DBS check

A DBS check is a UK criminal-record check run by the Disclosure and Barring Service for England and Wales.

It is not a generic “background check” in the US sense. There are four levels: basic; standard; enhanced; and enhanced with barred list(s). Eligibility for standard and enhanced checks is set in legislation. Not every volunteer role can request them. Scotland uses PVG. Northern Ireland uses AccessNI.

For a US reader, the nearest idea is a criminal background check used in youth, care, or regulated work. The important difference is that DBS is a named statutory scheme with levels and eligibility rules, not a commercial screening product an employer can order for any role.

Zelos does not run DBS checks. Coordinators still decide who is cleared before inviting someone onto a role.