Applying for disclosure and barring service (DBS) checks

DBS Check Arrangements in place for BUGB Churches in England and Wales

Our DBS check service is provided by Due Diligence Checking Ltd (DDC) who use a list of verifiers provided by Baptist Together.

In previous years, the minister and church secretary of Baptist Churches in membership with Baptist Together. have been automatically enrolled as DBS Verifiers. However, it is recognised that this is a role that is often fulfilled by others in the church.  From now on when Baptist Together are notified of a change to the minister or church secretary at a church, a verifier change form will be sent out to be completed and returned if the church would like that person to be a DBS Verifier.

If you would like to add names to the list of DBS verifiers for your church then please complete the Verifier Changes Form on the Baptists Together website. This should be returned to The Safeguarding Team (churchupdate@baptist.org.uk) by post to Safeguarding Team, Baptist Together, Baptist House, 129 Broadway, Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 8RT.

If you act as a DBS verifier for your church and have any questions relating to the DBS process, please contact DDC on 01162 603055 or email (contact@ddc.uk.net). Their customer support team will be very happy to talk with you. Alternatively, you can visit the Baptist section of the DDC website for more information including Quick Start Guides for their system.

 

Eligibility for DBS Disclosures

Broadly speaking those who are eligible for Enhanced level Disclosures are those who are engaged in teaching, training, caring or supervisory roles or those who are their managers – this includes the relevant trustees (not necessarily all).

Other people may fall within eligibility for Standard Disclosures, but this does not involve people such as administrators, caretakers, receptionists, property stewards or key holders who do not have direct contact with those who are in the vulnerable groups. A similar situation pertains for church coffee shops, etc – contact with child customers is not deemed to be sufficiently close to bring one into the eligibility criteria for a Disclosure.

All Ministers/Pastors require an up-to-date DBS disclosure for working in our Churches.

For an accredited minister or nationally recognised pastor ‘the appropriate agency’ for applying for this is the National Safeguarding Team of the Baptist Together. This enhanced disclosure must be undertaken by the West of England Baptist Network (Webnet) through DDC on behalf of the National Safeguarding Team.

For other ministers ‘the appropriate agency’ will be Baptist Together’s DBS disclosure service. In this case, the disclosure should be undertaken by the church and the certificate will be provided by DDC.

Webnet Safeguarding Contact

Kath Needham is the main contact for any Safeguarding queries or issues.

Kath’s contact details are:
Mobile No: 07389 728 669
Email address: safeguarding@webnetwork.org.uk