DBS Practitioner
Bedfordshire
Minimum of 3 months Temp
We are excited to partner with Bedfordshire Police in their search for a dedicated DBS Practitioner. This is a fantastic opportunity to join a dynamic team within a respected law enforcement organisation, contributing to the smooth running of essential operations. If you’re an organised, proactive individual with a keen eye for detail, this role offers a chance to make a meaningful impact within the community while advancing your administrative career.
Main Purpose of the Role:
To enable the smooth running of the BCH DBS Unit by responding to a range of enquiries from external and internal sources in order to protect children and vulnerable adults. Enquiries are often of a complex nature, so the post holder is to ensure that BCH meets its obligations to provide/disclose information in line with legislative requirements and to provide a cost efficient service. To assist with nationally and locally held data in relation to data quality, regarding accuracy, content and retention, i.e. ensuring data is fit for purpose and up to date. The role will contribute to safeguarding both the vulnerable and the public in general. To contribute to achieving the vision, purpose and values of Bedfordshire Police, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Constabularies.
Key Responsibilities:
- Collate, assess and interrogate information held from a variety of BCH police systems along with the Police National Computer (PNC). Making decisions regarding either non-disclosure or disclosure whilst adhering to the Quality Assurance Framework (QAF), recording the rationale for such decisions. Taking into account, relevancy, risk, credibility and passage of time. Where proposal is to disclose, compiling text whilst ensuring its validity, accuracy and relevance. May involve liaising with internal/regional departments, local partner agencies, national regulatory bodies and the applicant.
- Update/amend local systems and PNC with accurate information regarding applications to work with children and/or vulnerable adults, i.e. safeguarding of the vulnerable including applications from DBS, Disclosure Scotland and Access Northern Ireland.
- Providing advice to police and staff on all aspects of disclosure matters and information on related policing regarding disclosure issues.
- Dealing with DBS disputes, fingerprint elimination matching and PNC content as required, processing and responding in a timely manner; research, collate and analyse all information disputed in order to produce a concise report. This may include risk, relevancy and identify any concerns in relation to safeguarding, including a recommendation to either amend, delete or retain information prior to submitting to a supervisor to assess the final decision.
- Managing own caseloads, ensure timeliness and quality of information input in accordance with the required standards, including auditing DBS vetting procedures ensuring accuracy and relevancy.
- Time critical disclosures are required in order to make a fully informed decision regarding safeguarding of the vulnerable.
- Completing department administrative duties as required in order to record, receipt, process, results, redaction and ultimately preparing disclosure reports for review by a supervisor and/or disclosure unit manager, including barring referrals.
- Responsible for processing Common Law Police Disclosures (CPLD). Assessing information making a decision regards the immediate risk and pressing social need. Sharing personal data externally in line with legislative requirements and BCH policies and procedures. Liaising with external agencies/bodies. To determine whether there is a legitimate right of access to the information and decide what information if any should be disclosed.
- Dealing with enquiries of an urgent, sensitive and confidential nature. May include access to information of a sensitive and/or distressing nature. To liaise with specialist safeguarding departments ensuring protection of any current investigations across BCH. Liaising with internal police teams, local authorities, national regulatory bodies and specialist and regional police teams as required.
- Implementing and interpreting changes in procedures and guidelines as appropriate. · Maintain an understanding of policies and procedures such as Data Protection Act 2018, Police Act 1997, SVGA 2012. Common Law Police Disclosure (CLPD) protocols and the sharing of personal data ensuring these policies are adhered to.
- Any other duties commensurate with the role and grade as may be requested by line management.
- Mentoring of Level one practitioners.
- Level one is for new practitioners, i.e. whilst undergoing training on all the tasks required to process DBS, Disclosure Scotland, Access NI applications and CLPD. Their work is initially audited 100% and the post holder is heavily supervised and monitored. The supervision and auditing elements gradually decrease as experience, competency and proficiency increases. Each new practitioner is allocated a mentor to provide support, guidance and assistance.
- Level two builds on all of the training tasks and experience gained within Level one as well as including new additional tasks and additional responsibilities. Practitioners progress to Level two once it is evidenced that they are deemed to be proficient and competent in all tasks within Level one. After a period of time at Level two, the post holder is expected to deal with ALL of the tasks to be performed by a practitioner and can largely work with minimal supervision.
Entry Requirements:
- A basic understanding of the Police Act 1997, Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 and Protection of Freedom Act 2012.
- Good standard of written and verbal communications for correspondence and reports and to be able to speak to people face to face and over the telephone clearly and concisely.
- Ability to demonstrate analytical skill, interpersonal skills and organisational skills,
- Demonstrate good problem solving abilities with attention to detail and ability to meet deadlines.
- Ability to communicate at all levels to elicit information and communicate decisions.
- Practical experience of utilising ICT systems, including database use and data interrogation. · Ability to work under pressure and on own initiative.
- Ability to work effectively as part of a team.
- Ability to interpret, analyse, assess and present information.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality at all times whilst working with sensitive data.
- Mental resilience to cope with the distressing content of some files.