Recruitment of Ex-Offenders and Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Checks

Recruitment of Ex-Offenders

Carmarthenshire County Council is committed to the fair treatment of its staff, potential staff, prospective and existing volunteers, regardless of their background, culture, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, disability, religion and belief or non-belief, age, sex, gender reassignment, gender identity and gender expression, sexual orientation, pregnancy or maternity, marital or civil partnership status or their offending background.

The Authority actively promotes equality of opportunity for all and welcomes applications from a wide range of candidates, including those with criminal records. We will short-list all candidates for interview based on their skills, qualifications, and experience.

We undertake to treat all applicants for positions fairly and not to discriminate unfairly against any applicant based on a conviction or other information revealed in their DBS Disclosure or self-disclosure.

Disclosure and Barring Service

As an organisation assessing applicants’ suitability for positions which are included in the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order using criminal record checks processed through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), the Council complies fully with the DBS Code of Practice.

We undertake to discuss any matter revealed on a DBS certificate with the individual seeking the position before a decision is made to withdraw a conditional offer of employment.

Disclosures containing previous convictions and/or cautions are not necessarily a bar to obtaining a position. However, failure to disclose such convictions where it is required will be discussed further with the individual regarding their reasons for not having disclosed this information. If it is thought that there was an attempt to obtain employment by deception, this would usually result in withdrawal of the offer of an employment, or disciplinary action or termination of employment, if the individual has already been appointed.

DBS Code of Practice