Thinking of asking
me to present a DBS check?
Clive Chandler is passionate
about the happiness and well being of children and fully supportive of correct safeguarding in schools.
Clive Chandler currently holds one or more DBS check and is happy to make this documentation available
when the circumstances require. He is registered with the Update Service for this purpose. He has both basic and enchanced
checks. Such circumstances are defined as 'regulated activity'. In simple terms the question is whether or not he
would be supervising children and whether or not he would have unsupervised contact with them which is frequent or intensive.
In addition, when not engaged in 'regulated activity' Clive may choose voluntarily to offer
sight of a DBS certificate on arrival, but he cannot and should not be told that it is in any way a requirement.
A DBS check is not a 'passport' to enter schools, and
it is wrong to treat it as such. Requesting disclosure from visitors on a 'blanket basis' is not good practice as
it demonstrates a lack of proper understanding of due process and the important checks and balances that are in place to prevent
mis-use.
Please note that if you book me for a single visit, you
cannot choose to define me as a 'regular contractor'. To be engaged in 'regulated activity' I would - at the
least - have to be visiting for 4 days in a 30 day period.
Occassional
visitors providing temporary services enter schools according to the risk assessment of senior management. It is they who
should decide on the level of supervision based on the nature of the activity.
Such a visitor can expect to be under the 'reasonbale' 'day to day' supervison of regular staff who
are supervising the activity. This needs to be proportionate.
The fact that is
easier for schools to ask visitors for disclosure on a blanket basis, does not make it the correct thing to do. Asking
for disclosure when not required is actually a breach of legislation and accessing and recording information which you
do not have good legal reason to access will put you very much on the wrong side of data protection laws and the legal right
to 'privacy'.
Clive is a self-employed individual. It would also
be impossible for any school to obtain a check on his behalf without making a false declaration about the nature of
the activity, unless that activity is 'regulated'. Even where a visitor gives access to the update service you would
also need to make a declaration that you had a the right to access the information, which you would not be able to do. It
doesn't make sense for you to seek access a check made by others in different circumstances which you would not have been
able to have done yourselves.
So, as a matter
of principle he does not comply with any incorrect assertion that 'occassional visitors' are required to
provide a DBS check to enter a school.
Safeguarding is best achieved by the correct
implementation of statutory and binding guidance which is properly designed for the purpose and which also pays due regard
to the rights of an individual visitor. In schools this means KCSIE with which Safeguarding Policies are required to
be fully compatible and of the full details of which - included the Note on Regulated Activity - staff are required to have
a proper understanding. It is not possible for your to go 'beyond' the statutory
guidance in this regard, without actually going 'against' it. Doing does not make your safeguarding more 'robust',
it makes your practice unlawful.
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