Types of DBS check

Enhanced checks give the same information as a standard check plus any relevant information held by local police that they consider should be disclosed. These checks are only available for certain eligible roles.

An employer or recruiting organisation applies for this. Eligible paid self-employed people and personal employees can also apply for their own enhanced check.

These give the same information as an enhanced check but also disclose if the applicant is on the DBS list of people barred from carrying out certain activities with children or adults (depending on which group the person will be working with).

These checks can only be carried out for eligible roles.

A barred person must not carry out regulated activity with the group they are barred from working with. It's a criminal offence for a barred person to seek or undertake that regulated activity and for an organisation to knowingly allow them to do so.

Includes:

• providing healthcare (by, or under the direction or supervision of, a regulated healthcare professional)
• providing personal care (for example, feeding, toileting or washing)
• conveying (transporting) someone to or from healthcare, personal care or social care services because their age, illness or disability means they can’t take themselves
• providing social work (by a social worker, to a client or potential client)
• helping someone with the day-to-day running of their household if they can’t manage themselves because of their age, illness or disability (for example, managing cash, paying bills or doing shopping).

These activities only need to happen once to be considered regulated. The DBS has more information about regulated activity with adults in England.

When is work with children regulated activity?

Whether an activity with children is regulated activity can depend on what the person does, how often they do it and where the activity takes place.

Activities that only need to happen once

The following are regulated activity even if they only happen once:

• providing healthcare by, or under the direction or supervision of, a regulated healthcare professional
• providing personal care because of a child’s age, illness or disability.

Activities that depend on how often they happen

The following are regulated activity if they happen:

• on more than three days in a 30-day period, or
• once overnight between 2am and 6am, where there is an opportunity for face-to-face contact with children.

This includes:

• teaching, training or instructing children
• caring for or supervising children
• providing information, advice or guidance wholly or mainly to children about their physical, emotional or educational wellbeing.

From 1 September 2026, these activities can be regulated activity whether or not the person carrying them out is supervised.

Other activities that may be regulated activity

The following may be regulated activity if they happen on more than three days in a 30-day period and other relevant conditions are met:

• driving a vehicle specifically for children as part of a formal third-party arrangement
• moderating a web-based service which is wholly or mainly for children.

Working in certain establishments

Someone may also carry out regulated activity because they work in certain establishments, such as:

• schools and colleges
• nurseries
• other relevant childcare premises.

Specific conditions apply to work in these establishments. Find out more, including a list of included establishments (PDF).

Regular day-to-day management or supervision of someone carrying out regulated activity with children is also regulated activity.

Check the eligibility guidance

The rules around regulated activity are complex. Check the current DBS eligibility guidance to confirm whether a role is eligible for an enhanced DBS check with Children’s Barred List information.