Getting a part time job is part of university life for most students. Whether to help pay for rent, or just for a little extra going-out money, it’s a financial reality for most who pursue education into their early adult life. In this article, we take a look at whether or not students will need a DBS check for their part time jobs.
What are DBS checks?
DBS checks are a kind of criminal background check carried out by the disclosure and barring service (DBS,) a non-departmental governmental body set up in 2012. There are three main types of DBS check that can be carried out:
- Basic check: The basic check is the most common DBS check out there, and the one that students are most likely to have to do. The basic check looks for unspent criminal convictions and reprimands, and is a common requirement in a range of industries, from hospitality to sales. Not all such positions will require a DBS check – it will depend largely on whether the business owner wants one to be carried out.
- Standard check: The standard check looks for both spend and unspent criminal convictions, and is a common requirement in areas with a high professional standard, such as accountancy and law. It’s unlikely that most student jobs will require a standard check, although certain summer internships could possibly necessitate one.
- Enhanced check: The enhanced check, in addition to spent and unspent criminal convictions, warnings and reprimands includes any information the local police department considers relevant to the role being applied to. The enhanced check is a common requirement in healthcare and childcare roles. Given that a lot of students work in childcare, it’s likely that some of those roles will require an enhanced DBS check.
It depends on the role
Whether a candidate for a role is a student or not will not be a deciding factor in whether they need a DBS check. Whether a DBS check is needed or not will be determined by the role that’s being applied to. If that role is in childcare or healthcare, then an enhanced check might be required. If the job is in the legal profession, then a standard check might also be needed. If it’s a bar job that’s being applied for, then a basic check could be needed, although this is less likely than in the prior scenarios.
Part time vs full time
Whether a position is full time or part time will make no difference to whether a DBS check is required or not. What matters is the kind of work, and whether the worker will be in contact with sensitive individuals or information. If someone is looking after a vulnerable child with a disability, it doesn’t matter if they’re looking after them on Saturdays and Sundays or Monday to Friday, they still need to be an appropriate person for that role.
