Mandatory DBS for work with children overseas

On 21 January 2021, the Home Office stated that although part 1 of this recommendation envisaged placing the legal obligation of providing overseas employers with an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service certificate on UK nationals, it would in effect amount to the UK government legislating in respect of employment practices in foreign countries. The Home Office stated that it did not consider this approach to be effective, and stated that it would continue to publicise the existence of the International Child Protection Certificate. Regarding part 2 of this recommendation, the Home Office stated that it recognised the need for government bodies to take reasonable steps to ensure that overseas partners have robust safeguarding policies, and that those partners carry out all appropriate criminal records checks along with broader recruitment checks such as references. It stated that the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is working to strengthen the employment cycle across the aid sector. This aims to prevent individuals with a known history of misconduct from working in the sector, regardless of their nationality. On 17 June 2021, the UK government stated that its position had not changed in relation to this recommendation. On 17 December 2021, the UK government stated that the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office had set up a working group with the Home Office, Disclosure and Barring Service, ACRO and the Charity Commission to look at the issue of criminal record checks for the international aid sector.