30th July 2026
DBS Escalation Procedure
DBS Escalation Procedure
Version: 1.0
Review Date: July 2027
Approved By: Laura Steele – Operations Director
1. Purpose
Tara Professional Recruitment Ltd is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We recognise our responsibility to ensure that all candidates supplied to educational establishments are suitable to work with children.
This procedure sets out the process to be followed where information is identified through a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check or other pre-employment checks that may affect a candidate's suitability for work.
This procedure supports compliance with:
Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE)
Disclosure and Barring Service Code of Practice
Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006
Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions Order)
Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR
APSCo Compliance+ Standards
2. Scope
This procedure applies to:
Supply Teachers
Teaching Assistants
SEN Teaching Assistants
Cover Supervisors
Nursery Staff
Support Staff
Office Staff working within schools
Any individual registered to work through Tara Professional Recruitment Ltd.
3. Responsibility
Overall responsibility rests with the Operations Director.
The Operations Director is responsible for:
Reviewing DBS disclosures
Completing documented risk assessments
Making recruitment decisions
Seeking further advice where necessary
Maintaining confidential records
Liaising with schools where appropriate
No consultant may clear a candidate to work where a disclosure exists without approval from the Operations Director.
4. Pre-Employment Checks
Before a candidate can be cleared for work the following must be completed:
Identity verification
Right to Work checks
Enhanced DBS Certificate
Children's Barred List check (as part of the DBS)
Two satisfactory references
Employment history verification
Qualification verification
Overseas police checks (where applicable)
Section 128 check (where required)
Prohibition from Teaching check (teachers)
Online search in accordance with current KCSIE guidance.
5. Circumstances Requiring Escalation
The following will automatically trigger an escalation:
Positive criminal convictions
Police cautions or reprimands
Children's Barred List information
Adult Barred List information (where applicable)
Police intelligence
Pending criminal proceedings
Identity discrepancies
Gaps in employment requiring clarification
Unsatisfactory references
Safeguarding concerns disclosed during interview
False or misleading information supplied during registration
Qualification concerns
Overseas record concerns
Any concern identified during safer recruitment checks.
6. Initial Review
Where information is disclosed:
The candidate will not be cleared for work.
The Compliance Team will notify the Operations Director.
All information will remain confidential.
A DBS Risk Assessment will be completed.
Further information may be requested from the candidate.
7. DBS Risk Assessment
Each disclosure is considered individually.
The following factors are assessed:
Nature of the offence
Seriousness
Date of offence
Age at the time
Pattern of offending
Relevance to working with children
Length of time since conviction
Evidence of rehabilitation
Candidate explanation
Court outcomes
Professional conduct since conviction
References
Any safeguarding implications.
Automatic exclusions are not applied except where legislation prohibits employment.
8. Decision Making
Following review, one of the following outcomes will apply.
Outcome 1 – Suitable
The disclosure presents no safeguarding risk.
Candidate may be cleared for work.
Outcome 2 – Suitable with Conditions
Further controls may be required, including:
Limited role types
Additional supervision
Specific school agreement
Additional references
Further review after probation.
Outcome 3 – Further Information Required
Additional evidence may be requested including:
Court documents
Character references
Updated DBS
Overseas checks
Employment verification.
No work will be offered until the assessment is complete.
Outcome 4 – Unsuitable
Where the assessment concludes that the candidate presents an unacceptable safeguarding risk or is legally barred from regulated activity, registration will be declined.
Reasons will be documented.
9. Barred List Matches
Where a Children's Barred List check identifies a match:
Registration immediately ceases.
No work will be offered.
Relevant safeguarding advice will be sought.
Appropriate reporting obligations will be followed.
10. Referral to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)
Where information suggests that a candidate may have behaved in a way that harmed, or may pose a risk of harm to, a child, the Operations Director will consider whether referral to the appropriate LADO is required.
The safety of children will always take priority.
11. Referrals to the Disclosure and Barring Service
Where Tara Professional Recruitment removes a worker from regulated activity (or would have done so had they not resigned) because they have harmed or pose a risk of harm to children, consideration will be given to making a referral to the Disclosure and Barring Service in accordance with statutory guidance.
12. Confidentiality
Disclosure information will:
only be viewed by authorised personnel;
be treated as highly confidential;
not be copied unless legally permitted;
be stored securely;
only be retained for as long as necessary in accordance with DBS guidance and UK GDPR.
13. Record Keeping
The following records will be maintained:
DBS number
Issue date
Workforce type
Risk assessment (where applicable)
Decision
Reviewer
Date reviewed
Supporting documentation
Renewal date.
14. Candidate Right to Respond
Candidates will be given the opportunity to explain any disclosed information before a recruitment decision is made.
All explanations will be considered fairly and objectively.
15. Appeals
Candidates who believe a decision has been made incorrectly may submit a written appeal within 14 calendar days.
Appeals should be sent to:
Kirsty Jandrell, Managing Director
Tara Professional Recruitment Ltd
Dunbar House
Knights Court
Battlefield Enterprise Park
Shrewsbury
SY1 3GA
Email: kirsty@taraprofessionalrecruitment.co.uk
The appeal will be reviewed by a senior manager not involved in the original decision wherever reasonably practicable.
The outcome of the appeal will normally be provided within 10 working days.
16. Training
Staff responsible for recruitment will receive regular training covering:
Safer Recruitment
KCSIE
DBS processes
GDPR
Safeguarding
Equality Act 2010
APSCo Compliance requirements.
17. Monitoring
This procedure will be reviewed annually or sooner if:
legislation changes;
KCSIE is updated;
APSCo standards change;
internal audits identify improvements.
Document Control
Version 1.0
July 2026
Tara Professional Recruitment Ltd
Laura Steele