DBS Adult First Check: Early Barred List Screening for Adult Regulated Roles

## What is an Adult First check? An Adult First check is a check of the adults’ barred list to find out whether the applicant has been barred from working with adults, before they’ve obtained a full DBS Enhanced Check. An Adult First Check can be used to enable an employee to start work with adults, under supervision, without having to wait for the results of their DBS Check. It should only be used if it is necessary to start a new employee where there is a real danger to safe staffing levels or the running of the service. ## Who can have an Adult First check? Adult First Checks are only available to people having an Enhanced DBS Check and the applicant’s role involves regulated activity with vulnerable adults – it cannot be requested separately as a stand alone check. These are generally people working in adult care services, such as care homes. There is no equivalent check of the children's barred list so if the candidate is working with children and adults in their role, they would not be able to work with children until the full Enhanced DBS check is completed. ## How can I request one with Zinc? If you would like an Adult First check to be done for all candidates within a specific package, please speak to your designated Account Manager or accountmanagement@zincwork.com who can set this up for you. If you just have an individual candidate you want to request an Adult First check for, you can request this via live chat with our Support Team. We can only do this once the check is in progress and the check of the adult barred list has been requested on the original DBS application. There is an extra cost to request an Adult First check. Please speak with our Account Management team to learn more. ## How long does it take to complete an Adult First check? Once successfully requested on the original request or individually to our team, the Adult First check will be completed within 72 hours (not including weekends and bank holidays). Usually they are completed within 48 hours or less. ## What are the results of the DBS Adult First check? A DBS Adult First Check will issue one of three results. ### No match In this case, the applicant has not been barred from working with adults, and can start work under supervision until the full Enhanced Disclosure is issued. ### Please wait In this case, the details provided may have indicated a match on the adults’ barred list. However, further investigation is required to confirm this, so the employer should wait for the full DBS Certificate before making a recruitment decision. No details are given at this stage as to why the applicant received the above result for the DBS Adult First and this does not mean the applicant is necessarily barred. It could mean for example that: - A person with a similar name or date of birth shows a match on the barred list - There may be a criminal conviction which would need to be disclosed to the employer in order for them to make a more informed recruitment decision - The result will also clearly state that the Adult First Check only forms the first part of the criminal record check application process and that further information will follow ### Certificate completed The entire DBS check has been completed before the Adult First check was issued.