The purpose of the Disclosure & Barring Service is to protect the public by helping employers make safer recruitment and employment decisions, and by barring individuals who pose a risk to vulnerable people.

The Regional Safeguarding Outreach team is on hand to work with partners and stakeholders in England, Wales and Northern Ireland to support them with safer recruitment and employment. There are Regional Advisors based in the North East, North West, West Midlands, East Midlands, Greater London, South East, South West, East of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Regional Safeguarding Outreach Advisors are available to provide advice and guidance on DBS products and services to employers, voluntary organisations, referring organisations and those seeking information about the referral process, acting as the first point of contact for all things DBS.

They are also able to deliver workshops to organisations in their regions, explaining best practice when it comes to applying for DBS checks and making barring referrals. These workshops can be delivered in collaboration with partners from safeguarding organisations and are particularly suited to Safeguarding Leads, HR Directors & Managers, and Recruitment Managers to attend but can be catered to other professionals depending on their needs.

These workshops will help you increase your awareness of DBS checks and the update service and improve your knowledge and confidence about when and how barring referrals should be made. The workshops cover what the DBS does and content can include:

- The role DBS plays within the safeguarding environment

- What types of DBS checks are available and their eligibility

- How “regulated activity” with children and adults is defined

- What might be “disclosed” when a DBS check is made?

- What leads to an individual being added to the “barred list”?

If you are interested in requesting a workshop for your organisation or network, please get in touch with your respective regional officer or email DBSRegionaloutreach@dbs.gov.uk to find out who represents your area. If you are a national organisation, then please get in touch with DBSEngagement@dbs.gov.uk for more information.