Full guidance to
assist employers and voluntary groups in implementing the Vetting
and Barring Scheme (VBS) was published today by the Home Office.
The new scheme, which is delivered by the Criminal Records Bureau
(CRB) and the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA), aims to
prevent unsuitable people who could pose a risk of harm to
children or vulnerable adults from being able to work or volunteer
with these groups.
The publication comes ahead of the implementation of key changes
which mean that, from July 2010, employees starting work in an
organisation or role affected by the new rules and volunteers
working with vulnerable groups can apply to become ISA registered.
The guidance document contains detailed information about what
actions employers and employees will be required to take under the
scheme. It also outlines what they should do in preparation for 25
July, when registration to the scheme begins.
The Home Office Minister responsible for the VBS, Meg Hillier, said:
"We have worked hard to ensure that employers, employees
and volunteers have the information they need to meet the
requirements of the Vetting and Barring Scheme. The publication of
this guidance is the latest step in that process.
"Over the last year we’ve delivered face-to-face
briefings to more than 40,000 employers, charities and voluntary
groups up and down the country, and the feedback from them has
been overwhelmingly supportive.
"I’m confident that this guidance will quickly become an
invaluable tool for all organisations working with vulnerable
groups over the coming months and years as the scheme is rolled
out.
"The benefits of the VBS are clear – better sharing of
information, portable registration status for employers and
volunteers, and clear decisions on who is unsuitable to work with
vulnerable groups."
A link to the guidance has been sent directly to almost 26,000
employers, charities and voluntary groups. The document is also
accessible on the Directgov and Business Link websites at www.direct.gov.uk/vetting
or www.businesslink.gov.uk/vbs
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. To view the guidance, log on to www.direct.gov.uk/vetting
or www.businesslink.gov.uk/vbs
2. Hard copies of the guidance are available for those who do not
have internet access by calling the VBS helpline on 0300 123 1111.
3. The VBS is delivered by the Independent Safeguarding Authority
(ISA), the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and Access Northern
Ireland (AccessNI), and overseen by the Home Office.
4. From 12 October 2009 the following changes came into effect to
further enhance protection of children and vulnerable adults:
• it is now a criminal offence for barred individuals to
apply to work with children or vulnerable adults in a wider range
of posts than previously. Employers also face criminal sanctions
for knowingly employing a barred individual across a wider range
of work;
• the three previous barred lists (POVA, POCA and List 99)
have been replaced by the creation of two new barred lists – the
ISA Children’s Barred List and the ISA Vulnerable Adults Barred
List, maintained by the ISA rather than several government
departments. Checks of these two lists can be made with an
Enhanced CRB check; and
• employers, local authorities, professional regulators and
inspection bodies have a duty to make referrals to the ISA. They
must pass on information - such as why they stopped, considered
stopping or moved an individual working with vulnerable groups
where they consider them to have caused harm or pose a risk -
ensuring threats to vulnerable groups can be identified and dealt with.
5. Applying to register with the scheme will be quick and
easy, and the vast majority of applicants will be registered
within seven working days.
6. Registering with the scheme will be free of charge for
volunteers. Registration for those in paid employment will cost
£64 (£58 in Northern Ireland).
7. The following milestones are still to come:
• July 2010 - new entrants to work with vulnerable groups can
register with the ISA;
• November 2010 - new entrants must register with the ISA
before starting work; and
• April 2011 - existing workers can start to register with
the scheme.
8. For all media enquiries call the Home Office Press Office
on 020 7035 3535.
Contacts:
Home Office Press Office
Phone: 020 7035 3535
NDS.HO@coi.gsi.gov.uk