Criminal record checks/disclosures
Guide on how to request criminal record checks/disclosures and view criminal record check/disclosure status
Quick links
Guide last reviewed: May 2025
On this page you'll find:
- Request a disclosure in England and Wales
- Process ‘on site’ disclosure request through Atlantic Data
- Complete disclosure request 'all in one' route through Atlantic Data (as applicant)
- Process ‘all in one’ disclosure request through Atlantic Data
- Request a disclosure in Northern Ireland
- Request a disclosure in Scotland
- Cancel an in progress disclosure request through Atlantic Data
- Complete a HQ return disclosure
- View my disclosure status
- View a team member’s disclosure status
Before you can request a disclosure
Before a disclosure can be requested for anyone their profile must be completed and their declaration must be signed. To do this the volunteer must sign in to scouts.org.uk and fill in the mandatory information which they will be immediately prompted to complete and go into their actions and sign their declaration. This will only need to be completed once and can be updated at any time by the volunteer.
A guide on this is available on our quick start page.
Request a disclosure in England and Wales
Who can complete this task: Team Leaders (team only), Section Team Leaders (team only), Lead Volunteers, Chairs, Leadership Team Members, Support Team Members (team only), 14-24 Team Members, Volunteering Development Team Members, Disclosure Support Volunteers, Managers of the Activity Permit Scheme, Recruiters, Volunteer Safeguarding Leads and Locally Employed Staff - Leadership Support.
Notes: You can request a disclosure only after the volunteer signs in to scouts.org.uk and provides their personal details.
Section Team Leaders can't request disclosures through 'My membership' at scouts.org.uk. They can process the disclosure request on Atlantic Data once the disclosure request is completed.
Step-by-step instructions:
Start by signing in to scouts.org.uk.
On your welcome page:
1. Click ‘My membership’.
On the top right (if you’re using a phone, click the menu button on the top right):
2. Click ‘Search member’.
On the ‘Member search’ page:
3. Type the member’s name into the text box and click ‘Search’.
4. Click the member’s name on the list.
On the left-hand side menu, under the member’s name (if you’re using a phone, click the menu button on the top right, then click the member’s name):
5. Click ‘Disclosures’.
6. Click ‘Request disclosure’ under the column ‘Action’ (you might need to scroll along using the bar at the bottom of the list).
On the member’s disclosure page:
7. Check the member's details match their ID.
If you need to correct the member’s details, on the left-hand side menu (if you’re using a phone, click the menu button on the top right) click the member’s name. Click ‘Edit’ where you need to make any changes, click ‘Save changes’ and then return to step 4.
8. Select one of the application routes for Atlantic Data.
‘All in one’ route: requires the volunteer you’re requesting the disclosure for (the applicant) to log in to Atlantic Data and input their data before you validate their ID.
‘On-site’ route: requires you (instead of the applicant) to input their data and validate their ID.
9. Click ‘Request disclosure check’.
What happens next:
If you've selected ‘all in one’ route: The applicant receives a link by email requesting them to log in to Atlantic Data and input their ID information. You'll then meet with them to check their ID. You can share the guide on how to complete disclosure request 'all in one' route through Atlantic Data (as applicant) with them.
If you've selected 'on-site' route: You'll meet the applicant to input their information and check their ID. A link can be sent beforehand so the applicant can choose which ID they’ll be bringing.
You'll then need to process the disclosure request through Atlantic Data.
If you're adding a member who's under 18, and you only want to complete their criminal record check, you should add them with the role 'Non Member Needs Disclosure', and the start date should be the date you add them to My Membership (before their 18th birthday).
This allows you to request their disclosure, and removes their learning requirements. If you add them them into a team role, this will start their joining journey requirements from the date you add them to 'My Membership'.
If you need to correct the member’s details, on the left-hand side menu (if you’re using a phone, click the menu button on the top right):
- Click the member’s name.
- Click ‘Edit’ where you need to make any changes.
- Click ‘Save changes’.
- Return to step 4 on how to request a disclosure.
Process ‘on site’ disclosure request through Atlantic Data
Who can complete this task: Team Leaders, Lead Volunteers, Chairs, Leadership Team Members, Disclosure Support Volunteers, Recruiters, Volunteer Safeguarding Leads and Locally Employed Staff - Leadership Support.
What 'on site' route means: It requires you to meet the applicant to input their data and validate their ID.
Start by accessing Atlantic Data.
On the ‘Atlantic Data sign-in' page:
1. Click the ‘Login with TSA single sign-on' blue button, leaving the username and password fields blank.
On the ‘Sign in’ page:
2. Type your email address and password into the boxes.
3. Click the ‘Sign in’ button.
On the ‘Role management page’:
4. Select 'role' from the dropdown menu.
5. Click the ‘Proceed’ button.
On your ‘Home’ page, under the ‘Applicant Search’ section:
6. Type the volunteer’s ‘Forename’, ‘Surname’, ‘Date of Birth’, ‘Email address’ or ‘Membership Number’.
7. Click the ‘Search’ button.
8. Click the volunteer’s name from the table, under the ‘Disclosure Applications’ section.
If there’s more than one row with the volunteer’s name, click on the row with the ‘Application Status’ marked as ‘e-invitation sent’.
On the ‘Available Actions’ pop-up window:
9. Click ‘Complete Application Now’.
On the ‘Identity document verification’ page:
10. Select ‘UK’ or ‘OTHER - INTERNATIONAL’.
11. Click the ‘Proceed’ button.
On the ‘ID Selection: Primary identity documents’ page:
12. Select ‘Yes’ for the documents you want to use for the application.
Please note you need to select ‘No’ for the documents you don’t want to use.
13. Click the ‘Proceed’ button.
On the ‘ID Selection: Trusted government documents’ page:
14. Select ‘Yes’ for the documents you want to use for the application.
Please note you need to select ‘No’ for the documents you don’t want to use.
15. Click the ‘Proceed’ button.
On the ‘ID Selection: Financial and social history documents’ page:
16. Tick the boxes with the documents you want to use for the application.
17. Click the ‘Proceed’ button.
If an ‘Alert’ pop-up window appears, click ‘OK’.
On the ‘Applicant Details’ page, under the ‘Current Address Details’ section:
18. Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ for ‘Country of Residence UK’.
If you selected ‘No’, select ‘Country’ from the dropdown menu.
19. Type ‘Current Address Postcode’ into the box.
The next sections will depend on the documents you selected. Fill in the required information.
20. Click the ‘Proceed’ button.
On the ‘ID Confirmation’ page:
21. Tick the ‘I confirm the following’ box.
22. Click the ‘Proceed’ button.
On the ‘Thank you for Verifying ID Details’ page:
23. Click the ‘Here & Now’ or ‘Later’ button to select when the applicant will complete the application.
If you selected ‘Later’, click the ‘Send Remote Email’ button. The applicant will receive an email requesting them to complete their application.
If you selected 'Here & Now', the applicant will need to activate their account and fill in the required information.
Complete disclosure request 'all in one' route through Atlantic Data (as applicant)
Who can complete this task: All volunteers in England and Wales.
Note: You should have received an email from Atlantic Data requesting you to complete your disclosure check. Click the link on the email you’ve received to complete your DBS application form.
In Atlantic Data, On the ‘Activate your account’ page:
1. Type your ‘Email’ into the box.
2. Type your ‘Date of Birth’ into the box.
3. Click the ‘Proceed’ button.
On the ‘Create your password’ page:
4. Type ‘New Password’ into the box.
5. Type the same password into the ‘Confirm password’ box.
6. Click the ‘Proceed’ button.
On the ‘Login to access your account’ page:
7. Type your password into the box.
8. Click the ‘Login’ button.
On the ‘Home’ page:
9. Click the ‘Complete Application Now’ button.
On the ‘Guide to completing your application’ tab:
10. Click the ‘Next’ button.
On the ‘Your name and address history’ tab:
11. Click the ‘Next’ button.
On the ‘You’re ready to complete your application’ tab:
12. Click the ‘Go to my application’ button.
On the ‘Applicant Consent’ page:
13. Tick the boxes to confirm your consent to process your application.
14. Click the ‘Proceed’ button.
On the ‘Identity document verification’ page:
15. Select ‘UK’ or ‘OTHER - INTERNATIONAL’.
16. Click the ‘Proceed’ button.
On the ‘ID Selection: Primary identity documents’ page:
17. Select ‘Yes’ for the documents you want to use for the application.
Please note you need to select ‘No’ for the documents you don’t want to use.
18. Click the ‘Proceed’ button.
On the ‘ID Selection: Trusted government documents’ page:
19. Select ‘Yes’ for the documents you want to use for the application.
Please note you need to select ‘No’ for the documents you don’t want to use.
20. Click the ‘Proceed’ button.
On the ‘ID Selection: Financial and social history documents’ page:
21. Tick the boxes with the documents you want to use for the application.
22. Click the ‘Proceed’ button.
If an ‘Alert’ pop-up window appears, click ‘OK’.
On the applicant details page, under ‘The DBS require details of any names used during your lifetime’ section:
23. Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ for each of the 3 questions.
If you selected ‘Yes’ type any additional information into the box.
Under the ‘Your Birth Details’ section:
24. Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ for ‘Born in the UK’.
If you selected ‘No’, select ‘Other Country’ from the dropdown menu.
25. Type ‘Birth Place Town or City’ into the box and select an option from the menu.
26. Select ‘Nationality’ from the dropdown menu.
Under the ‘Current Address Details’ section:
27. Select ‘Country’ from the dropdown menu.
28. Type your ‘Postcode’ and click search or type ‘Address Line One’ and ‘Town/District’ into the boxes.
29. Select the month and year ‘You have lived at this address since’.
If you lived at your current address for less than five years, you’ll need to provide your additional addresses.
Under the ‘Your Contact Details’ section:
30. Type your ‘Preferred Tel’ into the box.
31. Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to inform if you have any convictions, cautions, reprimands or final warnings which would not be filtered in line with current guidance.
The next sections will vary depending on the documents you selected. Fill in the required information.
32. Click the ‘Proceed’ button at the bottom of the page.
If the ‘Confirm’ pop-up window appears, click ‘OK’.
On the ‘Applicant Confirmation’ page:
33. Tick ‘I Declare’ box.
34. Click the ‘Proceed’ button.
What happens next: You need to inform your Team Leader or Lead Volunteer you’ve completed your application so they can arrange a face-to-face meeting to check your documents.
Process ‘all in one’ disclosure request through Atlantic Data
Who can complete this task: Team Leaders, Lead Volunteers, Chairs, Leadership Team Members, Disclosure Support Volunteers, Recruiters, Volunteer Safeguarding Leads and Locally Employed Staff - Leadership Support.
What ‘all in one’ route means: The applicant receives a link by email requesting them to log in to Atlantic Data and input their ID information. You'll then meet with them to validate their ID.
Note: You can only process the disclosure request after the applicant inputs their ID information.
Start by accessing Atlantic Data.
On the ‘Atlantic Data sign-in' page:
1. Click the ‘Login with TSA single sign-on' blue button, leaving the username and password fields blank.
On the ‘Sign in’ page:
2. Type your email address and password into the boxes.
3. Click the ‘Sign in’ button.
On the ‘Role management page’:
4. Select role from the dropdown menu.
5. Click the ‘Proceed’ button.
On your ‘Home’ page, under the ‘Applicant Search’ section:
6. Type the volunteer’s ‘Forename’, ‘Surname’, ‘Date of Birth’, ‘Email address’ or ‘Membership Number’.
7. Click the ‘Search’ button.
8. Click the volunteer’s name from the table, under the ‘Disclosure Applications’ section.
If there’s more than one row with the volunteer’s name, click on the row with the ‘Application Status’ marked as ‘Pending ID verification’.
On the ‘Available Actions’ pop-up window:
9. Click ‘Update as ID Verified’.
On the ‘Verify ID’ page, under the ‘Applicant ID Details Confirmation’ section:
10. Type the answers for all three ‘Security Questions’ into the boxes.
Under ‘The ID Verifier Confirmation’ section:
11. Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to confirm you verified the ID.
Note: If someone else did the ID verification, you should select ‘No’, type the name of the member who verified the ID into the ‘Evidence Checked By’ box and select their name from the dropdown list.
12. Type the date into the ‘ID Verified on’ box.
13. Click the ‘Confirm’ button.
If there’s more than one row with the volunteer’s name, click on the row with the ‘Application Status’ marked as ‘Pending ID verification’.
If someone else did the ID verification, you should select ‘No’, type the name of the member who verified the ID into the ‘Evidence Checked By’ box and select their name from the dropdown list.
Request a disclosure in Northern Ireland
Who can complete this task: Team Leaders (team only), Section Team Leaders (team only), Lead Volunteers, Chairs, Leadership Team Members, Support Team Members (team only), 14-24 Team Members, Volunteering Development Team Members, Disclosure Support Volunteers, Managers of the Activity Permit Scheme, Recruiters, Volunteer Safeguarding Leads and Locally Employed Staff - Leadership Support.
Note: You can request a disclosure only after the volunteer signs in to scouts.org.uk and provides their personal details.
Start by signing in to scouts.org.uk.
On your welcome page:
1. Click ‘My membership’.
On the top right (if you’re using a phone, click the menu button on the top right):
2. Click ‘Search member’.
On the ‘Member search’ page:
3. Type the member’s name into the text box and click ‘Search’.
4. Click the member’s name on the list.
On the left-hand side menu, under the member’s name (if you’re using a phone, click the menu button on the top right, then click the member’s name):
5. Click ‘Disclosures’.
6. Click ‘Request disclosure’ under the column ‘Action’ (you might need to scroll along using the bar at the bottom of the list).
On the member’s disclosure page:
7. Check the member's details match their ID.
If you need to correct the member’s details, on the left-hand side menu (if you’re using a phone, click the menu button on the top right) click the member’s name. Click ‘Edit’ where you need to make any changes, click ‘Save changes’ and then return to step 4.
8. Select one of the application routes.
9. Click ‘Request disclosure check’.
If you're adding a member who's under 18, and you only want to complete their criminal record check, you should add them with the role 'Non Member Needs Disclosure', and the start date should be the date you add them to My Membership (before their 18th birthday).
This allows you to request their disclosure, and removes their learning requirements. If you add them into a team role, this will start their joining journey requirements from the date you add them to 'My Membership'.
If you need to correct the member’s details, on the left-hand side menu (if you’re using a phone, click the menu button on the top right):
- Click the member’s name.
- Click ‘Edit’ where you need to make any changes.
- Click ‘Save changes’.
- Return to step 4 on how to request a disclosure.
Request a disclosure in Scotland
Who can complete this task: Team Leaders (team only), Section Team Leaders (team only), Lead Volunteers, Chairs, Leadership Team Members, Support Team Members (team only), 14-24 Team Members, Volunteering Development Team Members, Disclosure Support Volunteers, Managers of the Activity Permit Scheme, Recruiters, Volunteer Safeguarding Leads and Locally Employed Staff - Leadership Support.
Note: You can request a disclosure only after the volunteer signs in to scouts.org.uk and provides their personal details.
Start by signing in to scouts.org.uk.
On your welcome page:
1. Click ‘My membership’.
On the top right (if you’re using a phone, click the menu button on the top right):
2. Click ‘Search member’.
On the ‘Member search’ page:
3. Type the member’s name into the text box and click ‘Search’.
4. Click the member’s name on the list.
On the left-hand side menu, under the member’s name (if you’re using a phone, click the menu button on the top right, then click the member’s name):
5. Click ‘Disclosures’.
6. Click ‘Request disclosure’ under the column ‘Action’ (you might need to scroll along using the bar at the bottom of the list).
On the member’s disclosure page:
7. Check the member's details match their ID.
If you need to correct the member’s details, on the left-hand side menu (if you’re using a phone, click the menu button on the top right) click the member’s name. Click ‘Edit’ where you need to make any changes, click ‘Save changes’ and then return to step 4.
8. Select ‘Existing’ or ‘New’ PVG member.
If the member is an existing PVG member, type their PVG number into the text box.
9. Select ‘Photographic ID documents provided’ from the list.
10. Select ‘Other documents’ from the list.
11. Tick the ‘Declaration’ box.
12. Click ‘Submit’.
What happens next: Scouts HQ Safeguarding Team receives this information and the applicant receives an email from Disclosure Scotland requesting them to complete their PVG application.
Please see the guidance on our Changes to criminal record checks in Scotland pages.
If you need to correct the member’s details, on the left-hand side menu (if you’re using a phone, click the menu button on the top right):
- Click the member’s name.
- Click ‘Edit’ where you need to make any changes.
- Click ‘Save changes’.
- Return to step 4 on how to request a disclosure.
Cancel an in progress disclosure request through Atlantic Data
Who can complete this task: Team Leaders, Lead Volunteers, Chairs, Leadership Team Members, Disclosure Support Volunteers, Recruiters, Volunteer Safeguarding Leads and Locally Employed Staff - Leadership Support.
Start by accessing Atlantic Data.
On the ‘Atlantic Data sign-in' page:
1. Click the ‘Login with TSA single sign-on' blue button, leaving the username and password fields blank.
On the ‘Sign in’ page:
2. Type your email address and password into the boxes.
3. Click the ‘Sign in’ button.
On the ‘Role management page’:
4. Select 'role' from the dropdown menu.
5. Click the ‘Proceed’ button.
On your ‘Home’ page, under the ‘Applicant Search’ section:
6. Type the volunteer’s ‘Forename’ and ‘Surname’.
7. Click the ‘Search’ button.
8. Click the volunteer’s name from the table.
On the pop-up window:
9. Click 'Cancel application'.
10. Type your comments into the box.
11. Click 'Confirm'.
What happens next: You'll be able to request a new disclosure on My Membership.
Complete a HQ return disclosure
Who can complete this task: Lead Volunteers and Volunteer Safeguarding Leads.
Start by signing in to scouts.org.uk.
On your welcome page:
1. Click ‘My membership’.
On the top right (if you’re using a phone, click the menu button on the top right):
2. Click ‘Search member’.
On the ‘Member search’ page:
3. Type the member’s name into the text box and click ‘Search’.
4. Click the member’s name on the list.
On the left-hand side menu, under the member’s name (if you’re using a phone, click the menu button on the top right, then click the member’s name):
5. Click ‘Disclosures’.
On the volunteer’s ‘Disclosures’ page:
6. Click ‘Complete HQ Return’ under the column ‘Action’ (you might need to scroll along using the bar at the bottom of the list).
On the ‘HQ Return Form’ page:
7. Type the answers to all questions into the boxes.
8. Tick the box to confirm you’ve followed the Codes of Practice.
9. Type the name(s) of the volunteer(s) you shared this information with into the ‘Member search’ box and select their name(s) from the dropdown list.
10. Select an option for ‘Local decision’.
11. Type ‘Reason for decision’.
12. Click the ‘Submit’ button.
Start by signing in to scouts.org.uk.
On your welcome page:
1. Click ‘My membership’.
On the left-hand side menu (if you’re using a phone, click the menu button on the top right):
2. Click ‘My profile’.
3. Click ‘Disclosures’.
View a team member’s disclosure status
Who can complete this task: Team Leaders, Lead Volunteers, Chairs, Leadership Team Members, Disclosure Support Volunteers, Recruiters, Volunteer Safeguarding Leads and Locally Employed Staff - Leadership Support.
Start by signing in to scouts.org.uk.
On your welcome page:
1. Click ‘My membership’.
On the top right (if you’re using a phone, click the menu button on the top right):
2. Click ‘Search member’.
On the ‘Member search’ page:
3. Type the member’s name into the text box and click ‘Search’.
4. Click the member’s name on the list.
On the left-hand side menu, under the member’s name (if you’re using a phone, click the menu button on the top right, then click the member’s name):
5. Click ‘Disclosures’.