When you’re recruiting for adult care roles, waiting for an Enhanced DBS certificate can create a difficult situation, particularly when staffing levels are under pressure.
DBS Adult First checks can help in specific circumstances. It allows eligible adult care employers to check whether a candidate appears on the adults’ barred list while their full Enhanced DBS check is still being processed.
If the result confirms there is no match, the employer may decide to allow the candidate to start work under supervision while they wait for the full DBS certificate.
But Adult First isn’t a fast-track DBS check, and it isn’t appropriate for every new starter.
This guide explains who can use DBS Adult First checks, what the results mean and how eligible employers can request it.
Already processing DBS checks?
Eligible employers can request DBS Adult First checks through EBC Global as part of the Enhanced DBS process.
What are DBS Adult First checks?
DBS Adult First is a service from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) that provides an early check against the adults’ barred list while an eligible Enhanced DBS application is still being processed.
It was previously known as an ISA Adult First check, so you may still see this terminology used online.
Adult First does not provide a DBS certificate or criminal record information. It only provides information relating to the candidate’s status on the adults’ barred list.
The full Enhanced DBS application must therefore continue as normal.
DBS itself states that Adult First should only be used in exceptional circumstances and when absolutely necessary. It is not intended as a routine way to speed up every new hire.
Who is eligible for DBS Adult First checks?
Adult First is specifically intended for eligible adult services such as care homes, domiciliary care agencies and adult placement schemes where DBS certificates are required by law.
Before requesting Adult First, employers need to establish that the role and circumstances meet the requirements.
DBS Adult First requests may be appropriate where:
- the individual will be working in an eligible adult service
- the role is eligible for an Enhanced DBS check with the adults’ barred list
- the Enhanced DBS application includes the adults’ barred list and has already been submitted
- there is a genuine and exceptional need for the individual potentially to start before the full DBS certificate arrives.
For EBC customers, the Enhanced DBS application with the adults’ barred list must first have been submitted to DBS through EBC before an Adult First request can be made.
When can’t DBS Adult First checks be used?
Adult First isn’t suitable simply because an employer wants to shorten the onboarding process.
It also can’t be used as a standalone check or where only an Enhanced DBS check without the adults’ barred list has been requested.
Importantly, Adult First is not appropriate for somebody who will work with both children and adults. The service checks the adults’ barred list and there is no equivalent Adult First check of the children’s barred list.
For example, an eligible care worker supporting adults in a care home may meet the requirements, whereas somebody working across both adult and children’s services would not.
When should DBS Adult First checks be used?
The purpose of Adult First isn’t simply to get every new employee into work faster.
It is there for exceptional circumstances where an eligible adult service has a genuine need for somebody potentially to begin work before their full DBS certificate is available.
| Scenario | Adult First? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Care worker in a care home Adults only; rota at risk of falling below safe staffing |
Acceptable | A named adult service, eligible for the adults’ barred list, with a genuine staffing need. |
| Domiciliary care worker Supporting adults in their own homes |
Acceptable | A named adult service. Plan how supervision will work, for example shadowing a senior carer on visits. |
| Adult placement or Shared Lives carer Adults only |
Acceptable | A named adult service where DBS certificates are required by law. |
| Social worker Working with both children and adults |
Not acceptable | The role involves children. There is no quick check of the children’s barred list, so wait for the certificate. |
| Any role in a children’s service For example a children’s home, nursery or school |
Not acceptable | Adult First only checks the adults’ barred list. |
| Enhanced check without the adults’ barred list For example roles eligible for Enhanced only |
Not acceptable | Adult First is only available where the adults’ barred list has been requested on the application. |
| Candidate hasn’t finished their application Enhanced check not yet submitted to DBS |
Not yet | We can only request Adult First once the Enhanced application has been submitted. |
| Every new starter, as standard To speed up onboarding |
Not acceptable | Adult First is for exceptional circumstances only, not routine use. |
| Roles in Scotland or Northern Ireland | Not available | Adult First is a DBS service. Scotland and Northern Ireland run separate disclosure schemes. |
For example, a care provider may be experiencing staffing pressures that could affect its ability to maintain appropriate staffing levels.
Even then, Adult First is only one part of the decision.
The employer remains responsible for its safer recruitment process, assessing the circumstances and putting appropriate safeguards and supervision in place if it decides the candidate can start.
What do DBS Adult First results mean?
Understanding the result is important because an Adult First result is not a DBS certificate.
There are two main outcomes employers need to understand.
No match on the adults’ barred list
This means the candidate has not matched against the adults’ barred list.
The employer may decide to allow them to start work under supervision while waiting for the full Enhanced DBS certificate.
Their appointment should remain conditional because the completed certificate may contain additional information that needs to be considered.
Wait for the DBS certificate
This result is important to interpret correctly, and it does not automatically mean the candidate is barred.
It means DBS cannot provide the required confirmation through Adult First, which could, for example, be because further investigation is required to distinguish between people with similar identifying details.
The candidate must not start the relevant role on the basis of Adult First. The employer needs to wait for the DBS certificate.
In some cases, the full certificate may also be completed before the Adult First process concludes.
Can someone start work before their DBS certificate arrives?
Potentially, but only in the appropriate Adult First circumstances.
Where an eligible Adult First request returns no match, an employer may decide to allow the candidate to start work with adults under supervision while the Enhanced DBS check continues.
That does not mean the remaining safer recruitment process can be skipped.
Employers should consider the information gathered during recruitment, make the appointment conditional on the completed DBS certificate and have suitable safeguards in place while checks remain outstanding. EBC also recommends maintaining a clear record of the decision and reviewing the risk assessment when the full result arrives.
How long does DBS Adult First checks take?
DBS Adult First is designed to provide information ahead of the completed Enhanced DBS certificate.
Current Adult First guidance states that DBS aims to respond to 98% of requests within 48 hours and all within 72 hours, excluding weekends and bank holidays.
The timing begins once DBS has received the Enhanced application, which may be later than the point at which it was initially submitted through the screening provider.
This is an important distinction: Adult First does not make the underlying Enhanced DBS application itself complete faster.
If you’re waiting for an Enhanced DBS application, you can also read our guide to the 5 stages a DBS check can go through.
How much does DBS Adult First checks cost?
DBS Adult First is charged in addition to the Enhanced DBS check.
For current DBS Adult First pricing, get in touch with the EBC Global team. You can enquire through our enquiry forms, email contact@ebcglobal.co.uk, or call us to discuss your requirements.
If you’re already using EBC Global to process DBS checks, our team can also confirm whether an Adult First request is appropriate for the application and explain the next steps.
How to request DBS Adult First checks through EBC Global
For eligible applications, EBC Global manages Adult First alongside the candidate’s wider DBS screening journey. The process is straightforward:
1. Submit the Enhanced DBS check
Set up the candidate’s Enhanced DBS check with the adults’ barred list through EBC Global as normal. Adult First can’t be requested until the Enhanced application has been submitted to DBS.
2. Request Adult First
Complete an Adult First request with the candidate’s relevant application information and confirm that the role and circumstances meet the required criteria.
3. EBC reviews and submits the request
We’ll check the request and relevant declarations before submitting the Adult First request to DBS.
4. Track its progress
Status updates are added to the Adult First check on the candidate’s profile, helping your team see where the request has reached.
5. Receive the result
Once DBS responds, EBC adds the result to the candidate’s profile and lets you know.
The Enhanced DBS check then continues as normal until the full certificate is issued.
Trial DBS screening with EBC Global
If you’re currently trialling DBS HI-ID through EBC Global, eligible Adult First applications can also be submitted through EBC where the relevant criteria are met.
DBS HI-ID provides a high-confidence digital identity verification journey designed to reduce administration and give greater assurance that candidates are who they say they are. And Adult First doesn’t have to sit in isolation.
EBC Global can bring DBS checks together with identity verification, Right to Work, employment history, references and other employment screening in one platform, giving recruitment and compliance teams greater visibility over what has been completed and what still needs attention.
DBS Adult First Checks FAQs
No. Adult First only provides information relating to the adults’ barred list. The Enhanced DBS application continues and the employer must consider the completed certificate when it arrives.
Not where the role involves children or both children and adults. Adult First checks the adults’ barred list, and there is no equivalent quick Adult First check of the children’s barred list.
Yes. You may still encounter the older term ISA Adult First when researching the service. It is now known as DBS Adult First.
No. Adult First cannot be requested as a standalone check. The employer must be eligible to access the adults’ barred list and must have requested the relevant barred-list check as part of the DBS application.
No. Adult First is not a standard requirement for every eligible candidate. DBS states that it should only be used in exceptional circumstances and when absolutely necessary
Manage DBS and employment screening in one place
Adult First can be valuable when an eligible adult care provider is facing exceptional staffing circumstances. But it’s only one part of safer recruitment.
For organisations processing DBS checks at scale, keeping applications moving, knowing what’s outstanding and maintaining a clear screening record can become just as important as submitting the individual check.
EBC Global helps employers manage DBS applications, digital identity verification and wider employment screening through one platform, with automation and visibility throughout the candidate journey.
