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Working in sports will very often involve coaching, supporting or supervising children, whether that’s as a coach, referee, umpire or a lifeguard. This means that many roles in sport will require a DBS check.
DBS checks in sport roles are required in the following areas:
An enhanced DBS check for a sports coach applies to anyone employed to be a coach or instructor of children’s sports whose duties include teaching, training or instructing children, or providing advice or guidance to children relating to their physical, emotional or educational well-being.
If you are performing this role at any time on more than three days in any period of 30 days, you will also require a check of the children’s barred list.
The role of sports official is not specifically mentioned in legislation as eligible for a DBS check, which means that each role must be considered on an individual basis. This is because an official’s responsibilities can vary between sports and clubs.
If an official’s duties include teaching, training, instructing or being required to care for or supervise children, and they are performing this role at any time on more than three days in any period of 30 days, they are entitled to an enhanced DBS check along with a check of the children’s barred list. If they are performing this role on fewer than three days in a 30 day period, they would be entitled to an enhanced DBS check without a check of the children’s barred list.
For example, a referee for a children’s football team who instructs players on the correct way to undertake a goal kick or throw-in, or an official who may be responsible for supervising children before or after a match.
If a sports official does not perform any of the activities mentioned above, then they can apply for a basic check.
Pool lifeguards are eligible for DBS checks because, based on guidance from the Royal Life Saving Society in collaboration with the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), their duties mean that they are expected to supervise the users of a pool which will include children. This is regardless of whether the children are accompanied by an adult.
Because of the expectation that supervision is part of their duties, lifeguards are eligible for an enhanced check.
If you are performing this role at any time on more than three days in any period of 30 days, you will also require a check of the children’s barred list.
There are a number of roles in the sporting sector that provide healthcare, such as physiotherapists, psychotherapists, club doctors or club nurses, where eligibility exists for these individuals to be asked to apply for a DBS check. Anyone who is providing healthcare to children in this sector, and is a regulated healthcare professional or working under the direction or supervision of a regulated healthcare professional (as defined below), is carrying out regulated activity with children. It doesn’t matter how often this healthcare is being provided for the eligibility criteria to be met.
This means that an applicant providing healthcare to children can be asked to apply for an enhanced check with a children’s barred list check.
To be working under the direction of a healthcare professional, the applicant would need to be receiving direct instructions from the healthcare professional about how to treat the client whilst the healthcare is being provided. Working under the supervision of a healthcare professional would require the applicant to have the healthcare professional with them at the point that they are providing the treatment to the client.
Healthcare provided by first aiders is only regulated activity if it is provided on behalf of an organisation set up for the purpose of providing first aid, e.g., St John Ambulance. This would not apply to applicants who volunteer to be first aiders alongside their primary role.
If a sports club employs anyone whose role includes performing and providing sports massages for children’s teams, or any individual child, the sports club could request an enhanced check with a children’s barred list check, if they are performing this role at any time on more than three days in any period of 30 days. If they are performing this role on fewer than three days in a 30 day period, they would be entitled to an enhanced DBS check without a check of the children’s barred list. This is because the applicant is performing work that is a form of supervision of children.
However, if the sports massage is being provided by a healthcare professional, then it would be regulated activity and eligible for an enhanced with a children’s barred list check, even if it is only done on one occasion.
Managers and supervisors whose duties include the day-to-day management or supervision of any of the above positions that are eligible for an enhanced DBS check would also be entitled to a DBS check of the same level.
At eSafeguarding we pride ourselves on our quick and easy DBS processing system. We will validate data as soon as the information is entered, with applicants being prompted to correct invalid information as they go. This ensures that there are no missed fields, no mistakes, and no returns.
Our team members work tirelessly to provide you with a swift, secure, personalised, and compliant service.
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Disclaimer: This is not legal advice. If you need help with making sure you are complying with the law, you should speak to a legal advisor.
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