“CRB check” means an older criminal-record disclosure obtained through the former Criminal Records Bureau, or—more commonly today—an informal reference to a DBS check. The wording alone gives no reliable information about the certificate’s level, age or relevance.
A request for a CRB check should be converted into a precise current request. That means identifying the DBS level, the workforce, whether any barred-list check is legally available, and who will start the application.
The distinction that matters
For this particular question, start by use DBS on new applications and policies. CRB wording remains common, but it should not obscure the current process. A document only reports information available under the rules and at the time it was issued. It should be matched to the holder and considered alongside the duties, check level and present safeguarding arrangements.
A realistic tutoring example
A family asks a tutor, “Have you passed a CRB?” The tutor can answer more usefully by stating the actual certificate level and issue date and offering to show it. Both sides should avoid treating “passed” as an official outcome.
Turn the checklist into an evidence trail
Use a short evidence record rather than a yes-or-no label:
- Use DBS on new applications and policies.
- Ask what formal level is needed.
- Check the document rather than accepting the acronym.
- Do not assume an old certificate covers recent events.
Beside each line, add the evidence source, date and person who checked it. The record for What Does CRB Check Mean is incomplete while any line rests only on an assumption. The boundary question is Is CRB still a government service? The evidence-based answer is: No. Current criminal-record checking in England and Wales is handled by DBS. Keep that answer with the decision so the document is not later described more broadly than it should be.
Questions this wording often leaves unanswered
Is CRB still a government service?
No. Current criminal-record checking in England and Wales is handled by DBS.
Was a CRB check a pass-or-fail test?
No. Like a DBS certificate, it disclosed information to support a decision.
Why might an employer reject an old CRB document?
It may be too old, use an unsuitable level or relate to duties different from the current role.
If this evidence trail shows that What Does CRB Check Mean requires a new application, use the tutor application page only after the unresolved item has been recorded. The application should follow from the decision, not replace it.