Why  coaches need a DBS check

A Disclosure and Barring Service certificate can provide information on whether a person has a criminal record, either a conviction or a  caution, police intelligence and whether a person is barred from working with children. The information provided depends on the level of check requested.  The provision of the service applies to both paid and volunteer positions, although the guidance is usually written as applying the majority of roles covered, such as in education and health services.  The application to sports can be found here:  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dbs-guidance-leaflets/dbs-checks-in-sport-working-with-children

Across the sports of baseball and softball, all coaches are required to have a DBS check, in order to be able to make informed decisions about the role of someone within the sport.   Coaches work in positions of trust and have regular, direct contact with children while teaching them sport skills.   The requirement for a DBS is not based on someone’s title, but on the context of the role, the activities they perform and the frequency.  

The criteria for needing a DBS certificate are:

  • Age of Participants: The activity involves people under the age of 18.
    • As the participation age for senior baseball and softball is 14, all coaching activity can involve people under the age of 18 – even if currently, there may not be anyone of that age in your team, you do not know who will join next, therefore all coaching activity is regarded as meeting the age criteria
  • Nature of the role: It involves teaching, training or instructing children
    • That is the role of a coach, to teach children the sports of baseball and softball
  • Frequency: If the activity takes place on more than three days in any 30-day period (or any overnight trips where there is an opportunity for face-to-face contact)
    • A team coach will be working with their team at a greater frequency than this, even if only once per week.  The frequency  only needs to happen once for the DBS criteria to be met.

Using these criteria, baseball and softball coaching is regulated activity and all coaches need to have an Enhanced DBS check with a Children’s Barred List check.  Teams should be aware that is someone is on the Barred list, they are prohibited from working with children and an organisation must no knowingly allow them to do so.

All coach DBS requests from BSUK are for an Enhanced with Barred list and that has been the ongoing policy for coaching checks. What changed in 2026 is that previous the requirement stated there had to be 2+ children in a team; now it is any coach as there is no barriers to a team including children.

From 1 September 2026, there was a change in DBS criteria. Previously if someone was under the supervision of someone who has been checked, they may not need their own DBS check.  This does not change the BaseballSoftballUK requirements that all coaches need to be checked – our assessment was that anyone that performs the role of the coach can be unsupervised at any point, because of the volunteer nature of the people involved and potential inconsistency with who turns up, so all coaches should be checked.

By coaches, we mean anyone who is involved in a planned session (or game)  who is teaching, training or instructing children. They may not have coach in their title, they may be working with a Head Coach or team lead who is setting the session, but if they are teaching, training or instructing children, they are covered by the DBS requirement.

One question that is often raised is what if someone turns up and helps on occasion.  As a team you should perform due diligence on the person, but not having a DBS does not prevent a parent, carer or other family members who are at a session help, for example clearing away equipment. But if do start teaching, training or instructing children – ie joining in the actual coaching -  then you need to request they get a DBS certificate.

This summary reflects current DBS guidance for England, Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. The Summary reflecting the situation in Scotland will follow shortly. .