DBS Workforce Types Explained: Adult, Child, Both and Other

What is a DBS workforce type?

A DBS workforce type describes the group or context of work relevant to a Standard or Enhanced criminal record check. The categories appear in the application information alongside the position being checked. DBS guidance tells registered bodies to record both the relevant workforce and the position applied for.

This helps the Disclosure and Barring Service and police assess whether information may be relevant to a role. It also matters if the applicant later wants to use the DBS Update Service, where a new employer must be entitled to the same level, type and workforce of check.

Think of the workforce as a description of the work involved, not a shortcut to the result. It does not decide whether a person is suitable for employment, nor does it automatically make a Standard or Enhanced check lawful. For a separate explanation of the disclosure levels, read Annaizu's Basic, Standard and Enhanced DBS checks guide.

The four DBS workforce types at a glance

These are workforce descriptions, not four different prices or four levels of disclosure. A Basic DBS check is a separate level and does not require an Adult, Child or Other workforce selection in the same way as higher-level applications.

Adult Workforce: when does it apply?

The Adult Workforce is relevant where the job meets the rules for eligible work with adults aged 18 and over. The important detail is what the employee provides or does, not simply that they meet adults every day.

Examples that may fall within the Adult Workforce, depending on their exact duties, include people delivering personal care, healthcare professionals treating adult patients, staff providing specified social care support and workers assisting adults with certain day-to-day activities.

Does working in a care organisation automatically count?

No. A care assistant helping someone wash, dress or eat is doing something different from a payroll administrator in the same company. The first role may involve regulated activity with adults. The administrator's role must be assessed separately; an employer cannot assume the entire workforce qualifies for the same level of disclosure.

For regulated activity with adults, some specified activities can qualify even if carried out only once. Do not apply a blanket minimum-frequency rule to adult healthcare or personal care. Other routes to an Enhanced check without barred list information have their own eligibility tests.

Use the official DBS Adult Workforce eligibility guidance to check the role before submitting the application.

Child Workforce: eligible roles involving children

The Child Workforce concerns eligible activities or positions involving children, meaning people under 18. Examples can include teachers, nursery staff, childminders, youth workers, certain sports coaches and healthcare professionals who treat children. As with adults, the precise responsibilities and statutory conditions matter.

An Enhanced DBS check may be available for an eligible role in the Child Workforce. Whether it can include a Children's Barred List check is a further question. Some roles qualify for Enhanced information without barred list access; others meet the tests for regulated activity, or fall within specific additional legal provisions.

Two volunteer roles, two different assessments

Consider a volunteer who coaches children twice a week and another who helps with a monthly craft session. Both may interact with children, but the regulated activity assessment can differ because of what they do and how frequently. Being supervised no longer automatically takes a frequently carried out qualifying activity outside regulated activity.

If your organisation uses volunteers, review affected role descriptions and check whether existing safeguarding procedures reflect the new law. Do not assume every occasional volunteer needs the same barred list check.

See the current guidance for roles working with children.

Child and Adult Workforce: when both groups are involved

Some roles provide eligible services to both children and adults. In those circumstances, the application may need the Child and Adult Workforce category. For example, a clinician treating patients across both age groups may need assessment against both sets of guidance.

However, simply speaking with customers of all ages does not create eligibility for this category. A sports instructor who trains children and teaches ordinary adult fitness classes should not assume both activities satisfy the same legal conditions. The employer needs to check each element of the actual job.

It is equally important not to request both barred lists to be safe. Eligibility for Children's Barred List information and Adults' Barred List information must be established separately. One workforce label does not authorise either list automatically.

For mixed roles, keep a short explanation of which activities justify the child aspect and which justify the adult aspect. This is more useful than recording only the job title.

Other Workforce: what does it really mean?

Other Workforce covers legally eligible roles that do not fall under the Child, Adult or combined workforces in the usual way. Some positions qualify because of the profession, licence, statutory responsibilities or specific work setting, rather than direct care, teaching or supervision of children or adults.

Depending on the legal provision, examples may include certain legal or court roles, positions in regulated professions and specific licensing applications. Other Workforce does not mean every office worker or every employee handling confidential information qualifies for a Standard or Enhanced DBS check.

A licensing example worth knowing

For taxi and private hire licence applications, official DBS guidance allows the relevant licensing organisation to request an Enhanced check with both barred lists under specific provisions, while selecting Other Workforce. This is a defined exception, not general permission to request barred list checks in ordinary Other Workforce roles.

For the current criteria, consult the Enhanced DBS guidance for Other Workforce and the Standard DBS eligibility guidance.

How to choose the correct DBS workforce type

Start with the job description and the activities that will take place in practice. Then work through these five checks before an application is countersigned or submitted.

1. Write down the actual duties. Identify the service provided, where the person works, who they work with, the supervision arrangements and any relevant frequency or overnight conditions.
2. Find the legal eligibility route. Use the GOV.UK DBS eligibility tool and the role-specific guidance. Confirm whether Basic, Standard or Enhanced is appropriate.
3. Assign the workforce. Decide whether the eligible role belongs to Adult, Child, Child and Adult or Other Workforce. Mixed-age work needs a reason for each part.
4. Decide on barred list access separately. Check the relevant regulated activity or specific statutory tests. Enhanced does not automatically include a barred list check.
5. Record the decision and review it if duties change. Keep the basis for eligibility with the recruitment record and update it when responsibilities or legislation change.

These are examples for assessing eligibility, not automatic approvals for a particular check.

Common workforce mistakes employers should avoid

• Using the organisation's sector instead of the job. Not every employee in a hospital, school or care provider does the same eligible work.
• Choosing Enhanced because it sounds safer. Standard and Enhanced checks require a statutory basis; a higher level is not a discretionary upgrade.
• Assuming Other Workforce means Basic. Workforce and level are separate questions. Some Other Workforce roles can qualify for higher-level checks.
• Adding barred lists without checking the law. Neither a Child nor Adult workforce designation alone establishes barred list eligibility.
• Using outdated supervision guidance. The September 2026 change may affect child-facing roles that were previously treated as outside regulated activity because of supervision.
• Forgetting the wider recruitment checks. A DBS check is not proof of a person's right to work in the UK and does not replace qualifications, references or safeguarding procedures.

An ineligible higher-level check can create a legal and data protection problem. DBS states that organisations must not request Standard or Enhanced disclosure where legislation does not permit it. Incorrect application information can also trigger queries or hold up recruitment.

DBS check fees changed in October 2026

From 5 October 2026, the government DBS fee for a Basic or Standard check is £20, and the Enhanced DBS fee is £41. Qualifying Standard and Enhanced volunteer checks remain free of the DBS application fee, although provider administration charges may still apply. These are statutory DBS charges, not necessarily the complete provider price.

Choosing a workforce category does not determine the fee. The check level, eligibility and the service provider's charges matter. For the wider change, see Annaizu's guide to the October 2026 DBS fee reduction.

Frequently asked questions about DBS workforce types