A DBS check, or Disclosure and Barring Service check, is a criminal records check that is used to assess a person’s suitability to work with children or vulnerable adults. Tutors who work with children under the age of 18 are required by law to have an Enhanced DBS check.
A child is at risk if they are tutored by someone who does not have an Enhanced DBS check because this person could have a criminal history that includes offenses against children. These offences could include sexual abuse, physical abuse or neglect.
There are three levels of DBS checks:
- Basic: This check reveals convictions that are not spent and any cautions or reprimands that are less than 10 years old.
- Standard: This check is the same as a Basic check, but it also reveals any spent convictions.
- Enhanced: This check is the most comprehensive and reveals all convictions, cautions, reprimands, and any information held by the police about the individual.
It is important to note that it can be difficult for members of the public to know how to check if a tutor has a DBS check or if it is genuine. A good agency, such as Home-School Tutoring, will be able to look up the tutor’s DBS check on the government database to cross-reference it.
At Home-School Tutoring, we only accept tutors who have a current and valid Enhanced DBS check that is less than three years old. We believe that this is the best way to protect the children who we work with.
We understand that some tutors may have a DBS check that is older than 3 years, but is still valid. However, we believe that it is important to have a fresh check that is as up-to-date as possible. This is because people’s circumstances can change over time, and we want to be sure that we are only working with tutors who are safe to work with children.
If a tutor applies to us with a DBS check that is older than 3 years, we will ask them to get a new one. We will also check the new DBS check before we allow the tutor to work with any of our children.
We believe that our robust safeguarding policy is the best way to protect the children we work with.
We are committed to providing a safe and nurturing environment for all of our students.
Here are some additional tips for choosing a safe tutor:
- Get recommendations from friends, family, or other trusted sources.
- Interview the tutor and ask about their experience working with children.
- Check the tutor’s references.
- Trust your gut. If you have any concerns, don’t hire the tutor.
By following these tips, you can help ensure your child is safe with their tutor.