Disclosure Barring Service
This page will act as a hub for all information related to our Partnership and Engagement team, and more specifically, our Regional Safeguarding Outreach Adviser.
The Partnership team
The Partnership and Engagement team at the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) work regularly with other organisations, to identify how we can collaborate and share key messages among the safeguarding community.
The Regional Outreach service, which consists of our Regional Safeguarding Outreach Adviser, has recently been launched within the Partnership and Engagement team.
Regional Outreach team
The Partnership team at the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) work regularly with other organisations, to identify how we can collaborate and share key messages among the safeguarding community. The Partnership Team is responsible for partner and stakeholder engagement across DBS. Our team of Regional Outreach Advisers sit within the Partnership Team and provide dedicated support to organisations within their allocated region.
Who are the Regional Outreach Advisers and what regions do they cover?
The Regional Safeguarding Outreach Advisers are currently working in the following regions:
| Region | Outreach Adviser | Contact |
| North West | Jordan Hayden | Jordan.Hayden@dbs.gov.uk |
| North East | DBS Regional Outreach | DBSRegionaloutreach@dbs.gov.uk |
| Wales | Carol Eland | CarolAnn.Eland@dbs.gov.uk |
| East Midlands | Elizabeth Whittington | Elizabeth.Whittington@dbs.gov.uk |
| East of England | Georgina Mitchell | Georgina.Mitchell1@dbs.gov.uk |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | Rebecca Bool | rebecca.bool@dbs.gov.uk |
| Greater London | Kiranpreet Rehal | Kiranpreet.rehal@dbs.gov.uk |
| South East | Kelly Matthews | Kelly.Matthews@dbs.gov.uk |
| South West | Mel Berry | Mel.Berry2@dbs.gov.uk |
| West Midlands | Jo Wheatley | Joanne.Wheatley1@dbs.gov.uk |
| Northern Ireland | DBS Regional Outreach | DBSRegionaloutreach@dbs.gov.uk |
If you have any general enquiries about the work of the Outreach team, please contact DBSRegionaloutreach@dbs.gov.uk.
How can the Outreach Advisers support my organisation/network?
The Outreach Advisers will be working with organisations and networks within their region in several ways, including:
- answering DBS-related queries and providing advice via phone/email
- attending meetings, training and conferences, or visiting your organisation to have a face-to-face discussion (in line with pandemic restrictions)
- developing and delivering presentations, workshops, webinars or discussions to provide an overview of DBS
- collating feedback, suggestions or comments and feeding this back into DBS
- helping organisations/networks to understand what level of DBS check can be applied for, and what information these checks will provide
- informing organisations and employers of their duty or power to refer
The below video will provide some more information. A transcript for this video is available here:
Please note, this video was launched when our Regional Outreach service was only available in Wales and the East Midlands. As detailed above, we now have Regional Safeguarding Outreach Advisers in a number of other regions.
A spotlight on Allister Woods, Outreach Adviser for Northern Ireland
Allister Woods started working for DBS in November 2020 as a Regional Safeguarding Outreach Adviser for Northern Ireland.
DBS maintains two Barred Lists the Adults Barred List, and the Childrens Barred List for Northern Ireland (alongside England and Wales), and also makes informed decisions as to whether an individual should be included in one or both lists.
Within Northern Ireland, Allister acts as a single point of contact for organisations who have any barring-related queries, or would like support where safeguarding, referrals, and the legal duty to refer are concerned.
Allister is already working alongside a number of organisations to deliver workshops and events, with both partners and staff.
NSPCC Child Protection in Sport Unit
The NSPCCs Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU) works to safeguard children in sport. Allister delivered a barring workshop at a CPSU Designated Safeguarding Lead Officer training event, where he discussed barring referrals, how to make a good quality referral, and the importance of doing so. Allister also covered how certain organisations have a legal duty to refer. Feedback from the event was extremely positive, and attendees later took part in a Question and Answer session with Allister, to further maximise understanding.
A number of organisations have since contacted Allister with barring referral-related queries, and he was able to give accurate and relevant advice, and develop his relationship with these organisations, should they need further clarification in the future.
Volunteer Now
Volunteer Now are the lead organisation for supporting and promoting volunteering across Northern Ireland. The organisation have contacted Allister, as their Regional Safeguarding Outreach Adviser, and requested that he deliver a number of barring workshops as part of their safeguarding training programme, for a range of their statutory, private, community, and council partners.
Allister delivered a barring workshop for the staff at Volunteer Now that facilitate their safeguarding training programme, to ensure all content is accurate and up-to-date.
Volunteer Now have also provided Allister with a number of resources that they use when discussing barring referrals, and other barring-related information, so he is able to provide feedback, promoting a consistent approach.
Video: Allister discusses his role within DBS
The Safeguarding Engagement Manager spoke to Allister about his role at DBS, the work hes doing currently, and how his role supports the wider DBS 2020-25 Strategy.
This video can be found below, and the transcript is available here:
Regional Safeguarding Outreach Adviser, Allister Woods, discusses his role
How to contact Allister
If you or your organisation would be interested in speaking to Allister to look at how he, and the Regional Safeguarding Outreach Programme, can support your organisation with regards to safeguarding, or would like more information about barring referrals, please email Allister via Allister.Woods1@dbs.gov.uk.