Vetting and Barring Scheme
Vetting and Barring Scheme: Postponement of Public Registration
On 15 June, the UK Government announced plans to halt voluntary registration with the new Vetting and Barring Scheme while a review is undertaken to remodel the Scheme.
While this is underway existing safeguarding regulations remain in force and should be adhered to. The following changes came into effect from 12th October 2009 and remain in place:
- since January 2009, the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) has been making independent barring decisions. It will continue to maintain two constantly updated lists, one for those barred from working with children, the other for those barred from working with vulnerable adults;
- existing requirements concerning Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks will remain in place, and those entitled to such checks can continue to apply for them; and
- employers are still legally obliged to refer information to the ISA if they have moved or removed an individual because they have harmed or there is a risk of harm to a member of a vulnerable group.
The official announcement by The Home Secretary, Theresa May can be found on The Independent Safeguarding Authority website.
Further information will be available and updated on the Directgov website.
Vetting and Barring Scheme safeguards introduced
Increased safeguards have now been introduced under the Vetting and Barring Scheme (VBS), from October 12th 2009:
- It is now a criminal offence for individuals barred by the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) to work or apply to work with children or vulnerable adults in a wide range of posts - including most NHS jobs, prison service, education and childcare. Employers also face criminal sanctions for knowingly employing a barred individual across a wider range of work;
- The three former barred lists (Protection of Children Act, Protection of Vulnerable Adults Act and List 99) are being replaced by two new ISA-barred lists;
- Employers, local authorities, professional regulators and other bodies have a duty to refer to the ISA, information about individuals working with children or vulnerable adults where they consider them to have caused harm or pose a risk of harm. Referral forms and referral guidance are available from the ISA website;
- VBS guidance is now available covering the increased safeguards and the duties to refer introduced from the 12th October.
ISA-registration for the VBS does not start for new workers or those moving jobs until July 2010 and ISA-registration does not become mandatory for these workers until November 2010. All other staff will be phased into the scheme from 2011.
For further information go to the Independent Safeguarding Authority website (external link, English only)
What is the scheme?
Under the terms of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 (SVG), a new vetting and barring scheme for Wales and England will be introduced.
Who will be covered?
The scheme will cover those who work or volunteer, or seek to work or volunteer, with children or vulnerable adults. Approximately 750,000 people in Wales will be covered by the scheme in a range of occupations including:
- health;
- the caring services;
- childcare providers;
- teaching and coaching;
- transport of vulnerable individuals; and
- advisory services.
Also covered by the scheme are the inspectorate bodies, local government directors and bodies, charitable trustees and youth justice boards. This is not an exhaustive list.
Where can I find out more information?
For more general information on the scheme please visit the ISA website.
The implementation of the Act is led by the Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Welsh Assembly Government is working closely with colleagues in Whitehall.
Further details of their work can be found on the Department for Children, Schools and Families website (external link, English only)
Will the scheme operate the same in Wales as it will in other parts of the UK?
Much of this scheme will be consistent across Wales and England but under the Act the Welsh Assembly Government is able to make regulations about controlled activities.
The Assembly Government proposed that anyone who had committed any of the most serious offences and is included automatically on the barred list would not be allowed to work in controlled activities. In addition, those with other offences, or who have engaged in harmful behaviour that lead to a "discretionary" bar, may be employed in controlled activities subject to appropriate safeguards.
In England it is proposed that even those barred for the most serious offences can apply to work in controlled activities and be employed subject to appropriate safeguards.
Where aspects of the scheme will operate differently in Wales, information will be published on these pages. Otherwise, the information provided on the ISA website is relevant to Wales.
A consultation document was issued in 2007 and there was widespread support for making the regulations in Wales covering this area of activity more stringent than those in England. Access to the consultation document, Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006: Controlled Activities Wales is available on this page.
When will the scheme start?
The scheme will start from 12 October 2009 and will be phased in over a period of time.
How much will it cost?
The fee for an application to the ISA will be £28, in addition to the £36 Criminal Records Bureau disclosure fee, i.e. £64 in total. Those only working in regulated activity on a voluntary basis will not have to pay a fee.
Guidance on the Vetting Barring Scheme
Generic guidance on the Vetting and Barring Scheme has been prepared for employers, applicants and other users of the scheme. It is available from 19 March 2010 on the Independent Safeguarding Authority website:
http://www.isa.homeoffice.gov.uk/pdf/VBS_guidance_ed1_2010.pdf (external link)
The Vetting and Barring Scheme (VBS): School or Further Education College exchanges
Guidance on school exchanges can be accessed via the related links on the right hand side of the page.
Public Consultation on continuing need for a controlled activity category in the Vetting and Barring Scheme
The Vetting and Barring Scheme (VBS) includes a category of controlled activity in relation to children or vulnerable adults, comprising posts in the Further Education, health-care, and Local Authority sectors.
This consultation asks for views on whether the Government should propose in the medium term to reduce this category in the VBS or remove it entirely, by moving some posts into regulated activity, and removing others from regulation by the VBS.
Launch Date: Tuesday 23 March 2010
Closing Date: Thursday 9 July 2010
The consultation can be accessed by clicking on the following link: http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/consultations/