A DBS check is a record of all warnings, reprimands, cautions and convictions obtained from local and national police records. Police forces may also choose to disclose soft intelligence that they reasonably consider might be relevant to the role.

The DBS carry out checks on a person’s history and verify whether that person has any criminal convictions or cautions, so that British Triathlon make informed and safe recruitment decisions in line with our Assessing Disclosures on Criminal Record Checks policy.

Under the Protection of Freedoms Act (2010), it is a legal requirement for any organisations employing individuals or using volunteers, whether paid or unpaid, in a regulated activity, to check those individuals against the Barred Lists. This is done by carrying out a check via the Disclosure and Barring Service, otherwise known as a DBS check.

As the National Governing Body for Triathlon, we are legally responsible for ensuring volunteers or members of staff have completed the appropriate DBS checks before being deployed in their role. Clubs also share this legal responsibility as employers and/or organisations using volunteers. Therefore, no individual who is in a regulated activity may commence their role until a DBS check has been completed.

British Triathlon requires an Enhanced DBS to be completed by anyone over the age of 16 who:

• coaches, trains, instructs, supervises, cares or provides advice and guidance relating to physical or emotional well-being e.g. as a Club Welfare Officer;
• to children (under 18s)
• or ‘adults at risk’, who are in receipt of a form of health or social care service or assistance because of their age, illness or disability;
• and does this at least once a month.

British Triathlon requires an Enhanced DBS check with check against the barred list to be completed by anyone over the age of 16 who:

• coaches, trains, instructs, supervises, cares or provides advice and guidance relating to physical or emotional well-being e.g. as a Club Welfare Officer;
• to children (under 18s) 
• or ‘adults at risk’, who are in receipt of a form of health or social care service or assistance because of their age, illness or disability;
• once a week or 4 or more times within 30 days;
• and is unsupervised (supervision is defined as being within sight and hearing of someone in Regulated Activity at all times who has an enhanced with check against the barred list DBS check).

To apply for a British Triathlon DBS check you need to log into your British Triathlon account here. Once you have logged in you can follow the guidance set out in the applicant application guide found below.

If you are not a member of British Triathlon and you do not have a British Triathlon account please email dbs@britishtriathlon.orgwith your name, the role you require a DBS check for and the name of your club / organisation you perform your role at. You will then be provided with details on how to create an account with British Triathlon for the purposes of completing a DBS application. Once you have set up your account you can follow the guidance set out in the applicant application guide found below. Please note, you will have set up an account with British Triathlon for the purposes of completing a DBS application. You will not have purchased membership or any of the associated benefits which are part of our membership packages unless you decided to do so

Please click here to read the applicant application.

Before a DBS application can be processed the applicant must provide sufficient ID to validate their application, the ID validation is completed by a DBS ID Verifier.

Clubs should have a DBS ID Verifier registered, this person is responsible for verifying the identity of DBS applicants and DBS checks cannot be completed without a Verifier. Clubs are permitted to have more than one DBS ID verifier and we recommend to have 2 to 3 registered.

When an applicant starts their online DBS application, they will select a DBS ID verifier from their club. The verifier will then be notified via email letting them know the applicant has requested they validate their application. After the applicant has completed their online application and submitted it for verification the verifier will receive a further email with a link to complete the ID verification process online.

IMPORTANT NOTE: A DBS ID Verifier CANNOT verify their own DBS application. Verifying your own application will result in the cancellation of your DBS check.

To become a DBS ID Verifier, you must be a club committee member, e.g. Welfare Officer or Secretary and have received approval from the club committee/management to take on the role.

Clubs can add a DBS ID Verifier by following our how to guide here.

Once a club has added a DBS ID Verifier they will receive a request via an email notifying them their club has added them as the clubs DBS ID verifier and  asking them to read and accept the terms and conditions. Clubs will be able to see the status of the requested club DBS ID verifier in their club management account and when they are fully set up to be able to carry our DBS ID verification for the clubs workforce.

The DBS ID Verifier is responsible for checking the chosen identification documents of the applicant. It is very important to be thorough when verifying an applicants ID, If mistakes are found, then this can lead to the application being rejected and cause delays in it being processed. Guidance has been produced on the type and range of ID documents that must be seen to validate the identity of the applicant. For full guidance on how to verify a DBS application online please click here.

British Triathlon and the Home Nations (Triathlon England, Welsh Triathlon and Triathlon Scotland) are committed to safeguarding children (anyone under 18) and adults at risk. The British Triathlon Assessing Disclosures on Criminal Record Checks Policy sets out how British Triathlon and the Home Nations assess risk when giving clearance to individuals to carry out their role when they have received a disclosure on their criminal records check. You can read the policy here.