Do I Need to DBS Check (previously CRB) My Babysitter?

When you leave your children in the care of someone else, it’s always important to have some insight in to the person’s background to be sure they are a safe and reliable option. With parents, friends, and family members, you have the knowledge of your wider relationship. With day care you are usually reassured with specific procedures, often including a DBS check. A registered babysitter will also differ from an informal arrangement. Does your babysitter need a DBS check too?

What is a DBS Check?

Previously known as Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks, Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks are a means of checking the criminal record of an individual. DBS checks are required for certain employed or voluntary roles, such as many forms of childcare and healthcare.

At the moment, only employers and specific licensing bodies can request a DBS check. Certain roles are not yet required to have DBS checks, and this includes both nannies and registered babysitters.

There are three main types of DBS check: standard; enhanced; and enhanced with list checks. Volunteers can also get free-of-charge DBS checks if the role they are doing is eligible.

Can I Get a DBS Check for a Babysitter?

When engaging the services of a babysitter, you are unlikely to be in the position of an employer, or licensing body, and therefore you won’t be able to get a DBS check for a specific babysitter.

However, DBS checks are just one method of vetting the background and suitability for babysitting. Additionally, if you choose a babysitter who works in childcare, then they will likely be in possession of a DBS certificate through their regular employment. All Sitters registered babysitters have experience in childcare roles. Many of them are childminders. Childminders are required, by OFSTED, to have a DBS check.

DBS checks do not become invalid, so a previous one is worthwhile. Choosing a registered babysitter who is also a childminder brings with it the benefit of them having a DBS certificate.

Peace of Mind is About More Than a DBS Check

However, we reiterate, a DBS is just one method of vetting a childcare worker, or babysitter. It has its limitations, and isn’t necessarily essential.

At Sitters, with our registered babysitters, whilst many do have a DBS certificate through their childminding roles, others, equally reliable and safe babysitters, don’t. However, we deeply care about you being able to trust your chosen babysitter, and that a DBS check can seem an easily understandable way of doing this. Therefore, we do our own checking to make sure we only registered the very best babysitters.

The Sitters Vetting Process

All Sitters registered babysitters go through a strict vetting process which gives you much greater peace of mind than choosing a sitter from somewhere else.

Firstly, we only select babysitters from childcare professions where they have worked as a nanny, nursery nurse, childminder or even teacher or teaching assistant. We believe experience and references are invaluable for providing peace of mind – this includes both written and verbal references. From here, potential babysitters looking to register with Sitters go through a thorough three step process which includes an interview.

We actually believe that this process reveals a much clearer, in-depth picture of your potential babysitter’s suitability than a DBS check alone.

Giving You Peace of Mind

A DBS check will give you some degree of reassurance. Most notably, it provides clear information on past convictions, or has been banned from working with children. However, they only show UK-based records, and they certainly don’t paint a complete picture. This is why we choose to provide a more thorough vetting process, and perform our own checks for all of our registered babysitters, in addition to any DBS check a sitter may have through their main employment. This will give you much greater peace of mind than you could achieve searching for a babysitter through other avenues.

To find vetted, registered babysitters join Sitters today here.

We believe your little ones deserve the very best care. That's why our local network of babysitters are personally checked and picked by our family for your family www.sitters.co.uk.