Good practice guidance for working with under 18’s in groups and 1:1’s online
Good practice guidance for working with under 18's in groups and 1:1's online We have some good practice guidelines for…
Download nowAbout our DBS checks and our portal
We have a really modern and simple to use system. You are in total control of your DBS checks, you have your unique username, your password and your own memorable information to enable you to start processing your DBS checks. Access is very similar to online banking.
For each church or charity account, there will be one administrator, this is the person who receives email alerts for the DBS's and you can have up to 2-3 ID verifiers.
If you choose to transfer your custom from another umbrella organisation into CSS you don't have to repeat your current DBS checks. You just keep your own record on your single central record.
FAQ's
How much do CSS charge for the processing of a DBS?
We aim to keep our DBS's as cost effective as possible at £8.50 inc vat per check. You don't need to do your DBS update service through us.
Volunteers can sign up to the update service free of charge within 28 days of receiving their certificate. They can do this here.
Volunteers have the choice to register with the update service, you cannot insist they do. If you require the update service the cost of our checks increases to £12.00 inc.VAT. Volunteers will get regular emails up to remind them to register to the update service.
From April 6th 2022 - The DBS have reduced their fee, we then pass the charge to you.
A DBS Basic Check (paid staff and volunteer ) is now £18 payable to DBS plus our processing cost £8.50
A DBS Enhanced Check (paid staff member) is now £38 payable to the DBS plus our processing cost £8.50
An Enhanced Check for volunteers is free except for our processing fee of £8.50
Can I change from my current provider?
Yes you can, as a church you can choose who you purchase your services from.
You are unable to "transfer" DBS's from one umbrella organisation to another but you will have your single central record and you will already be in possession of your DBS information.
There are no regulatory requirements to stay with the same umbrella organisation to process your DBS checks.
How do we pay?
We invoice you at the end of every month, you are charged for the DBS's once they have been submitted by you, regardless as to whether the DBS has been completed with a result. Once you press submit, the application is then in the DBS system and we are charged for the check regardless as to whether the checks have finished
Can we have multiple ID verifiers on the DBS account?
You can, however its wise to limit this number because the information is sensitive information, we would advise at the most, 3-4 people. To add an additional verifier you can fill the form in here
Who is eligible for a DBS?
You can find out which job roles or positions are eligible for an enhanced DBS here .
It's really important you check out who is eligible for a check. It's illegal to carry a DBS check out on someone who doesn't need one and its Illegal to not DBS someone who is eligible for s DBS check if working in specific church activities
How can I tell who is eligible for a DBS for Childrens & Adults?
You can use the DBS's eligibility checker here
I am a Safeguarding Lead with oversight for a number of our churches, can I have oversight over all our DBS's for our church collective?
Yes you can!
We can easily set it up so that you have a super user account. You will be able to see all the information on your group of churches but each church will only be able to view their own information
Help ! I've forgotten my password or I need to reset my password -
You can self serve and do this yourself by going into the portal.
You will either have an administrator account or an ID verifier account. This can only be done by you if you are NOT already locked out of the account.
Both accounts have the same access level, it just allows multiple users onto the account. Enter your user name, click on "click here to reset password" as shown below in the screenshots.
You will be emailed a new password. Do check your spam.
I've forgotten my memorable information
Go into the portal, sign in with your username and insert your password, then click on the hyperlink to request new memorable information. Scroll down ad add in your user name and email address, you will then be emailed new memorable information
The applicant hasn't received their DBS link or you have input an incorrect email address
Go into your portal and on the applicants line click edit, scroll down and you can edit the email address and resend the link
HELP! I get a warning before I submit the application.
This is because your original entry when you set up your applicant will have contained the shortened name or nickname you possibly know the person by. e.g. Sue (SUSAN), Johnny (Jonathan)
So, for example you set the application up for a Jenny Brown, in fact her name is Jennifer Brown.
The applicant will have completed their full name and it conflicts with the original name you entered.
Scroll back up to the top of the page and check that the applicant has filled in correctly their surname forename & middle name.
Then override the warning by pressing submit.
HELP! I've been locked out of my account
As a security measure, you do need to change your password on the portal every 60 days, regardless whether you have regularly, logged in or not. You will get also a reminder.
For an account unlock please see here
The system keeps telling me the Driving Licence is invalid
This is the most common error.
If you are receiving an error message relating to the Driving Licence number, it could be because the Name and Date of Birth entered in the application form do not match the Name and Date of Birth on the driving licence.
Please note:
- The first five characters of the Driving Licence Number should match the Surname on the application form.
- The numbers that follow reference the Date of Birth. These should match the details held on the application form.
- The initials that follow should match the Forename and Middle Name (if applicable) as it appears on the application form.
If a Middle Name has been provided on the Driving Licence but has not been disclosed on the application form - this will generate an error message.
If a Middle Name has been entered into the Forename field - this will also generate an error message.
If the name order appears correct on the application form, try re-submitting it before validating the ID.
Common Errors
The applicant hasn't received their link to their DBS application
Check the email address is correct. Go into the portal, find the name of the applicant and click on the edit hyperlink. This will open up the original form you first set up for the applicant. Check the email address, amend if necessary and resend the link. Ask the applicant to check spam
Names
It's really important that as an ID checker or administrator you double check the information on the application to the ID supplied. You are still charged and will have to pay again for a correct DBS.
E.g Incorrect entry
Surname :Harrison
Forename: Susan Ruth Hannah
Middle name 1:
Middle name 2
Middle name 3:
Correct Entry
Surname: Harrison
Forename :Susan
Middle name 1: Ruth
Middle Name 2: Hannah
Middle name 3:
Also if you have entered multiple names in the initial set up in the the original application and the applicant doesn't correct the names on the correct lines, the driving licence will not go through as a form of ID.
The applicant needs to go back in and insert their middle names. You, as Admin or ID verifier can also amend provided you have the ID verification, by going into the application form hyperlink next to the applicants name on the portal dashboard.
Example Scenarios are provided below:
Conditions | Example |
| A name is misspelled | Graham JONES and Graeme JONES Philip WILSON and Phillip WILSON Sara MORRIS and Sarah MORRIS Jennifer GORSEY and Jennifer GORSEU |
| A name has been omitted | Applicant’s correct name is Elaine Adele FLETCHER but application states Elaine FLETCHER Applicant has been known by another name, which has not been declared on the application |
| Names provided are in the wrong order | Cameron MAXWELL submitted as Maxwell CAMERON Jenna Sally Victoria TODD submitted as Jenna Victoria Sally TODD |
| Concatenated names requiring separation | Annemarie JEPSON or Anne-Marie JEPSON and Anne Marie JEPSON Clough WILLIAMS-ELLIS and Clough WILLIAMS ELLIS |
| Separate names requiring concatenation | Tommy Lee DEMPSEY and Tommy-Lee DEMPSEY or Tommylee DEMPSEY Clough WILLIAMS ELLIS and Clough WILLIAMS-ELLIS |
| An initial or abbreviation is included in the name that represents a longer name | Barbara K MURPHY and Barbara Katherine MURPHY Md Ali SARAJ and Mohammed Ali SARAJ |
Names have been duplicated | Robert Robert SHIPLEY or Robert SHIPLEY SHIPLEY |
| A name is included that does not belong to the applicant | Applicant’s correct name is Diane SCOTT but application states Emily SCOTT Applicant’s correct name is Roger Meddows TAYLOR, but application states Roger Meddows MAY |
An entry in a mandatory address field has been misspelled | Birstol and Bristol |
| An entry in a mandatory address field is incorrect | Postcode is wrong House or flat number is wrong Address is Poplar Drive but submitted as Poplar Avenue |
An entry in a mandatory address field is missing | House or flat number is not declared |
❗️DBS UPDATE SERVICE IMPORTANT -
We have been discouraging churches from signing up with us to the update service , this is to keep the cost lower than our competitors when volunteers can sign up FREE to the update service themselves. This costs churches nothing, so no need to pay us when it can cost you nothing.
Please note Should you disable the "subscription not required" there will be an additional charge of £3.50 per DBS check to the update service added to your account.
