22nd September 2022

DBS Checks for Foster Care and Adoption

DBS Checks for Foster Care and Adoption: When fostering a child, carers take on a huge responsibility, and providers have to be 100% certain that a foster carer is suitable for looking after young and vulnerable children.

Foster care needs to be clear in their local policy and practice between the differences around regulatory requirements to undertaking DBS checks (involving regulated activity) for fostering households, staff and panel members, and repeat checks where professional judgement deems such checks to be necessary and appropriate.

Our DBS Check Online team ensures you get the right background check depending on your job role. Within the foster care sector and adoption, the Disclosure and Barring Service enclosed that the following groups would be subject to DBS checks:

Fostering applicant, and other adult household members
Staff and volunteers
Panel members
Administrative workers
Foster carer support network

When are DBS checks needed?

DBS checks are undertaken during the initial fostering assessment and HR recruitment processes:

Initial checks – DBS checks will be undertaken for fostering applicants and other adult household members during assessment and is a requirement in accordance with Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011: Regulation 26 (1A) – Part 1 of Schedule 3.
Recruitment process/procedures – for staff and panel members.
Repeat checks – most fostering services have established as good practice to routinely update criminal records checks for their approved foster carers, other adult household members, sometimes for individuals involved in the care of any children via the foster carer support network, panel members and employed staff workforce. This is not a regulatory requirement but is subject to local policy and practice.
Change – any changes to a household, including a staying put arrangement.

What type of DBS check is needed?

Once an individual has been assessed, an Enhanced DBS check is necessary. This type of check will show whether a prospective foster carer or adopter has any criminal convictions that may make them unsuitable carers.

However, it is not only the foster carers or adopters that need a DBS check; any household members over a certain age will also be required to have an Enhanced level check, including a check on the child’s barred list. This includes any family members, friends or relatives who regularly stay overnight at the fostering household.

Why we are the best provider for your DBS checks?

Every person involved in the foster care or adoption application process will want things to move along as swiftly as possible so that as many children can be placed into safe houses and begin their new life.

We are a leading umbrella body for the Disclosure and Barring Service and are among the top criminal record check providers in the UK. We are also Cyber Essentials accredited and certified.

The entire DBS checking process is carried out online using a smart system, reducing the risk of errors that would slow the checking process. You can use the system to submit applications easily, keep track of the check and download the report once the check is complete.