the sensitive team is not contacted from the start of your application. In that case, the team will be unable to follow up on your application, previous names, address, gender, and criminal information, might still be able to slip through to your employers, and the sensitive applications team won’t be able to prevent it.
Should You Trust the Sensitive Applications Team?
What if you are unsure if you want some team to know sensitive information about you? How do you know if you are to trust them?
The sensitive applications team is bound by law not to disclose information, and they are very experienced in handling sensitive information and have handled thousands in the past. They are capable of protecting your information and you can trust that your information is safe.
To find out more about DBS Checks, including how to apply online, get in touch with one of our trusted advisors today.
