DBS check delays preventing people starting work

People across East and West Sussex say they are unable to start jobs because of long delays to Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks.

The background checks are required by employers to inspect a person’s criminal record, usually in roles like care services, healthcare, teaching and childcare.

Sussex Police is one of the forces in England with the longest delays for DBS checks.

The force said its resources had been overwhelmed by a rise in demand, but it had used additional funding to employ new case workers to tackle the backlog.

Alice Brockes, 25, from Burgess Hill, said she had been unable to start a new job as a mental health support worker in Crawley for three months while she waited for her DBS check.

“I’m just sat here going through savings, going into debt,” she said.

“There’s almost an element of shame about it too as I have gone to university for three years to work with vulnerable people, and now I’m stuck here unable to do the one thing that I want to do.”

In Brighton, Elouise Kinsey applied for a DBS check in March while training to be a driving instructor with the AA.

She said she cannot complete her qualification until it arrived.

“We’re living with our heads just floating above water. I’m losing income because I can’t start giving driving lessons and I have three people waiting for lessons already,” she said.

“There’s no one you can contact, no one’s interested in you. You’re just told to wait and that sometimes delays are expected.”

Sussex Police processed 10,633 enhanced DBS applications in September, an increase from 6,436 in the same period the previous year.

A spokesman for the force said it had experienced delays due to an increased demand and a period of high staff turnover.

“We recognise the impact these delays have,” he said.

“Our priority will continue to be the quality of safeguarding work to ensure the safety of the community and fairness to all applicants.”

A DBS spokesperson said the average time to process enhanced applications in September was 11.7 days.

“A small number of forces are currently experiencing delays in completing checks. Measures have been introduced to support capacity at a small number of forces who are experiencing backlogs,” they added.

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