Yes, private carers in the UK need an Enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check, as they typically work with vulnerable adults or children, a regulated activity under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006.

How to Check a Private Carer: Your Step-by-Step Guide

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What is a DBS Certificate?

There are three types of DBS checks: the Basic DBS Check, the Standard DBS Check, and the Enhanced DBS Check. Each of these checks serves a different purpose and level of security

Only an enhanced DBS check should be used for those in the care industry.

Basic DBS Check

A Basic DBS Check will reveal information about any unspent convictions and cautions. However, it will not show any spent convictions.

This type of check may not be suitable for roles that require working with vulnerable individuals, as it does not provide sufficient information to assess the suitability of a candidate.

Standard DBS Check

For roles that require working with sensitive information or vulnerable groups, you may request a Standard DBS Check. The Standard DBS Check will show spent and unspent convictions, warnings, reprimands, and cautions.

This type of check is necessary for various sensitive roles, including security personnel.

Enhanced DBS Check

The Enhanced DBS Check is a mandatory check for those working in the care industry. It reveals information about spent and unspent convictions, and it provides extra information, such as whether the individual is on the barred list, which means they are not legally allowed to work with vulnerable groups.

An enhanced DBS certificate may show barring details for just adults, just children, or both. It is essential to ensure you have requested the correct certificate, especially when hiring a private carer.

How can I check a DBS certificate?

Checking a DBS certificate requires a few checks.

1. Ask for Documents – Ask your potential carer for a piece of photo ID, such as a passport or driving license and their enhanced DBS certificate.
2. Verify ID – Verify that the person in the ID documents picture is the same as the person you are interviewing.
3. Check Document is Enhanced – You can see what type of certificate this is by checking the top of the page. It should say “Enhanced Certificate Page 1 of 2/3/4”
4. Check Pages are Present – Ensure that you have all pages present; some convictions may be missing if later pages are not provided
5. Check Name/DOB – Check that the surname of the individual and their Date of Birth match with their photo ID. If a document has even a slight difference in surname, it may have missed records from the police database.
6. Check Barred List – Find the Section titled “DBS Children’s Barred List information” and “DBS Adults’ Barred List” and ensure the text within each box reads as “NONE RECORDED”. If the text says “NOT REQUESTED” then ensure that the carer will not need to work with that category of individual. If the box says anything else, then they are present on the barring list and should be rejected.
7. Check Convictions – Look for the section marked “Conviction Details”. Read through the details of any convictions and ensure that you are satisfied that they were suitably long ago / not serious enough to cause concern about working with your loved one.

If you’d like to skip this step, then search for carers on PrimeCarers. We’ve already background-checked and right-to-work-checked every carer on the platform, so you can focus on ensuring they are a good fit for you and your loved one.

Conclusion

If you feel like this was helpful in getting to grips with the DBS certificate, then check out our full article on all the checks you should perform on a potential private carer.

Or why not take a look at pre-vetted carers in your area by searching at the top of this page.