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Supporting transgender volunteers with the criminal record check process

Find information and considerations for Lead Volunteers and Team Leaders

At Scouts, we’re committed to diversity and inclusion and we’re open to everyone, regardless of their gender. Everyone has the right to be treated as the gender they identify as, regardless of any medical or legal steps they’ve taken. Members might, or might not, have changed their name, or have legal recognition of their identified gender. Members don’t have to disclose their gender, and it’s not appropriate to ask someone if they are trans.

Lead Volunteers can find further information about practically supporting transgender adults in Scouts on the Supporting Trans Volunteers page.

There’s support available for trans volunteers with completing criminal record checks at Scouts.  See the guidance below for support in different parts of the UK.

For volunteers in England and Wales

The law requires an individual to disclose all their previous names and addresses to make sure their criminal record check is processed correctly. There are several options to make sure trans volunteers can complete their criminal record check without needing to disclose their gender identity to Scouts.

The Disclosure and Barring Service offer a service to make sure previous names (and gender) aren’t disclosed on the DBS certificate. An applicant needs to directly contact the DBS Sensitive Applications Team.

More information on transgender applications, including where to go for support, is available on gov.uk, through emailing sensitive@dbs.gov.uk or by calling 0300 106 1452.

For volunteers in Northern Ireland

AccessNI, the criminal record checking service used in Northern Ireland, also offer a discrete application process for adults who don’t wish to disclose their gender identity or previous names and gender. 
  
For further information on the process in Northern Ireland, contact AccessNI's Operations manager via 0300 200 7888.

For volunteers in in Scotland

Disclosure Scotland use the PVG scheme. ID checking can be completed confidentially by contacting the Scouts Support Centre. 
 
Further information is available confidentially via disclosures@scouts.org.uk.

Can I change my name on scouts.org.uk?

Any adult volunteer who’s transitioning (in the process of moving from their assigned gender into their chosen gender) may legally change their name and can then do so on their membership record at Scouts too. They should contact the Scouts Support Centre for advice.