Do counsellors need DBS checks?

A Counsellor’s role in society is to help improve the well-being and mental health of society. They help people make positive changes in their lives and help them understand themselves and the world better. 

DBS checks should be carried out on Counsellors to ensure they are suitable for the role and allowed to work with vulnerable individuals. In this blog, we will explain everything you need to know about DBS checks for Counsellors.

The levels of DBS checks:

DBS offers three different types of criminal record checks to ensure the correct level of information is accessed depending on the job role. Roles that require you to work with children and/or vulnerable adults will need a higher level of check.

Basic Disclosure Checks:

This level of check is available for all individuals, regardless of their job role. This level of DBS check will look through an individual’s criminal history, showing any unspent convictions that the applicant may have.

Standard DBS Checks

This level of check is only available to organisations or companies who are completing a DBS check on somebody's behalf to make a suitability decision. This will check an applicant’s criminal history for cautions, warnings, reprimands, and convictions.

Enhanced DBS Checks

This is similar to a Standard DBS Check, and this type of check must be completed by an organisation or company on an individual's behalf, and will also check an applicant’s criminal history for cautions, warnings, reprimands, and convictions. An Enhanced DBS Checks can also include a check of the DBS's Children's and/or Adult barred list. Local police forces are also able to add any relevant information they hold on the applicant.

DBS checks for counsellors who work with children

Counsellors who work with children will be eligible for an Enhanced DBS Check with a check of the children’s barred list, whether or not they worked on a referral basis.

The definition of regulated activity concerning children includes: 

“unsupervised activities: teach, train, instruct, care for or supervise children, or provide advice/ guidance on well-being”.

DBS Checks for counsellors who work with adults

Counsellors who work with adults on a non-referral basis may be eligible for a basic DBS check.

Counsellors who work with adults who have been referred to them by a healthcare professional will be required to have an enhanced DBS check with a check of the adults’ barred list. 

If a role involves regulated activity, the Counsellor will be eligible for an Enhanced DBS Check with a check of the relevant barred list. Regulated activity is “The provision of health care by any health care professional to an adult, or the provision of health care to an adult under the direction or supervision of a healthcare professional, is regulated activity”.

A healthcare professional is a person who is regulated by any of the following professional regulators:

• General Medical Council
• General Dental Council
• General Optical Council
• General Osteopathic Council
• General Chiropractic Council
• General Pharmaceutical Council
• Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland
• Nursing and Midwifery Council
• Health Professions Council

“The provision of psychotherapy and counselling to an adult which is related to health care the adult is receiving from, or under the direction or supervision of, a healthcare professional, is regulated activity. This would include the provision of psychotherapy and counselling over the telephone. Life coaching is excluded”. 

Fast, Reliable, and Confidential DBS checks

AuthentiQuest is a secure online solution that allows organisations to electronically submit applications to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and Disclosure Scotland (DS) to perform pre-employment criminal records checks.

• Easy-to-use and admin fees from just £4
• Track progress of applications online
• Confirmation of DBS/DS check results before the candidate
• Multiple user access and privileges depending on your requirements
• Customised branding
• Dedicated Account Manager with free training included
• Available 24/7 via all mobile, tablet, laptop and desktop devices

If you would like to find out more about our DBS checking services, please use the contact details below and a member of our friendly team will be happy to assist.

Tel: 0121 234 1300

Mail: information@terraquest.co.uk

Web: terraquest.co.uk/services/pre-employment-checks/