What is the role of a Recipient, for criminal record check information?
January 18th, 2016 by Jonathan Bazely
What is a DBS Recipient?
A ‘Recipient’ is a term used by Due Diligence Checking Limited (DDC) to describe a specific role. This role is authorised by a Client organisation to receive content on a Disclosure. To access DDC systems, a Recipient requires additional security information, set-up at account opening. If a user has not been authorised they will not be able to discuss sensitive personal information with a DDC team member. In addition their online access will not include a button to access the Recipient Area.
Obtaining Certificate information
The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and Access Northern Ireland (AccessNI) will inform DDC electronically when a Certificate has been issued containing content. This will result in an automated email being sent to the Recipient asking that they either:
- Access the online ‘Recipient Area’ through the general Client Area and obtain the name of the applicant. This area can also be used to remind the applicant that they should provide their Certificate, confirm once an employment decision has been made or indicate to DDC that an arrangement has been made with the applicant to review the Certificate.
- Call DDC to obtain the name of the applicant, subject to a security check as an authorised user.
For PVG applications in Scotland DDC will receive a copy of the paper document issued and follow the above process to contact the named Recipient as required.
Making an Employment Decision
DDC do not receive a copy of the Certificate issued for DBS or AccessNI applications. Applicant must provide their own paper copy of the document to the named Recipient. If the Recipient requires any assistance with the content e.g. what is the difference between “assault” and “affray” we will endeavour to help them. Common questions include:
- What is a caution, reprimand or final warning?
- What is approved additional information on a DBS check?
- What are the DBS filtering rules?
- What are spent and unspent criminal convictions?
On receipt of the Disclosure Certificate the Recipient has to decide if any action is warranted and what that action should be. This would normally involve a risk assessment process. This should include representations made by the applicant. Unfortunately this decision can only made by the employing organisation. DDC staff are unable to make employment decision for Clients. Please see our FAQ on making an employment decision for more information.
Escalation and Cover
DDC’s policy is to pass content to the client as soon as possible. This includes logging which Recipient has been informed of Certificate information. The Recipient Area will therefore record when the name of the applicant has been divulged. We request that the employment decision be made as soon as possible and confirmed through the Recipient Area. If no action has been taken we may issue some reminders to confirm that the name of the applicant is known, This includes that the risk assessment process or obtaining the applicants’ Certificate has started.
Confidential Information
Certificate information should be kept in the strictest of confidence and should not be recorded by a Recipient unless the employee has given their specific permission for this to be done. Any person who reviews Criminal Record information should abide by the DBS Code of Practice, or equivalent requirements for Disclosure Scotland or Access Northern Ireland.
