Why DBS Checks Matter

At SparkFish, safety is at the heart of everything we do — especially because we spend so much time working with children and young people in schools. That’s why every member of staff and all our volunteers go through a DBS check before they start working with us.

DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks help make sure the people we send into schools are suitable to work with children. It’s an important part of safeguarding, giving schools and parents peace of mind that we take safety seriously.

The process is fairly simple on the surface — it starts with filling out an online form. But behind the scenes, the DBS team runs background checks to flag anything that might be a concern. Elizabeth’s role in all this is to check people are who they say they are. That means looking at passports, driving licences, and documents like a bank statement or utility bill to confirm their address.

It might seem like a bit of admin, but it plays a vital role in keeping everyone safe. Whether someone is a staff member or a volunteer, we treat it the same — everyone gets a DBS check before they step into a school on behalf of SparkFish.

It’s one of those behind-the-scenes jobs that doesn’t get much attention, but it’s absolutely essential to the work we do. Safety first — always.