Rising Backlog for DBS Checks at Sussex Police

Sussex Police has seen an increase in the number of individuals awaiting DBS check processing over the last month. Data acquired by the BBC indicates that 12,072 enhanced DBS check applications were pending with the force in October. This figure represents an increase from the 10,633 enhanced applications the BBC previously reported as outstanding in September. According to Sussex Police, the delays stem from a combination of rising demand and significant staff turnover. However, the force also stated that new case workers are currently undergoing recruitment and training. Dan King, a maintenance worker residing in Bognor Regis, reported that he submitted his resignation and applied for his DBS check in August after securing a new position at a care home in Littlehampton. He was scheduled to commence work in October but states he is still awaiting the arrival of his DBS certificate. King commented: “I’m pretty annoyed to be honest. I should have started my new job and settled in before Christmas.”I would have been fine financially.” To support himself during this waiting period, he has accepted a temporary job located 70 miles from his home, in Bournemouth. He stated: “It’s really stressful not knowing at the end of the month if I’m going to have enough money to be able to pay my bills.” Dani Maynard, from Jevington, possesses a DBS check for her role as a swimming teacher at St Bede’s School in Hailsham. However, she indicated that an additional check is required for her to teach at the club for local children, which operates at the school pool. She has been awaiting her DBS check for four months, a delay that has affected the club, increased pressure on other coaches, and strained her family’s finances. Maynard commented: “We’ve had to cancel and delay many lessons. We’ve have already had a huge delay thanks to Covid. Children are getting back into the water, but we cannot get the staff in.“ She further stated: “It’s impacted me financially. It’s the top-up that I think a lot of single-income families rely on nowadays. “Half term could have been a bit more fun, but that extra income wasn’t there.” Sussex Police reported that it has hired additional case workers, a measure anticipated to improve the speed of application responses once these new staff members are fully trained. A spokesperson for the force confirmed: ”Sussex Police has experienced delays in responding to DBS applications due to increasing demand and a period of high staff turnover. We recognise the impact these delays have.” The government’s Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) indicated that the national average processing time for enhanced applications in October stood at 11.4 days. A spokesperson for the service added that it is assisting Sussex Police by providing funding for extra staff, covering overtime costs during the training period for new personnel, and coordinating workload distribution with other police forces.