DBS Checks for Aquatic Clubs and Swim Schools

To ensure the safety and welfare of all participants, Swim England requires Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks for individuals in regulated roles within affiliated aquatic clubs and swim schools.

Who needs a DBS check?

• All individuals aged 16+ in regulated roles (see Wavepower, page 72).
• Roles include coaches, swimming teachers, welfare officers, poolside helpers, and others working directly with children or vulnerable adults.
• Officials (e.g. referees) generally do not require a DBS unless their role involves unsupervised contact.

Types of DBS Check

There are three levels of DBS checks:

• Basic Check – For coaches/teachers and welfare officers in adult-only clubs.
• Enhanced Check – For poolside helpers and in-pool helpers.
• Enhanced with Barred List Check – For all other regulated roles involving children or vulnerable adults.

Validity and Renewal

DBS checks have no period of validity as the information on the Disclosure is a snapshot in time at the date that the checks were completed and must be seen as just one part of a safe recruitment process. However, Swim England require clubs to renew member’s DBS checks every 3 years.

Individuals must be removed from poolside if their DBS expires until it is renewed.

The DBS Process

On becoming a Swim England club or swim school, you should receive an email from First Advantage with a link to activate your account to access our DBS portal. This allows you to make disclosure and barring services (DBS) checks at your club or swim school.

If you have not received this link or have questions, please email [email protected].

The steps are below:

1. Application – The club or swim school’s welfare officer or verifier adds the applicant to the online system. The applicant completes the form and submits it for verification.
2. Verification – The applicant presents original ID documents to the verifier.
3. Submission – The application is submitted to First Advantage for processing.

If you’re looking for more assistance, following the links to more in-depth guides below

• Guide for verifiers
• Guide for applicants

Update Service

DBS certificates can be reused if registered with the DBS Update Service. This service is free for volunteers and £16/year for paid roles. You have 30 days from the issue date of your certificate to register with this service via the government website.

For Swim England to check and accept the DBS registered with the update service, individuals will need to complete a consent form and post this to us along with the original DBS certificate. N.b. The original DBS certificate is only required if the DBS was carried out by another organisation, not Swim England.

Costs

Costs for the DBS check processed via the Swim England DBS portal vary based on the organisation and the role, full details are below. Clubs and swim schools will receive an invoice from Swim England once the DBS check has been completed.

From the 1 April 2026:

• Paid roles in clubs and swim schools: £60 per application, or sign up to the update service to bring this down to £16 per year.
• Volunteer roles in clubs : Free for the first DBS check – we’ll cover the £5.85 fee. For DBS renewals (required every three years), the cost will be £5.85 per check. However, volunteers can sign up for free via the Government’s Update Service.
• Volunteer roles in swim schools: £14 for volunteers.

How to identify volunteers

DBS Verifiers

Clubs and swim schools can have multiple verifiers within the organisation. Anyone who is set up as a verifier for a club must hold a club officer role (e.g. welfare officer, chairperson, treasurer or secretary). To set up a new verifier for the club or swim school, contact [email protected].

Support and Contact

For further guidance on any of the DBS process, please view the FAQs page here, or contact: [email protected].