Disclosure Scotland FAQs

What is meant by the term “disclosure”?

If you are opting for a new place of work, paid or unpaid, or are starting some volunteering work or are adopting a child, you will need to go through a screening process. In this screening process, your records will be checked, criminal records to be more precise. You will need to provide all the documents required for disclosure when and wherever required.

The term disclosure means revealing your personal information of sensitive nature with the said authorities.

What is included in disclosures?

Disclosures are any kind of documents that are screened or checked by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) or Disclosure Scotland to check the criminal records of the holder of the documents. This is a mandatory part of the screening.

Who provides disclosures to the authorities?

Disclosures reveal sensitive and personal information of the holder. This information can be gained by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) or Disclosure Scotland through the police, or any other government means to find the relevant documents.

For what purpose are disclosures required?

Disclosures are mainly used by staffers or employers to check the background of the employee they intend to hire. Screening or going through disclosures is the standard way of finding answers to- “Do you have a criminal record?”

Based on the information found by the employer or employers in disclosures, the decision for either hiring or not hiring the person is made. The same stands true for volunteering jobs and for the adoption of a child. However, there may be more rules and regulations regarding the adoption of a child.

Also Read: Calming Child Tax Credit

What kind of information do disclosures contain?

Disclosures are mainly a record or document showing the person in question’s criminal records. This document will hold all the information there is regarding the said person criminal record and will show:

1. Whether the person in question is listed on the barred children or adult’s list
2. Show the time spent and unspent
3. And all other kinds of information regarding the person’s criminal records.

Is there only one kind of disclosure or are there various types?

There are various kinds of disclosures as given by Disclosure Scotland:

1. Standard Disclosure
2. Basic Disclosure
3. Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme
4. Enhanced disclosure

The kind of check or disclosure that will be required or checked will depend on the employer or the organization.

What authority issues disclosures?

Basic disclosures are issued by Disclosure Scotland, and all Enhanced Disclosures are for the English employees are issued by Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and by Disclosure Scotland for the same for the Scottish residents.

According to the Protection of Freedoms Bill passed back in 2012, all disclosures are to be provided in one single document and not in different documents.

Who can ask for a disclosure?

Any individual can request a basic disclosure from the relevant authority. The authorities will send all basic information to the applicant in the form of a certificate. However to get an Enhanced Disclosure or Standard Disclosure, the organisation or the individual needs to be eligible to ask the expected questions.

These questions will answer or give the details of the person in question’s spent convictions details. An organization can ask for such details when the organization is planning to offer the person in question a restricted role in the organization. Furthermore, the organization or the company has the right to deny employment or promotion of the person in question should the results of the disclosure be unsatisfactory to such persons.

How will self-employed people or persons request a check for disclosure?

A Basic Disclosure can be requested by anyone. The certificate will be offered to the applicant by the relevant authorities. However, in the case where a self-employed person intends to work for another company or wants to do some volunteering work, then such self-employed person cannot request an Enhanced or Standard Disclosure. Because a self-employed person cannot provide the relevant details for the checking procedure of the disclosures.

However, in this case, the involvement of a third party will be required of professional nature to request a check.

What kind of disclosure should I choose for my employment?

The kind of disclosure required by the organization or the company any person intends to work in will have the power to decide what kind of disclosure works for them. You could choose to submit any kind of disclosure you like, however, you will be required to furnish the disclosures asked by your employer as well.

Furthermore, it must be remembered that if your disclosures hold unsatisfactory results, the employer has the right to reject you as a potential choice for the role.

How can I apply for a Basic Disclosure?

Any person can apply or request a basic disclosure from the relevant authorities. Here is what you will be required to provide:

1. Photocopy of your passport, driving license or National Insurance Number
2. Information from a utility bill, such as gas, electricity, etc.
3. The number of your previous disclosure, if any
4. Details of your employer
5. The details for past five years of your residential history or address

What to do when you are asked to get a disclosure?

Whenever your employer or organization asks for disclosure, you can directly apply for a basic disclosure, if nothing has been specified by the organization. Other than this, if your organization requires you to get a check from DBS, then they will provide you with a link to fill up the form and to get your details checked.

Other than this, if you are required to work with children or vulnerable adults, you will need to get a Standard or Enhanced disclosure for your employment. Once the organization is notified of the request made by you for disclosure and a confirmation from the organization for the same is received by the said authorities, the process for creation of the disclosure certificate so requested will begin.

Are there any costs for getting a disclosure, if any how much?

The cost for getting a disclosure from the relevant authorities will differ from £12 to £80, the highest being for an individual joining the Scottish PVG scheme.

There are three major factors for the costs for the determination of the costs of the disclosure and they are:

1. The number of documents provided by the applicant to the authorities as proof or as asked
2. The kind of employment the individual is looking to work in
3. The kind of disclosure certificate requested by the individual

How long does a disclosure last?

Disclosures are not like licenses. These are more like a snapshot of the said person’s life history and a computation of the person’s personal information. Therefore, these certificates have no expiration dates marked out on them and can be used for as long as required. However, suppose, if the information that has been printed on the certificate by the government changes the very next day after the issuance of such certificate, the certificate will be bound to be called inaccurate. The reason behind this is that the information that lies with the government now stands altered and you will have to reapply for a new certificate to get a legitimate certificate.

However, rechecks for your disclosure certificates are required to be done regularly to keep them legit. For any kind of basic disclosures, you can have them rechecked within 3 years and for those working with children and other vulnerable adults should have their disclosure certificates checked within 1 year.

How long does it take to get a disclosure certificate?

For any person to get a disclosure certificate of any kind is the standard time of 14 days. However, it is safe to say that the time for you to receive the disclosure certificate depends on various factors. The primary factors here being the information you provide on the form.

Here are the things upon which the speedy issuance of your disclosure certificate depends on:

• Your form should be filled out completely
• All relevant data should be provided
• All kinds of documents, as asked by the form, should be duly attached to the form

If you miss out any of the required steps, your discourse certificate will not arrive on time.

What is meant by Approved Additional Information?

As a part of checks for disclosure, the authorities can ask for further details of the applicant form the Local Police Forces (LPFs). The authorities can inform all the LPFs of the areas where the applicant has lived for the past five years. This check brings in more details, which may be relevant for disclosure, into the light.

The LPFs are trained and informed about what kind of information is approved and needs to be sent to the authorities for the inclusion of such details, which may hold value, to the disclosures. Furthermore, the additional details here are details about an investigation which did not lead to any time spent, any record on the police computers or any other kind of relevant information the police may have. Furthermore, the police are instructed to provide only relevant details.

As per the changes made by the 2012 legislation, the details about the inclusion of on-going investigations are to be withheld from being mentioned on disclosures. Furthermore, if the police are of the opinion that such details about the applicant’s on-going case are relevant for the decision making of the organization, then the police can inform the organization on their own accord relaying the same.

Can I get a replacement for my lost disclosure papers?

If you lose your disclosure certificate, you will not be able to get a replacement. There is always only one paper copy of the disclosure, and there are no other copies. However, if your certificate was lost en-route through postal service to your employer and was never received by the employer, then you could get a reprint from the authorities.

However, you will only be eligible to get a reprint of the same if your report the case of missing disclosure certificate within 90 days of it being lost. If you miss the timeline for reporting your lost disclosure certificate, then sadly you won’t be eligible for anything.

How do new personal changes affect my disclosure certificate?

If there are any kinds of changes to your personal information, then the information should be relayed to the authorities with the relevant documents to support your changes as proof.

Here are some examples:

• Recently married: If you have recently tied the knot and wish to change your name on the disclosure certificate, then you can do so by submitting all the relevant data in the prescribed form to the authorities. Your marriage certificate will be required, passport with your maiden name will be required to be submitted to the authorities, and the application in your name has to be submitted to make the necessary changes.
  It is advised that if you are filling out the online form, you should ask for professionals before filling out the form. Once your disclosure is ready, there will be no more amendments.
• Professional Name: If you work under a different name and wish to have that name on your disclosure certificate, then you must provide all the relevant documents to DBS to support your form. Other than this, if there are any other requirements required by the authorities, you must duly comply with them to get your disclosure certificate.
• Change of Address: If there is a change of address, then such information can be easily checked. All you need to do is write to the authorities to inform them about a change in your address. During the procedure for checking, the authorities will put in the new address. However, you will be required to send in a document from the new address which confirms you move.

It must be noted that the change of address by Disclosure Scotland will be done only in certain stages. Additionally, application for access Northern Ireland will not be eligible for any changes; a new form will have to fill out.

Furthermore, keep in mind that the change in your address can be done only if the certificate has not been issued. Once the certificate is issued, you will have to fill a new application for the disclosure certificate.

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