Standard DBS Check

kerryr1987

Hi,

Could you please let me know your experiences when waiting to receive a DBS clearance?

Average waiting times?

Thanks in advance

DomRavioli

Completely depends on your circumstances.

Have you had a DBS/CRB/DS check previously, how many previous police areas and local authorities you have lived under, if you have lived abroad etc. And then there's the waiting times for each of those things.

I had my last one back in two weeks, purely because it was an update from my previous one. I know people who have waited months.

If you noted down the number on the front of the form, you can track your application to see where it is at.

kerryr1987

I've lived at 2 addresses in the same town I've had no convictions or dealings with the police ever and I had a CRB check last around 6 years ago.

DomRavioli

Doesn't matter if you've had a conviction per se, it is more to do with how many police force areas you've lived in.

Again, it will depend on how busy the departments are. If it is standard it should be 8 weeks, but it can be longer, can be shorter.

Savvy_Sue

We got an enhanced one back within 24 hours recently, but that's exceptional, so 'our' experience isn't likely to be very helpful ...

kerryr1987

I did read that electronic applications come back sooner within a couple of weeks.

kerryr1987

I've tracked my progress online and there are 4 stages and I'm on stage 2 with stage 3 not required as I won't be dealing directly with children or elderly patients due to this only being a clerical position and stage 4 being that the certificate is issued so here's hoping it won't take too long.

nimbo

My last one took four weeks.

My partners last one took three days. Is was done before mine by a few months. I think it depends. Mine was with the same current police service as his. Neither of us have convictions. We have both moved around a little so they possibly will have had to check with more than one police force - although we'd both had checks done since moving and I thought they went back as far as the last check.

It really does vary and personally I think turn of year matters. So prior to starting uni many nursing students and social work students etc will need checking. Teachers and people taking up September start dates will flood the system a couple of months before. So maybe that will slow things down.

Hopefully it will be quick. But it's a waiting game. And it varies from police force to police force I think.

Deep_In_Debt

Mine took 10 days. Some of my colleagues have been waiting since Nov/Dec last year.

I've lived at the same address for 20 years so perhaps that's why mine was quick.

kerryr1987

I've checked online and my certificate is currently being posted out so it's taken 48 hours for the dbs check