What "DBS-Verified" means on Tutorperch
A DBS-Verified badge on a tutor's profile indicates that a member of our team has:
- Received the tutor's Enhanced DBS certificate
- Confirmed the certificate is clear (no convictions, cautions, or relevant police-held information)
- Confirmed the certificate is dated within the last three years
- Confirmed the name on the certificate matches the tutor's account
After the review we record the certificate number, name, date of birth, issue date, and clear status. The certificate image itself is purged from our systems.
Why we do it manually
Marketplace eligibility for the gov.uk DBS Update Service API is legally untested for platforms like ours, and the cost-per-check on automated services would have to be passed on somewhere. We chose to absorb the cost ourselves and review every certificate by hand. It's a smaller-volume, higher-trust approach — slower, but more honest about what the badge actually represents.
What the badge doesn't replace
A DBS check is a snapshot in time. Even an Enhanced DBS cert issued yesterday only confirms what was on the relevant police records up to that moment. For child tutoring specifically, we'd suggest layering normal parental due-diligence on top:
- Meet first — in person if local, video call if online — before booking ongoing lessons.
- Ask to see the physical certificate at the start. It's a normal request and most tutors will be happy to comply.
- Use the gov.uk DBS Update Service if the tutor is subscribed — you can run a free online status check confirming the cert is still current.
- Ask for references, do a trial lesson, supervise early sessions where you can.
The independent DBS-check guidance page walks through each of these in more detail.
Renewals
Three years after a tutor's DBS cert was issued, the badge expires and they have to submit a fresh certificate to keep it. We email reminders at 60 and 30 days before expiry. A tutor who lets their badge lapse can re-verify any time — there's no penalty, just a gap until the new cert is reviewed.
What if a tutor doesn't have the badge?
Some tutors don't submit a DBS check — typically because they only teach adults (university-prep, professional CPD, language tuition for working professionals), or because they're new to the platform and haven't gone through the process yet. The absence of the badge isn't a red flag in itself; it's just an absent positive signal. For child tutoring, we'd recommend either filtering to DBS-Verified or making the request part of your pre-booking conversation: "Could you share your DBS certificate before we start?"