DBS County Update October 2023

PLEASE SEE ATTACHMENT AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS ARTICLE FOR CUSTOMER APPLICATION AND UPDATE SERVICE RENEWAL JOURNEYS.

1. How can you tell if somebody is registered to the Update Service? •DBS Checker/Safe Hands: if the renewal date is more than 12 months in the future then this identifies that the individual is on our list to be contacted for renewal. •Atlantic Data: the update service tab will show the current status, including last recheck, renewal date, and when consent was given.

If Consent given is n/a and renewal date is due shortly, this will mean the individual has not completed the questionnaire and/or given consent to be rechecked.

We are currently exploring how this can be shown more evidently in DBS Checker & Safe Hands, however this will require significant development.

2. Timing of renewal and emails received?

• It is ECB policy to recheck all those in regulated activity on an annual basis. The ‘3 year’ rule is out dated and was only ever a recommendation and was based on legacy systems and processes. By rechecking annually, we are ensuring that we comply with Safer Recruitment, are not over checking (e.g. not renewing those no longer in regulated activity).  ECB absorb all costs related to the service apart from the Paid applicant subscription fee.
• We will invite individuals to start 30 days before the renewal date. Since we introduced the new process in January 2023 we have consistently reviewed and refined the process and our communications to try and be clear on what action needs to be taken.
• DBS will also email individuals directly to renew their Update Service subscription.  We have no control over the timing or content of these emails.  For volunteers they are advised to log in to ensure their profile is correct, however it is only compulsory for paid to log in as they need to pay their £13 annual fee.  This can only be done up to and not after the renewal date.

3. What happens if I miss the renewal recheck deadline?

• As long as your Update Service subscription is still active then ECB can re-initiate the recheck email.
• If you have cancelled or not renewed (only for paid) your Update Service subscription, then recheck is not possible and a new application would need to be made.

4. Could there be an alert in Safe Hands to notify when action is required?

Currently if a DBS and/or qualification is due to expire in the next 3 months it will show in an amber/orange colour. We will continue to review further development enhancements in line with other business priorities.

5. Is there a way of the DBS owner finding out their certificate number online?

If they are registered to the Update Service they can log in and view their Certificate number.  Alternatively, they can email [e-mail] and we can provide the number.  A certificate number in isolation is not confirmation of clearance.

6. What if I change my role or contact details at some point in the year?

If the role change could determine the requirement for a new DBS e.g. change of workforce level, volunteer to paid, then the individual should contact [e-mail] to advise and we will action accordingly.  In respect of any contact detail changes, again contact [e-mail] and we can organise for these to be updated across ECB systems. Individuals can also manage their Safe Hands profile and ECB single sign on details themselves.

7. Is there an easy way to identify if a DBS certificate is paid?

This is only displayed in Atlantic Data against the applicant details tab – see example below:

8. If a paid member of staff is also a volunteer at a club and has a volunteer DBS, do they require a new Paid DBS?

Yes – it is DBS policy that only volunteers can obtain a ‘free’ DBS.  Anybody in a Paid regulated role must have a Paid DBS – the cost is £38.

9. Following on from the last question, would this Paid DBS be in addition or instead of the volunteer DBS?

For any roles under the auspices of the ECB only 1 DBS certificate is required.  These are portable across most roles in cricket, only some differ slightly for workforce/barred list checks.  Our Customer support team will be able to advise on this on a case-by-case basis.

10. Can Counties have an ability to view/print a report that shows all clubs compliance in regard to DBS?

This data is already available via SHMS.

11. Why does it take so long for DBS clearance to update in other systems such as SHMS?

Once a certificate has been issued and/or renewed that information is fed from Atlantic Data into our ECB DBS database.  That information then feeds into our ‘full customer data view’ that systems such as SHMS integrate with.  Due to the levels of integration and matching criteria it can take a few days for updates to filter through, however as long as personal contact details match this tends to happen much quicker.

We are constantly reviewing / analysing and feeding into Technology for system improvements and enhancements, but all are subject to impact assessment and alignment with other business priorities.

We can all support this process by ensuring that individuals applications and profiles show the correct information.

12. Why does SHMS show the ‘3 year’ expiry date?

As previously outlined, this is due to legacy policy and system set up, however we are currently investigating ways to improve this which I will cover later.

13. DBS Checker has been offline what's happening & do we have access to check those close to borders or cross counties?

We are aware that there has been some inconvenience this year due to necessary development work on DBS checker.

The system is now back up and running and cross border checks are available as long as you have , First name, Surname and date of birth.

14. Is it possible to have additional users on DBS checker?

We need to ensure that any access granted to systems holding confidential information is only granted for those, as determined by their role responsibilities. 

We understand that time pressures can be challenging and for larger Counties there may be a requirement for more users.

Your County Safeguarding Advisors will be auditing the list of authorised users over the next couple of months, therefore there will be an opportunity to request new users if appropriate.

IMPROVEMENTS / FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS:

• Completion of Update Service project to migrate all ‘manually consented’ checks into the automated process serviced by Atlantic Data – due by end of October 2023
• Digital ID for applications – new for 2024
• Manual/paper applications – new for 2024 to support accessibility. Applications accepted by exception only
• Update to SHMS to reflect change in roles required to have a DBS – due Jan/Feb 2024
• Review of 3-year expiry date in systems - pending
• Ability to recognise applicants who are registered to Update Service in SHMS/DBS Checker – pending
• Systems to be more ‘customer friendly, ‘integrate’ and ‘work quicker’:  As we continue to work with various legacy systems it is evident that the resources required to reduce the number of systems is significant.  There are various work streams across ECB departments to find solutions that meet our customers' needs but can also be supported alongside other key deliverables for the game.
• ECB will continue to review processes and find ways of improving the customer journey and experience.  In particular we have heavily invested in our Help Centres which provide a searchable library of content that is accessible 24/7, 365 days a year. We also introduced online Chat in 2023 which was positively received and used for 5% of all contacts into the team.

USEFUL LINKS:

SYSTEM	URL	ACCCESSED BY	USE
DBS Checker	https://dbs.ecb.co.uk	County & ECB	Look up tool to check DBS status
Atlantic Data	https://ecb.disclosures.co.uk	Club / County / ECB	Initiate and verify DBS applications. Check Update Service details
Help Centre	https://safehands.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/sections/360002915438/	Club / County / ECB	Help centre with extensive articles on all things DBS & Safehands – can submit query & use online CHAT
Safe Hands CRM	https://shms.crm4.dynamics.com/main.aspx?	County & ECB	Access to all Clubs & officials who have registered to SH inc DBS status & Club SO Quals
Event CRM	https://ecb.crm4.dynamics.com/main.aspx?	County & ECB	Access to Qualification records inc Coaches / Activators / Umpires etc
Non-UK Vetting Form	https://www.ecb.co.uk/about/policies/safeguarding/safer-recruitment	ALL	Access to information & download application form.