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Disclosure & Barring Service

Stephensons has a team of specialist lawyers who advise and defend a wide range of professionals facing barring by the Disclosure and Barring Service. Our professional discipline team act for clients seeking to avoid being added to the Children’s and/or Adult’s Barred List. If the DBS have written to you stating they are minded to bar you, contact our specialist team on 0161 696 6250 without delay.

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DBS legal advice

On 1 December 2012, the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) merged to form the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The DBS is a non-departmental public body in place to prevent unsuitable people working with vulnerable groups, including children across the UK. As a result, all barring decisions are now made by just one organisation.
 
If you have received a letter from the DBS stating they are minded to bar you from working with children or vulnerable adults, our specialist lawyers can assist. The DBS will consider barring you when they have cause to believe you have engaged in ‘relevant conduct’. This may include conduct likely to endanger a child or vulnerable adult and conduct of a sexual nature. 

Being added to one of the barred lists means that you will be prevented from working in a regulated capacity with children and/or vulnerable adults. Therefore any decision to bar will have serious implications professionally and it is vital that you seek advice from specialist solicitors as soon as possible. Our lawyers can assist with preparing written representations to the DBS and, where necessary, appeals against decisions to bar. 

Our firm is recommended by the Legal 500 for professional disciplinary work. We have a network of offices, including London & Manchester, allowing us to act for clients nationwide. We take a pro-active approach to defending cases and we pride ourselves on achieving the best possible results for our clients. 

For a confidential, no-obligation discussion regarding your case, contact one of our specialist lawyers on 0161 696 6250. Alternatively please complete our enquiry form and a member of the professional discipline team will contact you as a matter of urgency.

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