Guide: Checking Eligibility for the Adults Barred List
This guide helps you check if your applicant needs an Enhanced DBS check with the Adults Barred List. Follow these steps to see if their role qualifies.
Step 1: Is the Role Regulated Activity with Adults?
Regulated activity includes work that someone on the Adults Barred List cannot do. An adult is anyone aged 18 or over and the activities count as regulated activity if performed even once. Check if the job involves any of these:
Providing Health Care:
Care provided by or under the supervision of a regulated healthcare professional.
Providing Personal Care:
Physical help with eating, drinking, toileting, washing, bathing, dressing, oral care, or care of skin, hair, or nails for adults who cannot perform these tasks due to age, illness, or disability.
Prompting and supervising these tasks for adults who can’t decide to do them on their own.
Training, advising, or guiding on how to assist adults with these tasks when they cannot do them themselves.
Providing Social Work:
Social work by a social care worker to adults who are clients or potential clients.
Helping with Household Affairs:
Assisting with managing cash, paying bills, or shopping for adults who can’t manage these tasks themselves due to age, illness, or disability.
Assistance with Conduct of Affairs:
Involvement in managing someone’s affairs through legal or advocacy roles, like holding a power of attorney, acting under a Court of Protection order, or being an independent advocate.
Conveying Adults:
Transporting adults who cannot convey themselves due to age, illness, or disability, to or from healthcare, personal care, or social work services.
Managing or Supervising Others:
Day-to-day management or supervision of anyone doing the activities listed above.
Step 2: Are You a Regulated Activity Provider (RAP)?
If you employ someone to do regulated activity with adults, you are considered a Regulated Activity Provider (RAP). As a RAP, you must request an Enhanced DBS check with an Adults Barred List check for these roles.
Step 3: Understand Your Obligations as a RAP
As a RAP, you have a legal duty to refer individuals to the DBS if:
You remove someone from regulated activity with adults, or move them to another role that isn’t regulated activity, because:
They engaged in conduct that harmed or risked harm to adults.
They pose a risk of harm even without specific harmful conduct.
They were cautioned or convicted of a relevant offense.
Step 4: Making a Referral
To refer someone to the DBS:
Use the online referral form or submit by post.
Provide as much relevant information as possible. This information is crucial and could be shared with the referred person or others as part of the DBS’s decision-making process.
Quick Reference Checklist
[ ] Does the job involve providing healthcare or personal care to adults?
[ ] Is the role about helping with social work or managing someone’s household or financial affairs?
[ ] Does the job involve transporting adults to care services?
[ ] Are you managing or supervising someone in a regulated activity?
[ ] Have you removed someone from regulated activity due to concerns about harm?
If you’ve checked “yes” to the relevant points, then it’s likely the job role requires an Enhanced DBS check with an Adults Barred List check.
For further assistance, call DBS at 03000 200 190 or consult the referral flow chart available on the government website linked below.
This guide is intended to provide a basic understanding of a role's eligibility for DBS check-level. Always refer to the latest DBS guidelines or consult the eligibility tool below for detailed decisions:
Reference:
Government Guidelines, 2024 https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/61e7d5b78fa8f5058bc04a7b/Adult_workforce_guide_v11.0_18012022.pdf