Certain roles within the diocese require a DBS check. These are an important part of the recruitment process to ensure applicants’ suitability for a role and safeguarding compliance. The People Team at the diocesan office carry out checks for relevant diocesan staff, all members of Clergy, and Licenced Lay Ministers. Parishes are responsible for volunteers and employees who would require a DBS check and for the renewal of these.
Thirtyone:Eight are our DBS suppliers who are commissioned by the diocese to provide free, up-to-date guidance and advice on DBS eligibility and technical support. For any eligibility or technical support, please contact Thirtyone:Eight via: https://thirtyoneeight.org/about-us/contact-us/. Some basic eligibility guidance can be found here: Church Roles DBS Eligibility and Other Roles DBS Eligibility
If you need to process a Basic or Standard DBS check but do not have access to your own portal, please contact us and we will arrange access for you. Please note that the parish will be responsible for covering the cost of the check.
Social media checks are handled on a case-by-case basis. If you require this type of check, please get in touch to discuss your needs.
When verifying identification, we recommend not using the Digital ID check option. In our experience, this method can be time-consuming and does not always function as expected.
Reminder: For DBS checks, all ID documents must be provided as original hard copies. Documents cannot be accepted in digital format, as photographs, or as scanned copies when being certified. Where a bank statement is being used as proof of address, it must be an original paper statement issued by the bank or an official posted statement. Please note that alternative proof of address documents, such as a council tax bill or utility bill, may be easier to provide as these are often received as original hard-copy documents through the post. Please ensure all documents meet these requirements to avoid delays in processing your DBS check. Further guidance can be found here.
DBS Guidance on Supervision Changes
Following the changes to regulated activity from 1 September 2026, some roles that were previously supervised and therefore not eligible for a barred list check may now be eligible for an Enhanced DBS check with Children's Barred List information.
The DBS advises that it is for each organisation to assess the risks and decide whether a new check should be obtained immediately.
Our advice is that where an individual is now eligible for a barred list check, best practice is to obtain the appropriate Enhanced DBS check as soon as possible rather than waiting for the next renewal. This ensures that any barring information is identified promptly and supports safer recruitment and safeguarding practices.
Parishes should review affected roles and consider whether an updated DBS check is required based on their local risk assessment.
For all other enquiries, or to be enrolled as a DBS Verifier for your parish, please contact: dbs@leeds.anglican.org.
Our Handling of DBS Certificate Information Policy can be found here.
Our Equal Opportunities Statement can be found here.