Insight and Advice

At Secure Screening Services, we have developed a portal that is both easy to navigate and completely transparent during the screening process. It’s simple to create an account where you can either pay as you screen or you can have an account for large volume users.

Simply add the details of the person to be screened, select the level of screening and leave the rest to us. We will contact the candidate and obtain all the information and let you know when the screening process is complete.

You will have access to a full and comprehensive report via the portal which you can download for your records. We have made the portal as interactive and user-friendly as possible. The portal can be accessed via computer, tablet or mobile device. We know that this candidate’s experience reflects your organisation’s reputation. You can trust us to deliver a professional service in a timely manner.

We have invested our time in developing a product that processes information in the quickest times available. For example, a DBS check will take a region of 5 days to process. The portal can be viewed throughout the process, clearly showing what stage your screening has reached. We get the completed screening package to you as soon as it is completed.

Employment screening usually takes around 5-7 days, however, it all depends on the level of screening and how many checks you require. If you require information to be provided by your candidates, this can hold up the process.

In some cases, people become a risk to their employers due to their online behaviours. Whether this is extremist views, negative behaviours such as bullying, racism, nudity and excessive bad language. This check also reduces the risk to brand and reputation and helps with data security. We will only conduct this check with the consent of the candidate and we will never reverse engineer into any accounts.

The new digital Right to Work scheme allows Government-accredited Identity Service Providers (IDSPs) to remotely verify the identity of people with appropriate documents, removing the responsibility for employers to physically check, ratify and record these documents. The use of online Right to Work checks was facilitated by the Government on the 6th April 2022.

To digitally check someone’s Right to Work, an accredited Identity Service Provider (IDSP) uses Identification Document Validation Technology (IDVT) to read in-date, biometric UK and Irish passports to correlate this information with an image of the candidate’s face as submitted with their application. Facial recognition technology, in conjunction with IDVT confirms the identity of the candidate and with it, their Right to Work.

A DBS check, otherwise known as a Disclosure and Barring Service check, looks into the criminal record of someone applying for a job role. It is often required for jobs within the healthcare or childcare industries. A basic DBS check covers any convictions or cautions that are unspent.

A basic DBS check looks into any convictions or cautions that are unspent.

BPSS clearance is typically conducted during the pre-employment phase. However, along with recognising that screening is vital for all team members of any nature, it is also important to reiterate the need for ongoing checks.

We have seen an uptick in requests for continued vetting and rescreening throughout a period of employment as employers become increasingly aware of the benefits of understanding who is working for them throughout the duration of their working relationship.

Yes, the government guidance states that BPSS clearance must be applied as a minimum in certain industries and job roles. It does, however, make allowances for situations where completing every check for every employee isn’t possible, such as for large numbers of short-term contractors.

The BS7858:2019 standard is the code of practice released by the BSI which entails best practices and guidelines for the security screening of people employed within a secure environment. This is also used as the screening standard for organisations looking to achieve any ISO certification.

A BS7858 check is valid for five years from the date of issue and should be retained by the employer for seven years after employment has ended.

At the most basic level, a background check shows that the information you have provided during the hiring process is factually correct.

The checks may include identity, credit and criminal record checks as well as checks that the information provided around your education and professional qualifications is accurate. Checks can also include ‘adverse media searches’ to confirm that there is no negative media (traditional or social) coverage that may mean you are unsuitable for the role.

To find out exactly what your screening will cover before the process starts, ask your potential employer. Our friendly Secure Screening Services representatives will always be happy to answer your questions too.

How far back a company background check goes will depend on the type of check being carried out. Different checks are typically associated with different time periods.

For example, lenders typically go back six years when doing a credit check. Criminal background checks typically cover seven years but can go back further depending on compliance laws and what is being searched. Your potential new employer or us here at Secure Screening Services can provide more details on the specific checks and how far back each one will go.