The UK Government is consulting on changes that could stop some childhood convictions appearing on criminal record checks for life, while retaining lifelong disclosure for the most serious offences. The proposals are not yet law.
The Ministry of Justice launched its childhood criminal records consultation on 12 November 2026. It applies to England and Wales and asks whether people should continue to disclose certain convictions from before the age of 18 long after completing their sentences.
The consultation closes on 24 December 2026. The current rules remain in force unless and until changes are made through legislation. There is no confirmed date for any new system to start.
What would change under the five proposals?
The proposals focus on what must be revealed to employers, education providers and other organisations. They would not erase criminal records or automatically make everyone with a childhood conviction eligible for a sensitive job.
- A shorter list of offences requiring lifelong disclosure: the Government is considering excluding five offences from a new, narrower list of childhood convictions that would still require lifelong disclosure on standard or enhanced DBS checks.
- Short custodial sentences: childhood convictions for non-specified offences resulting in custody of two years or less could be filtered from standard and enhanced checks after a proposed 11-year period, rather than appearing for life.
- Fines: a fine imposed on a child currently generally becomes spent after six months for a basic check. The consultation asks whether this should fall to three months or become spent immediately.
- Out-of-court resolutions: the Government proposes ending automatic disclosure of childhood out-of-court resolutions, including youth conditional cautions.
- The “drag-on” rule: a further childhood conviction would no longer automatically extend the rehabilitation period of an earlier unspent childhood conviction. If a further offence is committed as an adult, an earlier unspent childhood conviction could still be subject to the drag-on rule.
Which childhood offences could stop being disclosed for life?
The Government has singled out affray, violent disorder, robbery, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and supplying controlled drugs to a child under 16 for possible removal from the youth-specific list of “specified offences”. This is a proposal, not an exemption that applies today.
For a non-custodial childhood conviction for one of these offences, the proposed result would generally be filtering after five years and six months on standard or enhanced checks, rather than lifelong automatic disclosure. If a conviction led to a custodial sentence of two years or less, the proposed period would be 11 years. These changes would depend on the final rules and other relevant offences on a person’s record.
The Ministry of Justice argues that broad offences can cover incidents of widely differing seriousness. Robbery, for example, can range considerably in circumstances and harm. That does not mean the offences are harmless, and safeguarding concerns are one of the questions on which ministers are seeking views.
Which offences would still be disclosed?
The proposals would retain lifelong disclosure for the most serious offences, including serious violent, sexual and terrorism-related offences, and serious coercive or exploitative offending. Convictions for other non-specified offences resulting in custodial sentences of more than two years would also continue to be disclosed for life under the proposals.
The separate DBS barring scheme, which prevents people who pose certain risks from working with children or vulnerable adults, is not part of the proposed changes. Enhanced checks would also retain police discretion to disclose relevant, proportionate information.
What does a DBS check show under current law?
- Basic DBS check: generally shows unspent convictions and conditional cautions. It can be requested for any type of job or purpose.
- Standard DBS check: available only for eligible roles, including some jobs in law, finance and security. It can show spent and unspent convictions and cautions, subject to filtering rules.
- Enhanced DBS check: available for eligible safeguarding and other roles, including many jobs involving children or vulnerable adults. It can also contain relevant local police information.
Under existing DBS filtering guidance, a childhood conviction for a non-specified offence that did not result in custody can normally be filtered after five years and six months. But convictions for specified offences, and convictions resulting in custodial sentences, are currently disclosed automatically on standard and enhanced checks regardless of age.
Youth cautions are already excluded from automatic standard and enhanced disclosure. Youth conditional cautions are generally disclosed while unspent, usually for three months. The proposed changes should not be confused with existing protections.
How could the changes affect jobs and education?
Someone convicted as a teenager could face fewer questions about an old offence when applying for work, training or volunteering if the proposals become law. The potential impact is particularly relevant to people seeking jobs subject to standard or enhanced DBS checks, such as some education, care and security roles.
The Government says that, between November 2023 and April 2026, 43,767 standard or enhanced DBS certificates disclosed at least one childhood offence. Around 76% of childhood offences disclosed over roughly the last three years were committed more than 20 years earlier. These are figures about certificates and offences disclosed, not a count of people refused jobs.
Even if a conviction becomes filtered from an automatic check, it is not deleted from police records. The consultation says Police National Computer records are generally retained until a person is 100. Employers would still need to use the appropriate checks and make individual recruitment and safeguarding decisions.
The Youth Justice Board welcomed the consultation on 13 November, arguing that lengthy disclosure can undermine rehabilitation and access to work. The Government is also asking whether the public-protection safeguards proposed are sufficient.
Does this apply if the offence was committed at 17 but conviction came at 18?
Not necessarily. The consultation explains that age at conviction, rather than age when the offence took place, currently determines which childhood or adult disclosure period applies. Ministers say they are reviewing whether more can be done about this distinction, but the published proposals do not resolve it.
How to respond before the consultation closes
The consultation opened on 12 November 2026 and closes on Thursday 24 December 2026. Individuals with childhood records, employers, safeguarding organisations and other interested people can comment.
- Read the official consultation overview and detailed proposals.
- Use the Ministry of Justice consultation portal to submit a response online.
- Alternatively, email youthjustice.criminalrecords@justice.gov.uk or write to Youth Justice Policy Team, Ministry of Justice, 102 Petty France, London SW1H 9AJ.
People with an existing criminal record should follow current DBS disclosure guidance when applying for work rather than assuming a proposed exemption already applies.
Sources and related reading
- Ministry of Justice announcement, 12 November 2026
- Full consultation and proposed legal changes
- Disclosure and Barring Service: current filtering guidance
- Youth Justice Board response, 13 November 2026
- Related F4N coverage: new online sharing system for basic DBS checks
Follow this story: See the latest updates on childhood criminal record reform.
