Employers always seek to know more about the job applicants before they can finally recruit someone for a particular role.
Conducting a background check and obtaining more information about their criminal history is also an important part of the screening process.
In most countries, business owners can get a police check done on recruits. Such checks are known by different names in different countries. In the United Kingdom, currently, a DBS check is done by businesses to gain more info on a person’s criminal history.
However, earlier, there was also a CRB check that was quite popular.
There is a lot of confusion regarding a DBS check and a CRB check. Some people think of it to be the same thing while others consider them as two separate background checks.
Let’s look at this in detail.
What is a CRB Check?
A CRB Check (also known as a Criminal Records Bureau check) was started in 2022 by the Criminal Records Bureau. It was widely used by organisations to gain more information about current employees and those applying for different roles at the organisation.
The CRB check used the Police National Computer to fetch information about an individual’s criminal history. It was able to show information on convictions and other significant details about a person’s criminal history.
At the same time, another authority, by the name of Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) would issue a report on whether or not an individual was barred from working with children and vulnerable adults.
In 2012, the Disclosure and Barring Service check (also, called a DBS check) was introduced. It, in a way, replaced the CRB check.
What is a DBS Check?
A Disclosure and Barring Service Check is a comprehensive report that provides more information about an individual’s criminal history. It also shares more details on whether the said individual is barred from working with children and vulnerable adults.
A DBS check is of three types, namely –
- Basic DBS Check
- Standard DBS Check, and
- Enhanced DBS Check.
A basic DBS check and a standard DBS check provide more information on an individual’s criminal history including the convictions, reprimands, warnings, and cautions issued to them. On the other hand, the enhanced DBS check offers the same information along with checking the Children’s Barred List and Adult First list as well.
It helps employers know whether or not a particular person has been barred from working with children and vulnerable adults.
Difference between a DBS Check and a CRB Check
Fundamentally, there is no difference between the two checks.
The DBS Check was introduced by merging the previous CRB and ISA checks. So, you can now get a background check along with the result of the barred list check in one report.
Today, DBS is one of the best background check options since it combines both of them together. Also, the CRB and ISA check is no longer issued today; however, you may still find many people with a past CRB certificate in their name.