EVC Summer 2026_magazine_AWdigital - Flipbook - Page 21
Q&A
Ask an adviser
Angela Willerton,
EVOLVE Advice
Q
I heard that the rules for Enhanced
DBS checks have been updated –
what’s changed?
You’re right, the Crime and Policing Act
2026 gained Royal Assent in April 2026 and
includes changes to the requirements for
DBS checks for people working with children and
young people. As schools are a regulated setting, you
were already covered by the higher level of Enhanced
DBS with barred list checks. However, the new criteria
has been tightened to bring other roles up to this level
of scrutiny.
Self-employed individuals and people working in
supervised roles will now also need Enhanced DBS
with barred list checks.
A
Q
How does this apply to parent
helpers and occasional volunteers?
Under the legislation, ‘Only those who
work or volunteer in a supervised role with
children for more than three days in a 30-day
period or overnight between 2am and 6am will be
eligible for the highest-level check.’
That means that people who want to help out
occasionally in school, or volunteer for your
educational visits, will not need an Enhanced DBS with
children’s barred list check, but you can request one.
Schools and education settings should review their
policies relating to DBS requirements for external
providers and volunteers in light of these changes.
A
The Council for Learning Outside the Classroom has produced a useful table of roles involved in learning
outside the classroom (e.g. providers, learning teams, volunteers, coaches) and their eligibility for
DBS checks in England and Wales. Download it at →evolveadvice.co.uk/latest-news/2026/dbs
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