DEBARRING SERVICE CHECKS

DBS Code of Practice
Disclosure information is information contained in criminal record certificates under the Police Act 1997. The DBS Code of Practice sets out obligations for everyone participating in the Disclosure process and is intended to ensure that personal information is:

Handled and stored appropriately
Kept only for as along as necessary
Used fairly and provides assurances to applicants.

The Rugby Football Union fully complies with the Code in using, storing, retaining and disposing of Disclosures and Disclosure information. Strict guidelines and controls ensure information is protected throughout the process.

The information provided in this page is a synopsis of the rights and expectations of those that use the service. More information about Disclosure can be found in the menu area and in an information booklet provided by the DBS which is available from the DBS Co-ordination Team.

FAQs

What is a Disclosure?

A Disclosure is a document containing information held by police and government departments. It can be used by employers and voluntary organisations to make safer recruitment decisions.

The Disclosure service offers organisations a means to check the background of applicants to ensure that they do not have a history that would make them unsuitable for posts they are trying to fill. Disclosures will provide details of a person's criminal record including convictions, cautions, reprimands and warnings held on the Police National Computer (PNC). If the position involves working with children, Disclosures will also contain details from lists held by the Department of Health (DH) and the Department for Children, Schools and Families of those considered unsuitable for this type of work.

What Sort of Disclosure do I Need?

You will need to apply for either an Enhanced or Standard Disclosure as determined by The Rugby Football Union. An Enhanced Disclosure includes an additional check against local Police records.

How do I Apply for a Disclosure?

Applications for Disclosure are managed via the Club. In addition to the Club's Junior Secretary, a number of the Junior Section Team Managers are able to initiate applications on a volunteer's behalf.

What Information Will I Need to Include on my Disclosure Form?

In completing the form you are required to include:

Your full name, and any other name that you may have been known by
Details of addresses where you have lived during the past five years
Your date and place of birth
Your national insurance number
In addition you will be required to provide personal identification documents including items such as your passport and/or driving licence.

The information requested is required by the DBS to ensure that they are able to confirm and verify your true identity and current address. You should note that in providing this service the DBS and The Rugby Football Union are committed to compliance with the Data Protection Act. This means that any personal information submitted will be protected. For more information about Data protection please see the link in the Additional Information area.

What Happens When I Have Completed my Online Application Form?

Your online DBS Application Invitation will only be issued once The Rugby Football Union have conducted a Face-to-Face ID Check with you. You will then be issued with your invitation to complete your online DBS Application. You are required to confirm that all of the information is correct in your online application before giving your online consent to Disclosure. Your application will then be submitted to the DBS electronically via a secure Home Office portal.

Who Will Receive My Disclosure?

You will receive your Disclosure certificate in the post from the DBS. It will be sent to the current address as stated on your application. The Rugby Football Union will not receive a copy of your result but they will be required to see yours. Once received, you must show your employer your original certificate to enable them to make a recruitment decision. The Rugby Football Union may make a copy of your certificate to keep for their records but it will be stored in accordance with the DBS Code of Practice and only seen by relevant staff.

Can I Challenge the Information on my Disclosure if it is Incorrect?

Yes. If you believe the personal information on your Disclosure is incorrect, please contact the DBS on 03000 200 190 and select option 2 or alternatively, you can complete Section A of the 'Certificate Dispute Form'. If you wish to challenge information relating to criminal records or other information disclosed, the dispute must be made in writing and Section B of the 'Certificate Dispute Form' must be completed. The form can be found on the DBS website via www.gov.uk/dbs. You should also advise The Rugby Football Union if you are disputing the information on your certificate so they are aware of additional delays in seeing your certificate.

How Long Will my Disclosure be Valid?

DBS certificates have no validity period as each Disclosure certificate will only contain current information up until the date it was printed. Therefore, the older the certificate, the less accurate it is likely to be.

However, applicants can choose to subscribe to the DBS Update Service for £13.00 per year. This allows applicants to take their Disclosure result from role to role within the same workforce, without having to carry out a new check every time. Applicants will give permission to their employer who can carry out a free instant check which will confirm if the applicant's certificate is current and up to date.

What if I Already Have a Disclosure?

If you already subscribe to the Update Service and the role you are applying for is within the same workforce as your existing DBS check (i.e. children, adults or both), please contact The Rugby Football Union. If you are not a member of the Update Service, you will be subject to a new DBS check being carried out.

If I Have a Criminal Record Will I be able to be Appointed?

The Rugby Football Union aims, as part of its approach to Valuing Diversity, to promote equality of opportunity for all and has an open-minded recruitment policy in relation to employing people with past convictions. At the same time, however, vulnerable client groups must be protected and a safe working environment provided for all employees.

Further Information

If you need any further information please visit the DBS Website: www.gov.uk/dbs

Useful Links

This section has been provided to help visitors find further information about Disclosures. The links provided are for assistance only, no affiliation is claimed by displaying these links.

Age UK
The Chartered Institue of Personnel Development
Department of Health
The Care Quality Commission
Department of Education
Ofsted (Office for Standards in Education)
The Home Office
NSPCC

Additional Information

The DBS Code of Practice
DBS ID checking Guidelines
The Police Act 1997 part V
The Data Protection Act 1998
General Data Protection Regulation
Information Commissioner's Office GDPR guidance
Keeping Children Safe in Education
Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006

Data Protection

Atlantic Data Ltd provides this Disclosures service to The Rugby Football Union under the terms of a licence agreement.

To help determine an applicant's suitability for certain positions, The Rugby Football Union is entitled to ask its applicants an exempted question under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. That means a question regarding their criminal record, including spent and unspent convictions.

This Disclosures service is designed to support The Rugby Football Union in its recruitment and safeguarding by enabling them to submit criminal record disclosure applications to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), Disclosure Scotland and/or AccessNI as appropriate.

Processing Personal Data

Data protection legislation provides that personal information, such as the applicant's information processed using this Disclosures service, must be processed in accordance with some key principles.

When processing personal information, the data must be:

processed lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner
processed for a specified purpose
limited to what is necessary for the purpose
accurate and kept up to date, if necessary
kept for no longer than is necessary
protected against unlawful processing, accidental loss, destruction or damage

We process applicant information for the purpose of submitting a criminal record disclosure application. The Disclosures system requests only personal information that is required for that purpose. We will retain disclosure information and other personal information for no longer than necessary.

Further information about the use, retention and storage of their personal information is provided to the applicant as part of the process. Applicants also have access to information about their rights according to data protection legislation.

Responsibility for Personal Data

The Rugby Football Union is the 'Data Controller' with regard to data processed using this service and as such is responsible for any personal data entered using this service. DBS applications are processed on behalf of its clients by Atlantic Data Ltd, in accordance with the data protection legislation and the DBS Code of Practice.

Guidelines for ID Checks

A range of different forms of ID are accpeted. Applicants should refer to the DBS ID Guidlines via the document link here.

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