Corporate report

DBS business plan: 2024-25

Published 24 May 2024

1. Chairman and Chief Executive’s foreword

In 2020, the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) board launched a 5-year strategy covering the period 2020 to 2025. This was refreshed in April 2023, to reflect the significant changes to our operating landscape since the strategy was first co-created. We now enter our final year of the strategy, which will see us continue to achieve our ambitions and milestones laid out back in 2020, and through our refreshed strategy in 2023.

Over the last 12 months, we have developed innovative technology, allowing us to build new capabilities for DBS, including the introduction of automation into our customer services experience to improve efficiency and quality for all our customers. Continuing our journey to being a digital-by-default organisation, we have continued to develop our paperless applications and digital certificates for Standard and Enhanced products and the launch of these will occur in 2024-25. Additionally, we have continued to develop our digital Basic service offering and have been placed in the top 50 GOV.UK services.

We have continued to develop and forge new strategic relationships to support our ambitions of making a difference within the communities we serve. We have developed and embedded our engagement framework, to allow us to raise our profile and awareness of our statutory functions across safeguarding and rehabilitation of offenders’ landscapes, to better enable safer recruitment and employment decisions to be made.

In October 2023, we introduced and delivered changes in response to national policy and legislation changes across the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1974 and Police Act 1997, in collaboration with other government departments and statutory services, to support more people back into employment.

Our work continues to strengthen safeguarding in the workplace, both at the point of recruitment and throughout the employment of an individual. In 2023-24, we issued a record number of DBS certificates, and saw our barring intake increase, with referrals now 43% higher than they were in 2018-19 – ensuring that quality is central to all of the work we do. This year also saw DBS achieve re-accreditation with the Customer Service Excellence standards, showing our ongoing commitment to ensuring our customers experience high- quality, accurate, and efficient services.

To support the continued development of our people and organisation, we held our first-ever DBS Academy Learning Festival, delivering 30 different training sessions to 291 colleagues over a 3-week period. Additionally, our learning portal, which will host all of DBS’ learning and development opportunities, launched to all staff in January 2024. This was a huge milestone within our strategy and achieved one of the top 3 things our staff asked for during the co-creation of our strategy. Staff also asked for a dedicated Intranet site, which we launched in May 2023, becoming the first arm’s length body (ALB) within the Home Office to adopt a SharePoint Intranet site.

2024-25 will be another notable year for DBS, and we have designed a concentrated workplan to ensure successful completion of our strategy and to achieve all that we set out to back in 2020, and again through our refreshed strategy in 2023.

The continued modernisation of our products and services, allowing DBS to maximise the use of technology to progress towards becoming a digital-by-default organisation, will be a clear focus for the year, whilst ensuring we continue to place high quality services, value for money and sustainability at the heart of everything we do. Additionally, we will begin work on the replacement and decommissioning of our legacy technology estate, to improve experiences for both our staff and our customers.

We will continue to develop our strategic relationships across the safeguarding and rehabilitation of offenders’ spheres and develop an implementation plan to ensure organisations understand and act on their legal duty to refer individuals to us for barring consideration, in line with the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) recommendations. We will also look to strengthen our approach to diversity and inclusion to provide improvements for both our workforce and customers.

From a staff perspective, in 2024-25 we will continue our future of work programme to ensure our workspaces and flexible working offerings meet current and future business and operational needs. We will also develop our internal opportunities and external positions to attract and retain talent within our organisation.

Finally, entering this final year of our strategy means that we will also look ahead to the development and design of a post- 2025 strategy.

We look forward to this year, and working with our employees, customers, and partners as we continue to achieve our vision of making recruitment and employment safer.

2. Introduction

The DBS 2024-25 business plan focuses on the actions we need to take over the next 12 months to successfully deliver the ambitions set out in our refreshed 2020-25 strategy.

As this is the final year of the strategy, it gives us time to reflect on the achievements so far, as well as those planned for delivery over the next 12 months. As with many organisations, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated some of these changes, such as the ability for staff to work remotely where appropriate, but also contributed to shifts in the wider recruitment and employment landscape, such as the ‘gig economy’.

By the time of the mid-point strategy refresh in 2023, we had achieved most of what we had set out to do when the original strategy was launched in 2020. The refreshed strategy, which was co-created with staff, gave us the opportunity to refocus our efforts and identify further changes to make the greatest difference in making recruitment and employment safer.

During the strategy period, DBS: - responded swiftly with our Home Office colleagues to execute not only the COVID-19 fast and free scheme to support recruitment to key sectors but also the Homes for Ukraine scheme to ensure appropriate checks were carried out on host households; these were 2 unprecedented pieces of legislation that required fast responses that were implemented safely and effectively

• developed and implemented solutions for manual filtering of conviction information from DBS certificates, in line with legal rulings; this started with workarounds using an expert staff team in 2020 and more recently ensuring that the changes to rehabilitation periods could be successfully introduced through our IT systems - this ensured that people continued to receive the correct information on their certificate

• provided different routes for our customers to engage with us, by increasing our social media presence and increasing the number of ways in which customers can access help from our Customer Service teams at more convenient times for them; we did this all whilst meeting Customer Services Excellence Standards and being awarded the best public sector customer service provision by the Institute of Customer Service

• adapted ways of working to support a virtual world, not only internally but also externally with the launch of an online barring referral service, updated guidance to enable identity checks to be completed online, and have embraced digital identity processes, working with Digital Identity Service Providers (IDSPs).

• successfully embedded innovation into DBS, including a project to automate triaging of customer services emails to speed up service and a further project to automate an element of our conflicts process.

• increased our reach among external partners through the launch of a regional outreach service across 9 English regions, plus Wales and Northern Ireland; the team provides training, advice, and support to employers about eligibility for DBS checks, and the statutory duty to refer people for barring consideration if they have either caused harm or have the potential to cause harm to vulnerable groups

• we have delivered strong operational performance despite the rapidly changing world around us and the need to reprioritise our energy and resources and remain an effective organisation; barring intake has increased by 15%, and it’s forecast that by the end of 2023-24, referrals will be 43% higher than they were in 2018-19 - in the same period, we reduced barring work-in-progress (WiP) by 15% (to 4,813 in March 2023), and we improved our quality performance, moving from 96.37% to 98.40%, which took us from a ‘fail’ rating to a ‘pass’ rating, as set by the Home Office

• DBS check applications have also seen a 26.5% increase, with Standard, Enhanced, and Enhanced with Barred List(s) intake exceeding 5 million in 2022-23; this is the highest volume we’ve seen in-year since DBS was formed, and yet despite these increases in demand, our timeliness performance has continued in strength, as has our approach to quality, evidenced by no errors being found in dip samples carried out since March 2020

All of this has been achieved through a dedicated workforce whilst also delivering a record number of DBS checks year on year and significant increases in the number of cases received for barring consideration.

Some technological elements have taken longer than originally envisaged due to the complex and sensitive nature of the information we work with, and the system requirements needed but will be delivered by the end of the strategy in March 2025.

The visual opposite gives a snapshot of some of those and other achievements since 2020 and this business plan seeks to ensure that DBS will continue to deliver improved, accessible, modernised, and high-quality services for its DBS check customers, those individuals considered for barring, and for the wider public by the end of 2024-25.

Our commitment to quality and value for money remains at the heart of our plan. We aim to maximise the use of our technology through 24-25, so that we can progress further to become a digital-by-default organisation with digital certificates being offered across all DBS checks.

We will be working to optimise the use of all our products and responding effectively to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) recommendation in relation to the uptake of the legal duty to refer individuals to DBS for barring consideration. This will include further work with partners and regulators, and the completion of a qualitative and quantitative analysis of barring take-up.

The actions we will deliver this year will make meaningful contributions to improving the quality of service we provide, enhancing the technology we use, providing individuals and employers with tailored and timely information, and improving our work with, and for, our partners, customers, and staff.

The plan includes a balanced mix of transformational changes and deliverables that will form part of ‘business as usual,’ with inclusivity and sustainability within current resources at the forefront.

Delivery is supported by comprehensive directorate plans providing staff a full overview of work being undertaken and supporting the achievement of the remaining commitments with our strategy.

A key part of the work will be to develop and co-produce our strategy for the period after 2025 with staff and stakeholders. Scoping work has already begun on understanding current and future trends relating to people and society, environment and resources, economy and business, technology, and innovation as well as wider policy and governance issues. Using this insight will be key to developing innovative, responsive, and inclusive services which provide value for money.

Our work to date has already identified that there will be opportunities for increased automation in our services. Part of our work in this last year of the strategy will seek to cement our ability to introduce and develop future ‘alternative intelligence’ into our processes. Separately, changes are already being made to the police systems we use, and we have a part to play in working collaboratively to develop that further over the course of the next strategy.

A number of external factors such as the implementation of IICSA recommendations mean that it is likely that legislative and policy change will play a part post-April 2025 and we will position ourselves to ensure we can provide technical advice for, and support the delivery of, those changes.

Considerations made in the development of our post-2025 strategy will ensure that we will maintain a focus on the financial pressures on employers, especially in sectors requiring Standard, Enhanced, or Enhanced with Barred List(s) DBS checks so that we can strike the required balance which ensures and encourages take-up without compromising the sustainability of DBS.

3. Business Plan: Key Achievements

3.1 2020 to 2021:

• 2020-25 strategy launched
• COVID-19 fast and free service in use
• Remote working implemented for most staff
• OneDBS launched as internal ethos
• Annual DBS Conference held virtually
• Manual filtering solution implemented
• Partnerships and Outreach team introduced

3.2 2021 to 2022:

• SharePoint and M365 rolled out
• Social media presence increased
• Development of Commercial Marketing and Business Development resource/capability
• Procurement of CRM system
• Improvements in PLX algorithm resulting in 10.3% reduction in police notifications

3.3 2022 to 2023:

• Innovation framework established
• Homes for Ukraine DBS scheme launched
• 10-year anniversary of DBS
• Independent review of the disclosure and barring regime undertaken (Bailey Review)
• Development of strategy refresh
• Webchat service launched
• Digital identity service providers (IDSPs) live
• Barring portal goes live

3.4 2023 to 2024:

• Supported partners with changes made to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975
• First Annual Learning Festival held
• Intranet launched (first ALB using SharePoint)
• Technology changes made to implement changes to rehabilitation periods
• Automation in customer services introduced
• Re-accreditation with Customer Services Excellence standards
• DBS Academy learning portal launched
• Optimised use of DBS products (Basics)
• Online application/results platforms developed

3.5 2024 to 2025:

By the end of 2025, we will have:

• completed the 2020-25 strategy
• introduced ‘digital by default’ DBS check applications and certificates
• embedded new value for money framework
• responded to outcome of ALB review
• implemented refreshed Update Service
• improved compliance with statutory duty to notify (make a barring referral to) DBS
• undertaken an accessibility review of our services and processes
• improved quality of matching processes

4. Who we are and what we do

DBS provides disclosure and barring functions on behalf of government. This includes DBS checks for England, Wales, Jersey, Guernsey, and the Isle of Man, and barring functions for England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. We conduct this work from bases in Darlington and Liverpool, with employees working through hybrid arrangements in both in these areas and across the UK.

DBS was created under the provisions of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012. We are a non-departmental public body (NDPB) accountable to Parliament through the Secretary of State for the Home Office. We provide an important service, helping to safeguard and protect people in our society while ensuring proportionality and protecting the rights of individuals. We do this by providing relevant information and, where necessary, making barring decisions to help employers make safer recruitment and employment decisions.

DBS issues 4 levels of certificates of criminal records, known as DBS certificates, and we operate a system of updating certificates through our Update Service.

We also bar individuals from working or volunteering in certain circumstances. Our work is funded by the fees from our disclosure (DBS check) customers.

4.1 Basic DBS check

A Basic DBS check is available for any position or purpose. A Basic certificate will contain details of convictions and conditional cautions that are considered to be unspent by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

4.2 Standard DBS check

Standard DBS certificates show relevant convictions and cautions held on the Police National Computer (PNC), subject to filtering and rehabilitation rules.

4.3 Enhanced DBS check

An Enhanced DBS check is available to anyone involved in work with vulnerable groups, and other positions involving a high degree of trust. Enhanced certificates contain the same information as a Standard certificate, with the addition of relevant local police force information that a Chief Constable feels ought to be included.

Enhanced with Barred List(s) DBS check An Enhanced with Barred List(s) DBS certificate contains the same information as an Enhanced DBS certificate but includes details of whether the individual is included on one or both of the Barred Lists. These lists include individuals barred from working with children and vulnerable groups where the role is in regulated activity.

4.4 Barring

We make considered decisions about whether an individual should be barred from engaging in regulated activity with children and/or adults and maintain the Children’s and Adults’ Barred Lists. This can be because they have been referred to us, because relevant offences are being disclosed on a check, or because an individual has been convicted of an offence that should result in an automatic bar. We also make decisions as to whether it is appropriate to remove a person from a Barred List.

5. DBS priorities and strategic objectives

5.1 Our Purpose

Protecting the public by helping employers make safer recruitment and employment decisions, and by barring individuals who pose a risk to vulnerable people.

5.2 Our Vision

We will make recruitment and employment safer, by being a visible, trusted, and influential organisation. We will provide an outstanding quality of service to all of our customers and partners.

Our people will understand the important contributions they make to safeguarding and feel proud to work within an inclusive and increasingly diverse organisation.

5.3 Our Strategic Priorities

We have identified 4 strategic priorities that really matter to everyone and underpin everything we do:

 Quality

We will deliver the highest possible quality of products and services, to the highest standard of practice and integrity.

  Diversity and Inclusion

We will increase the diversity of our workforce, the representation in our decision-making and service offering, and the inclusiveness of our operations and the services we provide.

  Sustainability and Wellbeing

We will look towards increased sustainability in the improvement of our products and services, and an enhanced focus on the wellbeing of our people and customers.

  Value for Money

We will achieve the most optimal value from how we work, where we work, and who we work with, for our customers and stakeholders.

These priorities carry tangible deliverables to ensure that we retain a focus and momentum on activities that make a difference for the whole of DBS, as well as our partners and stakeholders.

5.4 Our Strategic Objectives:

Our 4 strategic objectives (SOs), which focus our activity to deliver our vision of making recruitment and employment safer, are:

  SO1: Customer Experience

We will provide increased reliability, consistency, timeliness, and accessibility of service for our customers, increasing quality and value for public money.

  SO2: Technology

We will drive efficiencies and value for money across DBS and foster a culture of innovation through a modern, stable,

secure, and accessible technology estate.

  SO3: Making a Difference

We will strengthen our reputation as a recognised and trusted provider of public services, and as a source of specialist expertise who actively contributes to safeguarding across the communities we serve.

  SO4: Our People and Organisation

We will make DBS a modern workplace, with a talented and diverse workforce who are empowered to do their jobs and to fulfil their public duty.

The activity within in this business plan has been mapped to a strategic objective to ensure that successful delivery of those actions will lead to completion of our strategy and outcomes.

6. Delivering our strategic objectives

To achieve our vision and deliver the final year of our strategy, we have identified 16 deliverables across our 4 strategic objectives to be completed this year, some of which began in 2023-24 as 2-year activity.

These deliverables are detailed across the next few pages with the specific strategy completion actions (SCAs) aligned to them. In total, there are 29 SCAs which we know will deliver the strategy and will be completed throughout the year. We have strong governance in place through our board, committees, and Strategic Leadership Team (SLT) to ensure we focus attention on delivering the priorities in the plan. All SCAs will be tracked monthly by SLT - through our Strategic Plan Oversight Group, and assurance will be completed by our Quality, Finance and Performance Committee and board.

As our delivery progresses, we will use our governance processes to make decisions to ensure our SCAs continue to be appropriate and valid for the delivery of this plan and strategy.

7. Strategic Objective 1: Customer Experience

We will provide increased reliability, consistency, timeliness, and accessibility of service for our customers, increasing quality and value for money.

In the first 4 years of our strategy, we progressed changes needed to be compliant with legislation, which has now been implemented. We improved the quality and inclusivity of our existing products and services, and we mapped out future service improvements.

We supported future service improvements and embedded our innovation framework. We have created a roadmap of research and horizon-scanning activities which will not only support internal developments but will also help to optimise our products and services around our customers’ needs.

Looking to this year, we will continue to improve customer experience by enabling queries and concerns to be addressed quickly at a time to suit them through improved online services and we will align our working practices and arrangements to support our digital-by-default ambition.

A key focus for us in line with the digital transactional world will be the implementation of a Digital Identity validation strategy. This will be responsive to our customer’s needs, and easily understood to make it easier for identities to be verified without the need for paper copies whilst maintaining the highest quality and assurances in our processes.

Inclusivity and accessibility remain a fundamental area of work for DBS, with a full Accessibility Implementation plan to be developed following the completion of a comprehensive Accessibility review of our products and services, including the use of British Sign Language (BSL), Welsh and Irish Gaelic languages.

Deliverables	Strategy Completion Actions (SCAs)
SO1.1: We will engage with partners, individual referrers, and referring bodies to enhance the quality of the information we receive and share – ensuring our DBS check services and barring decisions are supported by thorough, high-quality information.	SO1.1a: We will develop and strengthen our outward-fac- ing policies, commercial arrangements, and agreements in place with Responsible Organisations (ROs) and Registered Bodies (RBs) to ensure they meet the required standards to support us and our customers. We will review those within the RO and RB network as required.
	SO1.1b: We will deliver bespoke product and service engagement activity for both disclosure and barring. This will allow customers to accurately access the relevant disclosure (DBS check) products, and will support an improvement in the volume of barring referrals received, as well as the quality of the information within these referrals.
SO1.2: We will prioritise the development of digital interactions. We will introduce working systems and processes that enable our customers to access services, advice, and guidance at their convenience, through a self-service approach where possible.	SO1.2a: We will improve customer confidence by addressing queries and concerns at the earliest opportunity, through an improved online service provision. This will include the in-year development of guidance on key issues, ensuring customers have the information they need, when they need it, resulting in a reduction in calls and an increase in self-serve solutions. Our working practices and customer services arrangements will be aligned to support this approach.
SO1.3: We will listen to, and understand, our customers and partners to deliver optimised products and services for them. We will also develop new services and processes, supporting customer needs, which are aligned to national policy changes.	SO1.3a: We will develop a digital identity (ID) strategy, and implement an updated and unified approach to ID validation for RBs and ROs, which is easily understood by customers and increases the use of digital ID validation. We will review, update, and maintain a paper ID process to ensure an inclusive approach.
	SO1.3b: We will complete a comprehensive customer-mapping process across both disclosure and barring to identify actions that will support us in delivering high-quality, efficient, and effective services.
SO1.4: We will enhance the accessibility and ease of use of our products and services by exploring customer-focused, innovative approaches, that also places EDI at the forefront.	SO1.4a: We will develop an accessibility implementation plan which will incorporate a full staff information and training plan. This will follow an accessibility review of our products and services, including our use of British Sign Language (BSL), Welsh, and Irish Gaelic languages.

8. Strategic Objective 2: Technology

We will drive efficiencies and value for money across DBS and foster a culture of innovation through a modern, stable, secure, and accessible technology estate.

In the first 4 years of our strategy, we focused on maintaining and enhancing our existing technology and developing our approach to our value for money framework.

In 2024-25, we set ambitious milestones to ensure the availability of digital services including an accessible digital Standard and Enhanced application service for Registered Bodies (RBs) and online certificates for customers. We have begun to implement tactical improvements to the PLX Algorithm which compares individuals’ information against police databases and completing data mapping across all systems to understand where gaps currently exist.

The nature of technology change means that some of our milestones last year were designed to be delivered over a 2-year period and therefore our work in 2024-25 will continue to focus on these projects.

This next year will see the maximisation of our technology to support implementation and roll out of DBS becoming a digital-by-default organisation, with the majority of DBS certificates issued digitally to customers. Accessibility remains a priority and therefore we will offer paper certificates to anyone who needs them, but our systems will be developed to flex to customer needs.

We will also explore appropriate enhancements and development of the Update Service (subscription service) which takes account of the recommendations of the independent review into the disclosure and barring regime and replace the digital interface between DBS and RBs so that we can continue to ensure that the highest quality of information can be provided to us, with inclusivity in mind. Our work to enhance our use of data will incorporate analysis of customer information which relates to equality and diversity so that we can further improve our services.

We will continue to listen to those who refer people for barring consideration to develop and enhance our barring referral service so that paper transactions are minimised, and digital transactions are maximised, speeding up processing times and increasing safeguarding in the workplace.

Deliverables	Strategy Completion Actions (SCAs)
SO2.1: We will implement operational policies and practices to become a digital-by- default organisation, delivering our disclosure (DBS check) products digitally, and improving our digital capabilities for our barring functions.	SO2.1a: We will further develop our technology to enable implementation of the necessary changes to issue Disclosure certificates digitally-by-default and launch the Standard and Enhanced online application service.
	SO2.1b: We will explore appropriate enhancements and developments to deliver an improved, accessible Update Service (subscription service) capability available to DBS customers in line with the recommendation made by the independent review of the disclosure and barring regime.
	SO2.1c: We will make it easier for individual referrers and referring bodies to provide us with relevant information through continually assessing user feedback, and making appropriate improvements to our barring referral service.
SO2.2: We will enhance and develop how we capture, monitor, and analyse data, to gain insights and steer the organisation on an intelligence-led basis.	SO2.2a: We will use data and planning models to improve the organisation, and take positive action to improve the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of our products and services.
SO2.3: We will research and invest resource into next-generation technologies and innovative tools to ensure systems and staff are fully supported, high-performing, efficient, and effective.	SO2.3a: We will replace the interface we use with Registered Bodies (RBs) – known as e-bulk.
	SO2.3b: We will optimise use of automation in our services, and increase the use of digital tools to stream-line manual processes.
	SO2.3c: We will implement improved security tooling and services.
SO2.4: We will develop our technological estate to enhance value and sustainability, improving our position in the safe- guarding landscape and the value of our products and services.	SO2.4a: We will source, and begin implementation of, our next-generation technology estate and the supporting service model. These, once implemented, will allow us to decommission our legacy applications and infrastructure (legacy technology estate replacement).
	SO2.4b: We will deliver improved quality of matching processes, and reduce manual intervention.

9. Strategic Objective 3: Making a Difference

We will strengthen our reputation as a recognised and trusted deliverer of public services, and as a source of specialist expertise which in turn contributes to safeguarding for society.

In the first 4 years of our strategy, we focused on growing the profile of DBS as a professional and trusted organisation. We have developed our Outreach and Commercial Development teams which has strengthened our capability to deliver marketing and business development activities. This last year saw over 550 workshops and roundtables being held with over 10,500 attendees taking part.

We have widened our social media communication channels including facilitating our first-ever LinkedIn Live webinar and have continued to focus our communications planning to the government functional standard for communication.

We have implemented a stakeholder tracking and evaluation framework for our work with external partners which is bringing real benefits to our engagement planning and resourcing meaning that we are reaching more partners and stakeholders than ever before.

This last year of the strategy will see us focus on those new relationships which are still to develop so that we can deliver structured engagement activity with sectors such as retail, logistics, and hospitality to secure optimal take- up of disclosure (DBS check) products, particularly a Basic DBS check. We will strengthen our existing frameworks with formal safeguarding bodies, and in response to recommendations made within the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, we will deliver a high- profile programme of activity to increase compliance with the statutory duty to refer for barring considerations, ensuring that appropriate cases are referred – with effective information provided – so that we can strengthen our commitment to making recruitment and employment safer.

Deliverables	Strategy Completion Actions (SCAs)
SO3.1: We will develop new relationships to optimise use of our products – in particular, Basic DBS checks.	SO3.1a: We will develop relationships with trade bodies, delivering a business-to-business engagement programme with sectors such as retail, logistics, and hospitality. This will help to secure optimal take-up of our disclosure (DBS check) products (particularly of Basic DBS checks).
SO3.2: We will strengthen existing frameworks with formal safeguarding bodies and statutory services, influencing and achieving compliance against legislative or policy requirements by them.	SO3.2a: We will strengthen existing frameworks with formal safeguarding bodies and statutory services, influencing and achieving compliance against legislative or policy requirements by them.
SO3.3: We will collaborate with relevant sectors and stakeholders to ensure a shared understanding of, and the effective execution of, our mutual statutory functions relating to our disclosure (DBS check) products and our barring function.	SO3.3a: We will deliver a co-ordinated, multi-faceted compliance improvement programme that includes activity to deliver the IICSA recommendation of increasing compliance with the statutory duty to refer for barring consideration, ensuring that appropriate cases are referred with effective information provided.

10. Strategic Objective 4: Our People and Organisation

We will make DBS a modern workplace where our talented and diverse workforce are empowered to do their jobs and fulfil our public duty.

In the first 4 years of our strategy, we concentrated on the development of the DBS Academy as we worked to become an exemplar organisation and employer of choice.

Last year, we explored options for future ways of working to ensure they meet the needs of our people, our customers, and our organisation. We have continued to work through hybrid arrangements and increasing flexible working arrangements for all staff, which in turn has provided a greater balance of effectiveness for our organisation, whilst meeting the needs of our people.

We have worked effectively to develop the skills and capability of our staff with our first Learning Festival taking place this year. The festival was a 3-week long event, focused on learning and development. The event was flexible to allow staff access around work commitments, and it offered a diverse range of learning subjects and experiences. Over 30 different training sessions were delivered to over 291 colleagues.

We rolled out Public Sector Equality Duty training for managers and staff, with further discovery and design work being developed on a wider equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) learning package for the whole organisation.

This year we will implement any actions that arise from the arm’s length body review due to be completed in 2024. We will continue to adapt our workplaces so that we can effectively meet current and future operational needs, developing a LEAN programme of review activity across the organisation to consider all business processes, structures, and systems.

In all that we do, we will be focusing on improving our diversity and inclusion work, with a reshaped delivery structure and specific activity to complete a full analysis of EDI data, both of our workforce and those we consider for recruitment, so that we can remove any potential barriers to increased diversity in DBS.

A key action for us in this final year of the strategy is to develop and design, through co- creation with staff and stakeholders, our new post-2025 strategy.

Deliverables	Strategy Completion Actions (SCAs)
SO4.1: We will be an employer of choice in the public sector by attracting and retaining a talented workforce, fostering professional growth through learning, mentoring, and work-shadowing opportunities	SO4.1a: We will have an agreed employer brand that we use internally and externally which will include employee stories of opportunities and successes that demonstrate that we are an employer of choice.
SO4.2: We will ensure that our activities embody inclusivity and respect, and are representative or diversity, learning from others and celebrating our approach.	SO4.2a: We will implement a new collaborative operating model to strengthen and drive delivery of equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) activities including staff networks and customer-facing activity.
	SO4.2b: We will improve our diversity declaration rates and complete a full analysis of EDI data in relation to recruitment processes, to support the removal of any barriers and further positive action.
SO4.3: We will continue to ensure that staff are fairly and appropriately rewarded and recognised for their achievements.	SO4.3a: We will evaluate the reward and recognition scheme by considering best practices from other government departments, ensuring equitable application throughout the organisation.
SO4.4: We will optimise our workplace and practices to achieve the highest levels of operational and organisational effectiveness; reviewing and reassessing our working models by implementing a programme of lean reviews to increase efficiency and effectiveness.	SO4.4a: We will deliver a co-ordinated approach to research and horizon-scanning to stay ahead of national, local, and sector-based policy developments to ensure our capabilities are future-proofed.
	SO4.4b: We will begin to capitalise upon opportunities identified through the initiation of a rolling programme of reviews across all parts of the organisation to deliver efficiencies.
	SO4.4c: We will ensure that knowledge and team expertise is shared across the organisation, ensuring that we are effectively sharing best practice and guidance.
	SO4.4d: We will adapt our workplaces to meet current and future operational needs.
SO4.5: We will continue to align with cross government standards and good practice.	SO4.5a: Following the Cabinet Office’s Public Bodies review programme and the review of DBS, we will consider the findings and agree an action plan.
	SO4.5b: We will continue to develop our value for money framework, embedding measurement recommendations into activity, and analysing the results of additional data to support greater effectiveness of our operations.
	SO4.5c: We will develop and design our new post-2025 strategy, co-creating the document with staff and stakeholders.

11. An Overview of our 2024-25 Business Plan

11.1 Strategic Objective 1: Customer Experience

Strategy Completion Actions:	Completion Date:
SO1.1a: We will develop and strengthen our outward-facing policies, commercial arrangements, and agreements in place with Responsible Organisations (ROs) and Registered Bodies (RBs) to ensure they meet the required standards to support us and our customers. We will review those within the RB and RO network as required.	31 July 2024
SO1.1b: We will provide bespoke product and service engagement activity for both disclosure and barring. This will allow customers to accurately access the relevant disclosure (DBS check) products, and will support an improvement in the volume of barring referrals received, as well as the quality of the information within these referrals.	31 March 2025
SO1.2a: We will improve customer confidence by addressing queries and concerns at the earliest opportunity, through an improved online service provision. This will include the in-year development of guidance on key issues, ensuring customers have the information they need, when they need it, resulting in a reduction in calls and an increase in self-serve solutions. Our working practices and customer services arrangements will be aligned to support this approach.	31 March 2025
SO1.3a: We will develop a digital identity (ID) strategy, and implement an updated and unified approach to ID validation for RBs and ROs, which is easily understood by customers and increases the use of digital ID validation. We will review, update, and maintain a paper ID process to ensure an inclusive approach.	31 July 2024
SO1.3b: We will complete a comprehensive customer-mapping process across both disclosure and barring to identify actions that will support us in delivering high-quality, efficient, and effective services.	31 March 2025
SO1.4a: We will develop an accessibility implementation plan which will incorporate a full staff information and training plan. This will follow an accessibility review of our products and services, including our use of British Sign Language (BSL), Welsh, and Irish Gaelic languages.	31 August 2024

11.2 Strategic Objective 2: Technology

Strategy Completion Actions:	Completion Date:
SO2.1a: We will further develop our technology to enable implementation of the necessary changes to issue Disclosure certificates digitally-by-default and launch the Standard and Enhanced online application service.	31 March 2025
SO2.1b: We will explore appropriate enhancements and developments to deliver an improved, accessible Update Service (subscription service) capability available to DBS customers in line with the recommendation made by the independent review of the disclosure and barring regime.	31 March 2025
SO2.1c: We will make it easier for individual referrers and referring bodies to provide us with relevant information through continually assessing user feedback, and making appropriate improvements to our barring referral service.	31 March 2025
SO2.2a: We will use data and planning models to improve the organisation, and take positive action to improve the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of our products and services.	31 March 2025
SO2.3a: We will replace the interface we use with Registered Bodies (RBs) – known as e-bulk.	31 August 2025
SO2.3b: We will optimise use of automation in our services, and increase the use of digital tools to stream-line manual processes.	31 March 2025
SO2.3c: We will implement improved security tooling and services.	30 September 2025
SO2.4a: We will source, and begin implementation of, our next-generation technology estate and the supporting service model. These, once implemented, will allow us to decommission our legacy applications and infrastructure (legacy technology estate replacement).	31 March 2025
SO2.4b: We will deliver improved quality of matching processes, and reduce manual intervention.	30 September 2024

11.3 Strategic Objective 3: Making a Difference

Strategy Completion Actions:	Completion Date:
SO3.1a: We will develop relationships with trade bodies, delivering a business-to-business engagement programme with sectors such as retail, logistics, and
hospitality. This will help to secure optimal take-up of our disclosure (DBS check) products (particularly of Basic DBS checks).	31 March 2025
SO3.2a: We will strengthen existing frameworks with formal safeguarding bodies and statutory services, influencing and achieving compliance against legislative or policy requirements by them.	31 March 2025
SO3.3a: We will deliver a co-ordinated, multi-faceted compliance improvement programme that includes activity to deliver the IICSA recommendation of increasing compliance with the statutory duty to refer for barring consideration, ensuring that appropriate cases are referred with effective information provided.	30 September 2024

11.4 Strategic Objective 4: Our People and Organisation

Strategy Completion Actions:	Completion Date:
SO4.1a: We will have an agreed employer brand that we use internally and externally which will include employee stories of opportunities and successes that demonstrate that we are an employer of choice.	30 September 2024
SO4.2a: We will implement a new collaborative operating model to strengthen and drive delivery of equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) activities including staff networks and customer-facing activity.
SO4.2b: We will improve our diversity declaration rates and complete a full analysis of EDI data in relation to recruitment processes, to support the removal of any barriers and further positive action.	30 September 2024
SO4.3a: We will evaluate the reward and recognition scheme by considering best practices from other government departments, ensuring equitable application throughout the organisation.	30 September 2024
SO4.4a: We will deliver a co-ordinated approach to research and horizon-scanning to stay ahead of national, local, and sector-based policy developments to ensure our capabilities are future-proofed.	30 September 2024
SO4.4b: We will begin to capitalise upon opportunities identified through the initiation of a rolling programme of reviews across all parts of the organisation to deliver efficiencies.	31 March 2025
SO4.4c: We will ensure that knowledge and team expertise is shared across the organisation, ensuring that we are effectively sharing best practice and guidance.	30 September 2024
SO4.4d: We will adapt our workplaces to meet current and future operational needs.	31 March 2025
SO4.5a: Following the Cabinet Office’s Public Bodies review programme and the review of DBS, we will consider the findings and agree an action plan.	30 September 2024
SO4.5b: We will continue to develop our value for money framework, embedding measurement recommendations into activity, and analysing the results of additional data to support greater effectiveness of our operations.	30 June 2024
SO4.5c: We will develop and design our new post-2025 strategy, co-creating the document with staff and stakeholders.	31 March 2025

12. Measuring success against the plan

Performance management is one of the controls we use to ensure we are delivering against the strategic objectives in the refreshed DBS 2020-25 strategy and contributing to the objectives desired by the Home Office (HO) and government for citizens and society.

DBS contributes to the Home Office objective of “reducing crime” and the delivery of the Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls strategy. DBS also contributes to other government priority outcomes, including those for health and social care, employment, education, protecting the public, and economic growth.

We measure our progress using a set of key performance indicators (KPIs) and targets agreed by our board. Our KPIs are grouped into 4 themes: quality, timeliness, value for money, and people. We have a strong focus on the quality and timeliness of our products and services. These are the issues that customers tell us are important to them and it is these that ensure we are supporting the safeguarding of vulnerable groups including children, as effectively as possible.

As part of our performance management framework, progress towards targets is reviewed monthly by our Strategic Leadership Team and board, with the Quality, Finance and Performance Committee and People Committee providing assurance that performance is being managed appropriately. KPIs are supplemented by other measures which operate at a corporate, directorate, service, and team level.

We will continue to strive to achieve all our performance targets in 2024-25. Most of our targets contained within the business plan remain as they were for 2023-24, with a stretch being applied to BP7, which is the KP relating to ‘autobar’. We have improved transparency for the public by providing description labels that describe in plain English what our KPIs mean to our customers and employees and linked these to our strategic commitments.

12.1 Quality

Our quality KPIs support our commitment to providing high quality, reliable, consistent, and accessible services for our customers. Quality is at the heart of everything we do, as outlined in our Safeguarding and Quality charter.

12.2 Timeliness

Our timeliness KPIs help us to demonstrate our speed of service to the public, ensuring safeguarding decisions can be made at pace by employers and that those individuals who should not be allowed to work with vulnerable groups including children are identified and barred as quickly as possible.

12.3 Quality

Ref	KPI Measure	Description	Target
BP1	Percentage of criminal and barring information that DBS should place on a certificate is included	Accuracy of all decisions and information issued on a certificate	≥99.98%
BP2	Barring Quality rate of closures (IBO)	Quality of barring decisions (incorrect barring outcomes)	≥99.5%
BP3	Customer experience of those raising a complaint with DBS within the previous 3 months (index measure)	Our customer satisfaction index	85%

12.4 Timeliness

Ref	KPI Measure	Description	Target
BP4	Percentage of Basic applications dispatched within two days	Basic DBS check processing time	≥85%
BP5	Percentage of Standard applications dispatched within three days	Standard DBS check processing time	≥85%
BP6	Percentage of Enhanced applications dispatched within 14 days	Enhanced DBS check processing time	≥80%
BP7	Autobar: Percentage of Barred List inclusion cases completed within 6 months	The speed at which we bar people who are cautioned or convicted of more serious crimes, including time for them to make representations	≥97%
BP8	Percentage of proposed Barred List cases (excluding autobar) completed within 9 months	The speed at which we complete barring cases (excluding those who have been cautioned/ convicted)	≥50%

12.5 Finance/Value for money

We recognise there is a cost for our services borne by employers and individuals, as we are funded by the fees from our disclosure (DBS check) customers. Our finance/value for money KPIs assist us in demonstrating these commitments to the public.

We adhere to the principles of Managing Public Money and we aim to improve our efficiency during the life of the DBS 2020-25 strategy.

12.6 People

We are committed to developing a talented, diverse, and inclusive workforce that is engaged in delivering the best possible services to the public.

Our people-related KPIs demonstrate progress against the People commitments in our strategy. We have a range of more detailed people measures, and breakthrough diversity measures, that we use internally.

12.7 Finance/ Value for money

Ref	KPI Measure	Description	Target
BP9	Percentage efficiencies delivered as a percentage of total spend excluding supplier and police costs, costs of charge and depreciation	Efficiencies delivered as a percentage of DBS spending	≥5%

12.8 People

Ref	KPI Measure	Description	Target
BP10	Employee engagement index	The engagement level of our employees	≥66%
BP11	Percentage of ethnic minority employees as a % of total DBS workforce	The diversity of our employees	≥7%

13. Strategic risks to delivery of the plan

We identify, assess, manage, and review risk through the process defined by the DBS Risk Management framework.

Risks are held at a strategic, corporate and directorate level. Risks are reviewed on a monthly basis by our Associate Directors Group and the Strategic Leadership Team, and periodically by board, with the Audit and Risk Committee (ARC) providing assurance that risk is being appropriately managed.

Through the development of this plan, there have been no additional risks identified for inclusion. The existing risks which are assessed and managed are carried into this final year of the strategy with our strategy completion actions being designed to mitigate against any materialisation of them. The table shows strategic risks which would adversely impact on delivery of business plan objectives if they materialised.

Strategic Risk	Context	SO1	SO2	SO3	SO4
Risk 199: Failure to protect DBS systems from a cyber-attack	Ensuring data and systems are protected using cyber-security measures	X	X
Risk 393: Failure to safeguard	Ensuring we make timely decisions that safeguard the public by assuring quality and managing work effectively	X		X	X
Risk 456: Failure to attract, retain, and develop talent to ensure we have the capacity to deliver our strategic objectives	Ensuring we can attract, retain, and develop staff who produce quality work in support of our strategic objectives	X	X	X	X
Risk 530: Failure to respond to a business continuity or disaster recovery event	Maintaining appropriate plans to ensure we can respond effectively to a business continuity or disaster recovery event	X	X	X	X
Risk 637: Failure of technology systems leading to reduced service	Ensuring systems are stable and enable us to operate our services	X	X	X
Risk 668: Failure in supply chain performance	Ensuring our suppliers enable us to meet our performance levels	X	X	X
Risk 669: Failure to comply with statutory obligations	Ensuring data is managed appropriately through adherence to relevant legislation	X	X	X
Risk 670: Failure to manage financial resources	Ensuring we make use of our budget in accordance with Managing Public Money	X	X	X	X
Risk 671: Failure to improve DBS profile	Engaging effectively with our partners to ensure we have a reputation as a highly-valued public organisation that has the trust of stakeholders and customers	X		X	X
Risk 674: Failure to deliver the strategic objectives from the DBS 2020-25 strategy	Ensuring we meet our strategic ambitions to make recruitment safer	X	X	X	X
Risk 675: Failure to manage change and transformation	Effectively manage change activity to ensure service continuity for our customers	X	X	X	X
Risk 771: Reduced productivity and reputational impact due to local and national industrial action	Ensuring that our ability provide full services is not impacted, which may impede our ability to safeguard	X	X	X	X

14. Budget - delivery of the plan

The budget sets our estimated costs to deliver our services and business priorities this financial year, reflecting financial estimates of service demand, efficiency, and risk. The budget reflects the business plan milestones that support the delivery of our strategic objectives.

We have delivered substantial reductions in fees for our Disclosure products over the last few years however a fee change is now required to deliver future investments to our services. These changes are not yet reflected in our budget as they are subject to Parliamentary approval. The efficiencies driven through our value for money KPI will allow us to continue to deliver products and services that represent value for money to our customers and the Home Office in future years.

The budget overall is in line with our financial goal to deliver value for money with a fair view of risk and opportunity. As we enter year five of our strategy, our business activities continue to support ongoing transformational change and efficiency as set out in our strategy.

Our modernisation plans remain dependent on capital funding availability within government, but we are on track to deliver our capital-dependent commitments within the life of the DBS 2020-25 strategy.

Budget	£m
Income	220.9

Third Party Costs	£m
Suppliers’ costs	16.3
Police	58.7

Other Direct Costs	£m
Pay costs	63.8
IT costs	61.9
Other costs	14.6
Depreciation	5.6

Capital	£m
Capital	2.5