There’s a question on every Enhanced DBS application that trips up more people than any other. It isn’t your name or your address. It’s a short drop-down asking which workforce you’re being checked for. Pick the wrong one and your check can stall, come back at the wrong level, or miss the barred list information your client or licensing body needs to see.
We process hundreds of these applications every day, and the workforce question is where we see avoidable delays start. If you’re self-employed and applying for your own check, there’s no HR team to catch the mistake for you, so it pays to understand this bit yourself.
| Workforce type | Who it's for | Typical self-employed roles | Barred list check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Child Workforce | Roles working with or responsible for children under 18 | Tutors, sports coaches, music and dance teachers, nannies, childminders | Children's Barred List (on eligible Enhanced checks) |
| Adult Workforce | Roles caring for or supporting vulnerable adults | Live-in carers, personal care assistants, support workers, many locum healthcare roles | Adults' Barred List (on eligible Enhanced checks) |
| Child and Adult Workforce | Roles involving both groups in the same job | Nurses, GPs and therapists treating all ages; cleaners and contractors across schools and care homes | Both lists (on eligible Enhanced checks) |
| Other Workforce | Roles that need a check, but not mainly because of contact with children or vulnerable adults | Taxi and private hire drivers, Gambling Commission roles, some security and finance roles | Usually none (taxi and private hire is a known exception) |
The four workforce types
Child Workforce
Pick this if your role involves working with or being responsible for children under 18. It covers a lot of self-employed work: private tutors, sports coaches, music and dance teachers, childminders, nannies, babysitters.
On an Enhanced check with barred list checks, Child Workforce lets your application be searched against the Children’s barred list. That’s why it matters so much for anyone in childcare or education.
Adult Workforce
Pick this if you provide care or support to vulnerable adults. Live-in carers, personal care assistants, support workers and many locum healthcare roles sit here.
The kind of work that counts includes personal care, helping someone move or eat, managing their money for them, or providing healthcare and therapy. Where the role qualifies, Adult Workforce allows a search against the Adults’ barred list.
Child and Adult Workforce
This one is for roles that involve both children and vulnerable adults in the same job. Nurses, GPs and therapists who treat patients of every age are the obvious examples, along with cleaners or contractors who work across both schools and care homes.
Where the role qualifies, this option lets both barred lists be checked on a single application. You do not need to submit two separate checks to cover both groups, which is a myth that costs people money.
Other Workforce
This is the broad one, and the one people misread most. Choose Other Workforce when your role qualifies for a Standard or Enhanced check, but not mainly because you work with children or vulnerable adults.
Taxi and private hire drivers are the classic case, along with roles licensed by the Gambling Commission and certain security and financial positions. These need a check because of the trust the role carries, not because of regulated contact with a vulnerable group. Other Workforce checks usually don’t include a barred list search. There are a few exceptions, with taxi and private hire being the best known, where the nature of the role still allows one.
How the workforce type decides your barred list check
The link is simpler than it sounds:
- Child Workforce can include a Children’s Barred List check
- Adult Workforce can include an Adults’ Barred List check
- Child and Adult Workforce can include both
- Other Workforce usually includes neither, with a few role-specific exceptions
Choosing yours
It comes down to one question: who does the role actually put you in contact with?
- Under-18s? Child Workforce.
- Vulnerable adults? Adult Workforce.
- Both, in the same role? Child and Adult Workforce.
- Neither, but the role still needs a check? Other Workforce.
Why it matters more when you’re self-employed
Since the January 2026 changes to DBS legislation, self-employed people can apply for their own checks through a registered umbrella body instead of waiting for an organisation to do it on their behalf. That’s a genuine win for anyone working independently. It also means the application is yours to get right, and the workforce type is the part people most often get wrong.
Choose correctly and the check runs through cleanly. Choose wrong and our platform will usually flag it before submission, though the odd error does get through, and if it reaches the DBS it’ll normally be returned for correction. That’s lost time you might not have when a client is waiting, so it’s worth getting right from the off.
The workforce type is also what links your check to the barred lists, the records of people prohibited from working with children or with vulnerable adults. Only certain roles can be checked against those lists, and the workforce type is how the DBS works out which one applies to you.
Is the workforce type the same as the level of check?
Do I pick a workforce type for a Basic check?
I work with children and adults. Is that two checks?
What if I pick the wrong one?
Can I really apply for my own check now?
Ready to apply for your DBS check as a sole trader?ย
Self-employed-dbs.co.uk processes Enhanced and Standard DBS applications for self-employed workers in England and Wales. No employer needed.