Does Santa need a DBS Check? Seasonal staff and DBS Checks
As we approach the festive season, the big man in red is going to start appearing again. Whether you know him as Santa Claus or Father Christmas, he’s going to be popping up all over the place for the next month. People working as Santa Claus are generally in situations where they are going to be working with or around children.
Because of this, one of the first things people think about is getting a DBS sorted. But what level of DBS Check do you actually need for Santa?
Does Santa need an Enhanced DBS Check?
Enhanced DBS Checks are generally reserved for roles where people are engaging with vulnerable groups, like children, the elderly or disabled. Based on this you might think that Santa needs an Enhanced DBS Check. However, that’s not necessarily right. To be eligible for an Enhanced DBS Check, Santa needs to be carrying out ‘regulated activity’.
Regulated activity is work that cannot be carried out by a barred person. When working with children, regulated activity generally refers to:
Unsupervised activities: teaching, training, instructing, caring for or supervising children; providing advice/guidance on wellbeing, or driving a vehicle only for children.
Working in a limited range of ‘specified places’ with the opportunity for contact with children and young people, for example, schools, children’s homes, childcare premises.
Unsupervised intimate or personal care of children.
Health care (including by a registered health professional)
This activity must be carried out at least 3 times within a 30-day period, or overnight to be classed as regulated activity. Any tutor carrying out regulated activity will need an Enhanced DBS Check with a Child Barred List search included on the check.
In most cases, people working as Santa will not meet this definition of regulated activity as children will be supervised by parents or in a school environment by the faculty. This means they can’t have an Enhanced DBS Check.
However, you still need to be sure that the people you’re employing as Santa are fit to do the role. So what checks should you be carrying out?
Basic DBS Checks
The most appropriate DBS Check to carry out on Santa, in most cases, is the Basic DBS Check. A Basic DBS Check is a search against the Police National Computer (PNC) and will show any ‘unspent’ convictions on someone’s record, as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
These checks are the quickest and easiest criminal record checks available to employers. They are generally completed in between 24-48 hours. They can give you the information you need to make a suitability decision about whether someone is fit to be Santa Claus. This level of check is commonly used as part of a licence application, such as becoming a security guard or taxi operator.
The other benefit is they are also significantly cheaper than the Enhanced DBS Check. The Basic DBS costs £43.99 whereas the Enhanced DBS Check costs £64.99. That’s a huge saving of £21, which definitely adds up if you have more than one person to check.
Other Seasonal Staff
In most cases, the rules outlined above apply to most seasonal job roles that you might be recruiting for. Whether you’re recruiting an elf, a Santa, or even just extra staff to help with the Christmas rush, you need to be sure you’re doing the right DBS Checks.
In some circumstances, you may well need an Enhanced DBS Check. If you’re not sure what check is right for you, we can give you the advice you need. Give us a call on 01254 355688 or drop us an email at letstalk@personnelchecks.co.uk and our consultants will be able to help.