People who work in youth clubs and youth centres are more than likely to come into contact with young people – but does this mean they need a DBS Check?
In this blog, we’ll explain what sort of DBS Checks are appropriate for different roles in youth clubs and youth centres.
DBS Checks in youth centres
A youth centre is an establishment that provides support, advice, recreational activities, space to socialise and other services to young people.
In terms of DBS Check eligibility, youth centres should be treated differently to children’s centres. Unlike children’s centres, working in a youth centre does not automatically entitle someone to an Enhanced DBS Check.
The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 used to contain information about DBS Check eligibility in youth centres. It argued that the following work entitled employees or volunteers to a Standard DBS Check:
- Any employment by a youth club, local authority or other body which is concerned with the promotion of leisure or recreational activities for persons under the age of 18, being employment which is of such a kind as to enable the holder to have access to such persons in the course of his normal duties.
This would have applied to anyone who works in a youth centre but doesn’t work directly with children – for example, admin or maintenance staff.
However, this has since been updated and removed. Therefore, ancillary roles at a normal youth centre should only warrant a Basic DBS Check.
Regulated activity in youth centres
Any further eligibility for DBS Checks would rest on whether the youth centre employee was carrying out regulated activity.
Anyone who engages in regulated activity with children will be eligible for an Enhanced DBS Check with a check of the children’s barred list.
Regulated activity is work that a barred person must not do. Regulated activity with children includes:
- Unsupervised activities: teach, train, instruct, care for or supervise children, or provide advice/guidance on well-being, or drive a vehicle only for children.
Any employee or volunteer in a youth centre who carries out one or more of these activities at least three times in any 30-day period will be eligible for an Enhanced Check with a children’s barred list check.
For more information on Enhanced DBS Check eligibility in relation to children, see the DBS Child Workforce Guide.
DBS Checks in youth clubs
Youth clubs don’t necessarily always take place in youth centres, so the eligibility for a DBS Check rests solely on the employee or volunteer’s role (rather than their place of work, as in youth centres).
Again, any employee or volunteer who carries out regulated activity with children will be eligible for an Enhanced DBS Check with a children’s barred list check.
DBS Checks for youth clubs and youth centres
In youth clubs and youth centres – as always – any employee or volunteer’s eligibility for a DBS Check will depend on the specific role they’ll be doing and/or where they’ll be doing it.
If you have any more questions about DBS Checks in youth clubs and youth centres, please don’t hesitate to get in touch – we’re always happy to help.
