Spotlite

For adults who work with children.

Apply for a Verified Professional account on Spotlite. It tells parents and young people that you are who you say you are, that your role has been checked, and that you meet our safeguarding standards.

Who this is for

You can apply if you work with children in a recognised role. That includes:

  • Teachers and teaching assistants
  • Sports coaches and club leaders
  • Youth workers
  • Tutors
  • Mentors and youth mentors
  • Faith and community leaders working with young people
  • Social workers
  • Paediatric healthcare professionals
  • Registered childminders
  • Scout, Guide, Cadet and uniformed group leaders

If your role is not on this list but you work with children professionally, you can still apply. We will review it.

You must be 18 or over.

What verification means

A verified badge on Spotlite means three things:

  1. We have confirmed your identity.
  2. We have confirmed your role and where you work.
  3. You have passed our safeguarding checks, including an Enhanced DBS check or local equivalent.

It does not mean we endorse you. It means you have been checked.

We re-check every 12 months. If your status changes, your badge is removed.


What you will need


Have these ready before you start. The application takes about 15 minutes.

  1. Government-issued photo ID (passport or driving licence).
  2. A clear photo of yourself, taken today.
  3. Your Enhanced DBS certificate, issued in the last 12 months. If you do not have one, we will guide you through getting one.
  4. Proof of your role. This is usually a letter from your employer, a registration number, or a professional body membership.
  5. Your professional registration number, if you have one.


Examples of professional registration:

  • Teachers — DfE Teacher Reference Number (TRN)
  • Social workers — Social Work England registration
  • Doctors — GMC number
  • Nurses — NMC PIN
  • Coaches — NGB coaching qualification number
  • A safeguarding training certificate from the last three years.


If anything is missing, save your application and come back to it.

The process

Step 1 – Apply

You complete the form and upload your documents.

Step 2 – We verify your identity.

This uses an automated check against your ID document and your photo.

Step 3 – We verify your role

A member of our Trust and Safety team contacts your employer, professional body, or referee to confirm your position.

Step 4 – We review your safeguarding record.

A member of our Trust and Safety team contacts your employer, professional body, or referee to confirm your position.

Step 5 – Decision

We email you within 10 working days. Most decisions are faster.

If we approve you, your verified badge appears on your profile straight away.

If we decline, we tell you why where we can. Some declines are final. Some can be reapplied to once you have addressed the reason.

What a verified badge gives you

  • A blue verified tick on your profile.
  • Permission to post in professional spaces.
  • Permission to be listed in our directory of verified adults.
  • Priority support from our Trust and Safety team.

Important. It does not give you access to any child’s profile, account, or messages. Spotlite is built so that adults and children are kept apart unless a child has actively chosen to connect with you, and a guardian has approved that connection. Verification does not change that.

What we expect from you

By applying, you agree to:

  • Use your real name on Spotlite.
  • Use the platform only in line with your professional role.
  • Tell us within seven days if your role ends, your DBS lapses, or you are placed under any safeguarding investigation.
  • Follow our Code of Conduct for Verified Adults.
  • Accept that we can revoke your verification at any time, for any reason, without refund of any fees paid.

We will report safeguarding concerns to the relevant authority. That includes the police, the Disclosure and Barring Service, the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO), and your professional body where applicable.