The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) has today launched its new 2025 to 2028 strategy and 2025 to 2026 business plan, setting the organisation’s strategic direction for the next 3 years. 

Over the next 3 years, DBS will continue to fulfil its purpose of protecting the public by helping employers make safer recruitment and employment decisions by the processing and issuing of DBS checks, and by barring individuals who pose a risk to vulnerable people. 

In 2025 to 2028, DBS is committed to: 

• continuing to enhance the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of our services 

• contributing to lowering the risk of harm to vulnerable groups 

• building a more inclusive, transparent and responsive organisation 

• enabling individuals to safely enter employment 

• protecting the right to rehabilitation 

The strategy 

The 2025 to 2028 strategy, co-created with our staff and informed by valuable insights from our partners, details DBS’ ambitions to be achieved by 2028.   

There are 5 strategic objectives that make up the strategy: 

• our products and services 

• being visible, trusted, and influential 

• delivering through innovative technology 

• customer data and insight led 

• being people-focused 

To achieve these aims, we’re committed to embracing innovation, making data-driven decisions, and maintaining our position at the forefront of safeguarding as a trusted organisation. 

All of our work continues to be underpinned by our core principles: safeguarding, quality, sustainability, value for money, and diversity and inclusion. 

The business plan 

The business plan sets out an ambitious but realistic plan for the next 12 months, and details a number of priorities, including: 

• increasing accessibility of services  

• increase collaboration with external stakeholders  

• increase in the quality of the police matching algorithm 

• identify further opportunities to make better use of the data we have, and new opportunities to seek customer and stakeholder feedback 

• continue to improve and invest in our learning and development offering for staff 

The plan also highlights some of DBS’ achievements over the past year, such as a record number, 7.4 million, DBS certificates being issued in 2023 to 2024, and achieving re-accreditation with the Customer Service Excellence standards.