Information for sponsors welcoming a Ukrainian person or family

DBS and home checks

All sponsors and family members aged 16 years or over who live at the address will require safeguarding and home checks. To begin completing these necessary checks, we are contacting all sponsors as quickly as possible. If you haven't heard from us yet, please tell us when your guests have arrived.

The checks will include:

• safeguarding checks
• Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks
• a check of the suitability of the home (carried out by your local district, borough or city council)

These checks need to be passed in order for guests to stay with you and payments to be made. There is no charge for these checks.

Safeguarding checks

We have set up an internal team who are carrying out safeguarding and DBS checks for sponsors.

As part of the safeguarding check, a council worker will visit your home to speak to you and make sure there are no safeguarding risks. In some cases, we will need to carry out two home visits.

If your Ukrainian guest groups includes children, a Children and Families worker will visit first to meet your household. A worker from the Education Service will then arrange a second visit to meet your guests once they have arrived.

For adult only guests, if the guests have arrived by the time of the first safeguarding check, only one visit will be required.

DBS checks

Household members aged 16 years or over will have the option to provide evidence for the DBS checks. An enhanced DBS check is required if you are providing a home for children.

Please note that:

• each person undergoing a DBS check must have their own email address
• when asked to provide a utility bill, this must be linked to your home. For example a mobile phone bill is not accepted. You can use a water, gas, electric or council tax bill

To complete the DBS check you will need to provide proof of ID. To check what documents you need to provide, read guidance about DBS checks and processes.

We need you to bring the documents to us. You can do this:

• at Basildon, Braintree, Chelmsford, Clacton, Colchester or Harlow libraries, by appointment only
• at Essex County Hall in Chelmsford, or Stanwell House in Colchester, by appointment only
• at your Safeguarding Visit. This will take longer and may delay your DBS check

Bringing your documents to a library

You must book an appointment if you want to share your documents at a library.

Book an appointment

Basildon
Braintree
Chelmsford
Clacton
Colchester
Harlow

Book an appointment to attend an Essex County Council office

Email BusinessSupport.FamilyOPs@essex.gov.uk to request an appointment.

Include either 'DBS Appointment at Chelmsford' or 'DBS Appointment at Colchester' in the email subject.Your email must include:

• the name of the sponsor
• your contact details, including a telephone number

Accommodation checks

Accommodation checks will be carried out by your local district, borough or city council. They will be in touch to arrange a convenient time to visit your home or property.

All homes must meet the standards as set out in the accommodation guidance.