If you run a soft play centre, trampoline park, or family entertainment centre in the UK, you almost certainly need DBS checks for your staff. The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) exists to help employers make safer recruitment decisions by providing criminal record information about potential and existing employees. For venues where children are the primary visitors, getting this right is not optional, it is a fundamental part of your safeguarding duty.
Yet DBS checks remain one of the most commonly misunderstood areas of compliance for play venue operators. Which level of check does each role require? Do checks actually expire? What happens if a check comes back with a positive disclosure? This guide answers every question we hear from venue owners, so you can build a DBS process that protects your visitors, your team, and your business.
What is a DBS check?
A DBS check is a search of police records and, in some cases, barred lists held by the Disclosure and Barring Service. The purpose is to identify whether a person has a criminal history that may make them unsuitable for certain roles, particularly those involving contact with children or vulnerable adults.
Before 2012, this system was managed by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB). You may still hear people refer to "CRB checks", the process is the same, just under a different name. The DBS was formed by merging the CRB with the Independent Safeguarding Authority.
For play venues, DBS checks are part of a broader safeguarding framework. They sit alongside staff training, supervision policies, and a venue-wide culture of child protection. A clean DBS certificate does not guarantee a person is safe to work with children, and a positive disclosure does not automatically disqualify someone. The check is one tool in a larger toolkit.
The three levels of DBS check
There are three levels of DBS check, each revealing progressively more information. Choosing the right level for each role is important, applying for a higher level than the role warrants is not permitted, and applying for too low a level leaves gaps in your safeguarding.
Basic DBS check
A Basic DBS check is the simplest level. It shows only unspent convictions and conditional cautions held on the Police National Computer. Any individual can apply for a Basic check themselves, and employers in any sector can request one.
In a play venue context, a Basic check is appropriate for roles with no direct or unsupervised contact with children. This might include kitchen staff who work entirely in a separate kitchen area, administrative staff who work in an office away from play areas, or external contractors carrying out maintenance work under supervision.
The cost of a Basic DBS check is £21.50, and processing typically takes around two weeks. Applications are made through the DBS online service or through a responsible organisation.
Standard DBS check
A Standard DBS check shows both spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands, and final warnings held on the Police National Computer. This level provides a more complete picture of a person's criminal history.
Standard checks are available for roles listed in the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975. In practice, Standard checks are relatively uncommon in the play industry because most roles that qualify for a Standard check will also qualify for an Enhanced check, which provides even more information.
The cost is £21.50, with processing times of around two to four weeks.
Enhanced DBS check
An Enhanced DBS check includes everything in the Standard check, plus any additional information held by local police forces that they consider relevant to the role. This might include details of investigations that did not lead to a conviction, or intelligence about associations or behaviours that a chief officer considers relevant.
For play venues, this is the level required for the majority of your team, anyone whose role involves regular, direct contact with children. This includes play area supervisors, party hosts, reception staff who interact with children, managers who work on the venue floor, and any role where a person might reasonably be left in a position of trust with children.
The cost is £38.00, and processing typically takes four to eight weeks, although this varies by police force area.
Enhanced DBS check with barred list check
This is an Enhanced check with an additional search of the children's barred list (or adults' barred list, or both). The barred lists contain the names of individuals who have been barred from working with children or vulnerable adults. It is a criminal offence for a barred person to apply for work in a regulated activity, and it is an offence for an employer to knowingly employ a barred person in such a role.
A barred list check is required when the role constitutes "regulated activity" with children. In a play venue, this is likely to apply to managers with overall responsibility for child welfare, designated safeguarding leads, party hosts who have periods of unsupervised contact with children, and any staff member whose role description includes caring for, supervising, or being in sole charge of children.
The cost is the same as a standard Enhanced check (£38.00), as the barred list check is included at no additional charge when the role qualifies.
Which level for which role?
Getting the right level for each role requires you to assess the nature and extent of each person's contact with children. Here is a practical breakdown for common play venue roles:
- Venue manager / general manager: Enhanced with barred list check. Managers typically have access to all areas, oversight of safeguarding, and may be left in positions of trust with children.
- Play area supervisors: Enhanced with barred list check. These staff are directly responsible for children's safety in the play area and may be in a position of unsupervised contact.
- Party hosts: Enhanced with barred list check. Party hosts often supervise groups of children during parties, sometimes with limited parental oversight.
- Reception / front desk staff: Enhanced DBS check. Reception staff interact with children regularly, though they are typically not in unsupervised contact. If their role involves escorting children to party rooms or play areas, consider the barred list check.
- Kitchen / cafe staff: Basic DBS check if they work exclusively in a separate kitchen area with no child contact. If they serve food on the venue floor or clear tables in the play area, an Enhanced check is more appropriate.
- Cleaners: Basic DBS check if they work outside opening hours only. If they clean during operating hours and have access to areas where children are present, an Enhanced check is appropriate.
- Maintenance staff: Basic DBS check if they work outside opening hours or under constant supervision. Enhanced check if they work independently in areas accessible to children during opening hours.
When in doubt, err on the side of the higher check. Your insurer may also specify minimum requirements that exceed this guidance, always check your policy wording.
The application process
Employers cannot apply for Standard or Enhanced DBS checks directly. You must use a registered body, also called an umbrella body or countersigning organisation. Many payroll providers, HR services, and industry bodies offer this service. Some play industry associations provide DBS processing as a membership benefit.
The process works as follows:
- Identify the role and check level. Determine which level of check the role requires based on the nature of child contact.
- Gather the applicant's information. You will need their full name, date of birth, current address, five years of address history, and identity documents. The DBS requires specific combinations of identity documents, check the DBS identity checking guidelines for the current requirements.
- Submit the application. Your registered body will handle the submission to the DBS. Many now offer online applications, which tend to be processed faster than paper forms.
- Wait for the result. Basic checks typically take around two weeks. Enhanced checks take four to eight weeks, sometimes longer if the applicant has lived in multiple police force areas.
- Receive and review the certificate. The certificate is sent directly to the applicant, not to the employer. The applicant must then share it with you. This is a deliberate safeguard, it gives the individual the chance to see what has been disclosed before their employer does.
During the waiting period, you need to decide whether the person can start work. There is no legal prohibition on starting someone before their DBS check is returned, but you must conduct a thorough risk assessment, ensure they are never left unsupervised with children, and document your interim arrangements. Many insurers, however, will not cover staff who have not yet received their DBS clearance, check your policy before making this decision.
The DBS Update Service
The DBS Update Service is one of the most useful tools available to play venue operators, yet many do not take advantage of it. For £13 per year (free for volunteers), an individual can subscribe to the Update Service, which allows any employer, with the individual's consent, to check their DBS status online and receive an instant result.
The benefits are significant. When you hire a new staff member who is already subscribed to the Update Service and has an existing Enhanced DBS check, you can verify their status online in minutes rather than waiting weeks for a new check. If the online check confirms that no new information has been added since the certificate was issued, you can accept the existing certificate. If new information is present, you will be told that the certificate is no longer current and a new check is required.
We recommend encouraging all staff to subscribe to the Update Service when they receive their DBS certificate. The £13 annual fee is a small price for the convenience it provides, and some employers choose to cover this cost as a staff benefit. The subscription must be set up within 30 days of the certificate being issued, so prompt action is needed.
Common misconceptions about DBS expiry
One of the most widespread misunderstandings in the play industry is the belief that DBS checks "expire" after one or three years. They do not. A DBS certificate is a snapshot of an individual's record on the day it was issued. There is no official expiry date printed on the certificate, and the DBS does not issue renewals.
However, this does not mean a DBS check from five years ago is sufficient. The certificate only reflects information available at the time of issue. An individual could have received a conviction the day after their certificate was issued, and the certificate would not show it. This is why most employers adopt a renewal policy, typically every three years, and why the DBS Update Service is so valuable.
Your insurer may specify a maximum age for DBS certificates. Many insurance policies for play venues require DBS checks to be no more than three years old. Some require annual renewal. Failing to meet your insurer's requirements could invalidate your cover, so treat your insurer's requirements as your minimum standard.
What to do with a positive disclosure
A "positive disclosure" means the DBS check has returned information, a conviction, caution, or other intelligence. This does not automatically mean you cannot employ the person. The law requires you to consider the disclosure fairly and make a balanced decision.
When you receive a positive disclosure, you should:
- Give the individual an opportunity to discuss the disclosure. There may be context that changes your assessment. A minor offence from 20 years ago is very different from a recent conviction for violence.
- Consider the nature of the offence. Is it relevant to the role? A motoring offence may have no bearing on someone's suitability to supervise a play area. An offence involving children is clearly relevant.
- Consider how long ago it occurred. Older offences, particularly those committed when the person was young, may carry less weight.
- Consider the person's conduct since the offence. Have they demonstrated rehabilitation?
- Take legal advice if you are unsure. Employment law in this area is nuanced, and a wrong decision, either way, can have consequences.
If a person is on the children's barred list, the decision is straightforward: you cannot employ them in a regulated activity role. Doing so is a criminal offence.
Document your decision-making process regardless of the outcome. If you decide to employ someone with a positive disclosure, record your risk assessment and any additional safeguards you have put in place. If you decide not to employ them, record your reasoning in case of a discrimination claim.
Record keeping and GDPR
DBS certificates contain sensitive personal data, and their storage is governed by the DBS Code of Practice as well as the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018.
The key rules for handling DBS data are:
- Do not keep copies of DBS certificates. The DBS Code of Practice states that you should not retain the certificate itself (or a copy of it) for longer than six months from the date of issue. After that, you should securely destroy it.
- Record only the essential details. You may record the date of issue, the DBS certificate number, the level of check, the position for which the check was carried out, and the recruitment decision made. You should not record the details of any disclosed offences.
- Store records securely. DBS information should be stored separately from general personnel files, with access restricted to those who need it for recruitment decisions. Digital records should be encrypted and access-controlled.
- Dispose of records securely. When the time comes to destroy DBS data, use cross-cut shredding for paper records and secure deletion for digital records.
SafePlay's Staff Compliance module is designed with these requirements in mind. It stores only the permitted data points, certificate number, date of issue, check level, and renewal date, without retaining a copy of the certificate itself. Access is restricted to authorised users, and the system maintains an audit trail of who accessed DBS information and when.
What insurers require
Your insurance policy almost certainly contains specific requirements about DBS checks. Common insurer requirements include:
- Enhanced DBS checks for all staff with child contact
- Checks to be renewed at specified intervals (typically every three years, sometimes annually)
- Documented evidence that checks have been carried out
- A written recruitment policy that includes DBS checking
- Evidence that positive disclosures have been assessed and documented
Failing to meet these requirements does not just risk a conversation with your insurer, it can invalidate your cover entirely. If you make a claim and your insurer discovers that the staff member involved did not have a current DBS check, they may decline the claim. For a venue where public liability claims can run into hundreds of thousands of pounds, this is a risk no business can afford.
Keep your insurer's requirements in a readily accessible document and review them annually when your policy renews. If you are unsure whether your current DBS practices meet your insurer's requirements, ask your broker for written confirmation.
Building a robust DBS system
A reliable DBS process has four components: a clear policy, a consistent application process, a reliable tracking system, and regular reviews.
Your policy should define which check level is required for each role, how often checks are renewed, what happens during the waiting period for new checks, how positive disclosures are assessed, and who is responsible for managing the process.
Your tracking system needs to record every staff member's DBS status, alert you when renewals are due, and provide evidence of compliance when an insurer or inspector asks for it. Spreadsheets work until they do not, a missed renewal buried in row 47 of a spreadsheet could cost you your insurance cover.
SafePlay's Staff Compliance module replaces the spreadsheet. Every team member's DBS check is tracked with their certificate number, check level, date of issue, and your chosen renewal date. The Automated Reminders feature sends alerts 90 days, 30 days, and 7 days before a renewal is due, giving you plenty of time to arrange a new check. And the Compliance Dashboard shows your venue's overall DBS compliance status at a glance, so you always know where you stand.
DBS compliance is not a one-off task. It is an ongoing commitment that protects the children who visit your venue, the staff who work there, and the business you have built. Get the foundations right, maintain them consistently, and you will have one less thing to worry about when an inspector walks through the door.
For more information on the regulatory framework for play venues, see our complete guide to soft play regulations in the UK. If you are preparing for an upcoming inspection, our guide to health and safety inspection preparation covers exactly what inspectors look for and how to demonstrate your compliance.