DBS Checks For Employers Supervising Young People On Work Experience
Monitoring young people during work experience may seem like an ordinary thing to do, but we at DBSChecks.org.uk are regularly asked if it is mandatory for employees to hold a valid DBS Check certificate.
Therefore, this guide is here to provide information on supervising young people in work experience. If you are not certain whether you, your staff, or even the student themselves, need a DBS Check, make sure to read on.
When is a DBS Check mandatory?
The supervisor may need an Enhanced DBS Check if they are obliged to participate in a regulated activity with the student.
Therefore, in the situations listed below, a supervisor would be fit for an Enhanced DBS Check:
Supervising a child who is under 18 years of age that is doing work experience outside of their usual employment, this includes voluntary work.
Supervising a child who is under 16 years of age that is doing work experience within their usual employment, this includes voluntary work.
If a supervisor is a manager or assistant manager and their responsibilities include them participating in a regulated activity with a child.
Regulated activity
Regulated activity means particular jobs that are done by employees and supervisors to do with children or vulnerable adults. The individual who carries out the task would be required to get an Enhanced DBS Check with barred list check.
Any person who arranges training, guidelines, teaching, or a guide to the pupils regularly, is said to be doing a regulated activity. This means that they must get an Enhanced DBS Check with a children’s barred list check.
Do young people doing work experience require a DBS Check?
Yes, but only in some cases. Supervisors and employees aren’t the only ones who need a DBS Check. In some cases a valid DBS Certificate is mandatory for a student.
It depends on the type of business or organisation that the young person is doing the work experience in. Examples of places that may require the child to have a DBS Check are: care homes, schools, nurseries, and hospitals.
Whether a student requires a DBS Check relies on a couple of different factors:
Age – The child must be the age of 16 or over to have a DBS Check
The role itself- a child may need to get an Enhanced DBS Check and/or barred list check if the work experience job includes a “regulated activity” with either children or vulnerable adults.
Summary
Whether an individual needs a DBS Check to supervise work experience all depends on the age of the young person and the duties of the job. This can decide whether you or your employees will require a DBS Check. Due to safeguarding, it is essential that all certificates for DBS Checks are up to date.
It is considered an offence if the employer willingly allows an employee who is on the DBS Adults or Children Barred list to participate in activities with a child or vulnerable adult.
For further questions get in touch. These can be done through the easy online platform we provide and within 24 hours it can be complete. Get in touch for more information.
