Hiring An Apprentice: Do Supervisors Need A DBS Check?

Offering a cost-effective solution to employing new staff, hiring an apprentice enables businesses to recruit eager employees across many sectors whilst offering apprenticeship wages.

Although the majority of employers are familiar with the rules surrounding DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks for most hires, whether supervisors managing staff on apprenticeships or any staff members working with apprentices will require a DBS check is something many businesses will need to know. 

In this blog, you can find all the information you need on DBS checks for apprenticeship supervisors and other staff members within your organisation.

Will My Employees Need DBS Checks to Supervise an Apprentice?

As many apprenticeships are targeted towards individuals aged 16-18, employers will often wonder if their supervisors will require DBS checks to manage young people working as apprentices.

However, there is no legal requirement for supervisors to have DBS checks in order to fulfil their managerial role. Staff members who will be in contact with the apprentices will not need to have DBS checks either.

When an apprentice is a minor, many businesses will think they need an enhanced DBS check to supervise their apprenticeship. This is an understandable concern, given the DfE (Department for Education) guidance regarding DBS checks for teachers and staff in schools.

The main distinction between minors in schools and those on apprenticeships in other environments is that pupils are under the care of staff – so the safeguarding of children they supervise and are in contact with is paramount – whereas apprentices are employees of the business itself. So, supervisors managing apprentices are not eligible for enhanced DBS checks. 

Would Another Criminal Background Check Be Available?

While supervisors and staff members in contact with apprentices are not eligible for an enhanced DBS check, employers can request a basic DBS check for their staff members and all apprentice applicants. Basic criminal background checks are available to everyone and will detail any unspent convictions an individual may have, so they can help reassure employers of the suitability of their staff members who will come into contact with apprentices.