Do holiday park workers need DBS checks?
Holiday parks and holiday resorts thrive in the UK, with thousands of families visiting each year. With so many people present and coming in and out of the holiday park, safeguarding is an important factor to consider for managers of these resorts.
A vital part of safeguarding is the DBS Check system. A DBS Check is a criminal background check. In this article we have gathered all the information you need to answer your queries on how DBS Checks should be treated at holiday parks and resorts.
Which roles are eligible for what type of check?
As holiday parks are full of families, there are many children. You may immediately assume that this automatically means an Enhanced Check is needed; however, this is not always the case.
Yes, the employees may have contact with children, but they are not responsible for the supervision of the child. The responsibility for supervising the child or children would lie in the parent/carer’s hands and they should ensure the child’s safety.
As an Enhanced Check would not always be necessary, a Basic Check would be suitable. There are no eligibility requirements to a Basic Check except for the fact that the individual must be aged 16 or over. Requiring employees to have a Basic DBS Check would show an organisation’s commitment to safeguarding and gives visitors more peace of mind.
However, there may be some staff at the holiday park or holiday resort that engage with a regulated activity. A regulated activity includes activities like instructing, teaching, training, supervising, guiding and advising children. If staff engage in this type of work, then an Enhanced Check may be appropriate.
What Check would childcare staff require?
There may be a nursery on-site and the staff who are employed as childcare workers or apprentices, or play workers, will most certainly be eligible for an Enhanced DBS Check including a check against the barred list. The reason for this is that employees are hired specifically to carry out the regulated activity.
The Enhanced Check will provide information about any spent or unspent convictions, warnings, reprimands or cautions, and any other relevant information held by the applicant’s local police force. The barred list check will show whether they have been banned from working with children.
Take note that roles like cleaners or admin may not be suitable for a check if the organisation is not registered with Ofsted.
What DBS Check would children’s entertainers require?
Another role that is not always eligible for a DBS check is children’s entertainers. Just because the entertainer may interact with children regularly, it does not immediately mean that they require an Enhanced DBS Check. This is because the entertainment they provide is not mandatory; however, in places like schools this would be treated differently as it is mandatory to attend.
The nature of an entertainer’s job doesn’t match the eligibility requirements of an Enhanced DBS Check. However, if an employee is frequently engaging in a regulated activity, or they are being handed the responsibility for the supervision or care of a child then they may be suitable for an Enhanced Check. If you are unsure then check the governments DBS eligibility guidance or get in touch with one of our trusted advisors.
Conclusion: Safeguarding at holiday parks
With lots of visitors each year, safeguarding should be taken seriously at holiday parks. DBS Checks are a vital part of this.
Many staff will be eligible for an Enhanced DBS Check because they are engaged in a regulated activity as part of their role. However, some roles only require a Basic DBS Check and it is important to make sure that staff get the right check, according to their role.
If you have any other questions about DBS checks or safeguarding, please get in touch – we have trained experts on hand to help.