Government tightens DBS requirements for volunteers working with children

Volunteers who work regularly with children will need to undergo an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check under updated UK Government guidance.

The new guidance was issued last week and is due to come into force on 1 September. It comes in response to changes made by the Crime and Policing Act 2026 to the definition of “regulated activity”.

Previously, unpaid activities such as teaching, training, instructing, or caring for or supervising children were not classed as regulated activity if supervised by someone who was in regulated activity.

That supervision exemption has now been removed.

This means that all such activity is “now considered to be regulated activity if it is carried out frequently, or if it meets the period condition”.

The period condition means that the activity takes place:

• On more than three days in a 30-day period.
• Overnight.

According to the updated guidance, all volunteers engaging in regulated activity will now need to have an enhanced DBS check with children’s barred list information.

The change will mainly affect volunteers, who may not previously have been in regulated activity if they were supervised by a member of staff.

It is an offence for a barred person to engage in regulated activity, and for someone to permit a barred person to engage in regulated activity.

“Schools and colleges need to ensure that any volunteer who is now in regulated activity is not barred from working with children,” the guidance states.

“Schools, colleges and childcare providers should check that a person is not barred from working with children by carrying out an enhanced DBS check with children’s barred list information,” it adds.

The guidance outlines ways in which education and training providers can check that a person is not barred. DBS checks for volunteers are free of charge.

The guidance also clarifies that, where a person volunteers in multiple settings, each instance of teaching, training, instructing, caring for or supervising a child counts towards the “on more than three days in a 30-day period” condition.

“We encourage schools to work together to decide who should apply for the DBS check. The volunteer can provide details of the check to each school,” says the government.

It also recommends that, at the point of applying for an enhanced DBS check with barred list information, the volunteer should consider joining the DBS Update Service. This is free for volunteers and means that applicants can keep their check updated, and employers can check their certificate without applying for a new check.

“This change will increase children’s safety. Those who pose a risk of harm to children will not be able to work regularly with them in any role,” said the government.

The Heritage Volunteering Group (HVG), which promotes volunteering within the heritage sector, welcomed the changes.

HVG trustee Tamsin Russell, who is also the Museums Association's workforce development lead, said: “We welcome this change as effective safeguarding is essential, and encourage organisations to review their existing approaches to risk assessing all activities, as well as procedures relating to those volunteering in multiple organisations.”