Recommendation FR-10: Improve DBS Referral Compliance
From The Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, published 20 October 2022.
Recommendation
The Inquiry recommends that the UK government takes steps to improve compliance by regulated activity providers with their statutory duty to refer concerns about the suitability of individuals to work with children to the Disclosure and Barring Service, including: all relevant regulators and inspectorates include compliance with the statutory duty to refer to the Disclosure and Barring Service in their assessment of safeguarding procedures during inspections; the National Police Chiefs' Council works with relevant regulators and inspectorates to ensure that there are clear arrangements in place to refer breaches of the duty to refer to the police for criminal investigation; and an information-sharing protocol is put in place between the Disclosure and Barring Service and relevant regulators and inspectorates.
In brief (written by this site)
In January 2026, Home Office Minister Jess Phillips stated that the government and the Disclosure and Barring Service were conducting an ongoing programme of work to improve compliance with the duty to refer, delivering workshops to more than 12,000 safeguarding staff and increasing referrals by over 50 percent regionally (Jess Phillips, Jan 2026). Previously, in May 2024, the Thirlwall Inquiry legal team examined the measure and recorded the government's acceptance without assessing it as fully implemented (The Thirlwall Inquiry legal team, May 2024).
AI-generated summary of the record on this page, checked by a second model and automatic checks, 26 Sep 2026. The record below is the sources' own words.
Government response
We accept the need to improve compliance with statutory duties to inform the Disclosure and Barring Service about individuals who may pose a risk of harm to children. We will work with the relevant bodies to do so.
Delivery
Home Office says in progress (21 January 2026)
The Government, working with the DBS, has been driving forward a continuous programme of work to improve employers’ and stakeholders’ understanding of, and compliance with, their statutory duty to inform the DBS about individuals who may pose a risk of harm to children. That work has included bespoke workshops on the legal duty to refer, how to make a good quality barring referral and recognising when it may be appropriate to refer someone to DBS because of harm caused outside the workplace. Through these workshops the DBS has reached over 12,000 individuals working in safeguarding roles. Since the DBS Outreach Service was introduced the number of referrals has increased by over 50% in every region.
Site note: Home Office written answer of 21 January 2026. The same answer was given to ten questions tabled on 13 January 2026 about the Inquiry's recommendations; it reports under one heading per recommendation, and the row is the passage under the heading "Disclosure and Barring Service", cited to the question that asks about it.
UK Government says in progress (9 April 2025)
During 2025 and 2026, working with the DBS, we will drive forward a continuous programme of work to improve compliance with the statutory duty to inform the DBS about individuals who may pose a risk of harm to children.
From: Tackling child sexual abuse: progress update (accessible version)
What other bodies have found
In their own words. These do not change the delivery statement above.
Thirlwall Inquiry legal team (15 May 2024)
Government response to final report (25 May 2023): Accepted.
“We accept the need to improve compliance with statutory duties to inform the Disclosure and Barring Service about individuals who may pose a risk of harm to children. We will work with the relevant bodies to do so.”
Site note: The Thirlwall Inquiry legal team's own notes on implementation, from its Review of Implementation of Recommendations from Previous Inquiries into Healthcare Issues (version of 15 May 2024). The review does not colour its Extent of Implementation cell for this recommendation green; it leaves the cell uncoloured where a recommendation was rejected, where evidence of implementation was insufficient, or where steps had been taken but implementation was not yet complete. Table row: section 31.2 No. 10, PDF page 857-858.
Source
Responsible bodies
Themes and tags
Who has spoken
- UK Government
Response, delivery statement - Home Office
Delivery statement - Thirlwall Inquiry legal team
Finding