DBS checks for religious organisations: A practical guide

Religious organisations are at the heart of their communities. They create spaces where people come together, learn, support one another and often provide additional services such as youth activities, pastoral care and community outreach. In these contexts, many roles involve working with children or adults who may be vulnerable. In the UK, this brings statutory obligations around background checking and safer recruitment.  

DBS checks are a core part of that compliance picture, but reliably determining which check is appropriate for each role and why requires a thoughtful assessment of duties, contact patterns and statutory criteria. This is where Giant Screening supports faith organisations to make decisions that are sound, defensible and directly tied to safeguarding practice. 

DBS levels explained simply 

There are three main levels of DBS check used in the UK, and understanding them helps organisations put the right screening in place for the right roles. 

Basic DBS Check 
A Basic DBS check shows unspent convictions and conditional cautions. It is available for any role where an organisation wants reassurance about an applicant’s criminal record, especially for roles without regular contact with children or vulnerable adults.  

Standard DBS Check 
A Standard check includes spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands and warnings. It is available only for specific roles that are permitted by law, and it is not usually the primary check used in most religious settings unless there is a clear legal basis.  

Enhanced DBS Check (with or without Barred List) 
An Enhanced check includes additional relevant police information beyond criminal convictions. Where a role involves what the law calls regulated activity (for example regular, unsupervised contact with children or vulnerable adults), organisations can also request a check of the Children’s Barred List and/or the Adults’ Barred List. This is the level most commonly used where regular contact is part of the duties.  

Key Considerations for Faith Organisations

1. What activities are carried out? 

Government guidance for places of worship makes clear that the activities a person performs and how often they do them drives DBS eligibility. This includes roles that involve teaching, supervising, caring for or providing wellbeing advice.  

Example in practice: 
A Sunday School teacher who regularly delivers lessons and provides emotional support to children on most Sundays or in weekly youth groups would meet the statutory criteria for regulated activity with children. In this situation, an Enhanced DBS check with a Children’s Barred List check is appropriate because of the frequency and nature of the contact. 

2. Frequency and supervision matter 

Not all contact is equal. Defined frequency thresholds, such as contact more than three days in 30 days or overnight involvement, and the level of supervision influence what type of check is appropriate. If contact is occasional or heavily supervised, a different level of check may be suitable. 

3. Both paid and volunteer roles must be assessed 

Whether someone is a volunteer or paid staff member does not change the eligibility requirements. The determining factor is the nature of contact and duties performed.  

Integrating DBS checks into a broader screening programme 

DBS checks play a central role in safeguarding, but organisations can consider additional screening elements as part of a comprehensive, risk-aware recruitment approach tailored to faith settings. 

Right to Work Checks 
For paid positions within a faith organisation, confirming that someone has the legal right to work in the UK is a fundamental compliance requirement. It protects the organisation and ensures adherence to UK immigration law. 

Reference Checks  
For senior positions or roles involving ongoing pastoral contact,  such as youth ministry coordinators or community outreach leaders.  Professional references help verify someone’s suitability, track record and conduct in previous roles. 

Social Media Checks 

Reviewing publicly available social media information can offer additional context. For example, understanding how a candidate communicates with the wider community or represents themselves online can inform suitability for roles that involve visible engagement or public leadership. 

Deciding the correct level of DBS check is not a simple exercise. It requires a sound understanding of statutory criteria and how those criteria apply across different roles and settings. 

Giant Screening helps you: 

• Review and map role duties against statutory DBS eligibility criteria 

• Determine whether work qualifies as regulated activity with children or adults who may be vulnerable 

• Identify whether a Basic, Standard or Enhanced check (with relevant barred lists) applies 

• Document decisions in a way that is clear, defensible and aligned with official guidance 

• Integrate DBS checks into a comprehensive recruitment and safeguarding framework that includes complementary checks aligned with your risk profile 

Our approach supports organisations to apply DBS checks with confidence rather than assumption, backed by evidence and compliant practice. 

Practical next steps  

Document role responsibilities clearly. Capture what tasks are done, frequency and contact context. 

1. Assess eligibility criteria against statutory definitions. Use official guidance for places of worship to support decisions. 
2. Review and update assessments over time. As duties evolve, so can eligibility and screening needs. 
3. Embed DBS decisions into your safeguarding policy. Checks should support wider safer recruitment and governance practices. 

If you need support with assessing roles , determining the right level of criminal record check  for your organisation, or building a robust screening programme suited to the needs of faith organisations,  we can help with a clear, evidence-based screening approach.