Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)

The Home Office Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) helps employers make safer recruitment decisions and prevent unsuitable people from working with vulnerable groups, including children. It replaced the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) in 2012.

The Safe Staffing department of Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) is an Umbrella body, licenced to process Criminal Record applications on behalf of the Home Office.

We use an on-line system “Herts Guard”, to process these applications. This system is provided by a third party provider at an annual cost. The admin fee we charge covers the costs involved in providing this service, including staff and system costs. The charge of the DBS check itself other costs associated with the DBS are paid directly to the DBS.

When you use HCC’s Umbrella Body Services to process your DBS checks you can be assured by the knowledge and experience of the Safe Staffing Team who are on hand to provide additional support for any DBS related queries, concerns and guidance with the trace process.

Please contact the Safe Staffing team for more information.