Filters that will remove some minor offences and cautions from the new Disclosure and Barring Service are effective from today.

Adult convictions that have elapsed for over 11 years that are the person's only offence and did not result in a custodial sentence will not appear in the new records, which replaced CRB checks earlier this year. Similar convictions by those under 18 at the time of the offence will have the same rules, but with a period of 5.5 years. Adult cautions will be removed after six years and under 18s' after two. This will happen only if the offence is not on a designated safeguarding list, the new Disclosure and Barring Service advises.

As a result of these changes, the Service requests that registered bodies bring to applicants' attention question e55, which asks "Have you ever been convicted of a criminal offence or received a caution, reprimand or warning?" Applicants should "treat this question as if they were being asked: 'Do you have any unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings?'," they advised.