Strong safeguards to protect children and vulnerable adults were set out in greater detail by the Government today ahead of the launch of the vetting and barring scheme (VBS) later this year.
The scheme, which is at the heart of the Government's strategy to increase the protection of vulnerable members of our society, begins on 12 October.
The UK already has one of the most advanced systems in the world for checking those who work in positions of trust with children and vulnerable adults.
Increased safeguards will start coming into effect from 12 October. Within five years, around five million more jobs and voluntary positions - including most NHS jobs - will have become subject to checks. This means many more people posing a risk to the vulnerable will be excluded from the workplace.
Additional safeguards starting in October are:
- reduction of red tape - two barring lists will be administered by a single organisation, the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA), rather than the three lists currently maintained by two different Government departments: Protection Of Children Act (POCA), Protection of Vulnerable Adults (PoVA) and List 99;
- the introduction of barring from 'regulated activities' - people included on the new ISA lists will be barred from a much wider range of jobs and activities than before, particularly in areas of work with vulnerable adults such as the NHS;
- a new duty to share information - employers, social services and professional regulators will have to notify the ISA of relevant information so individuals who pose a threat to vulnerable groups can be identified and barred from working with these groups; and
- new criminal offences - it will become a crime for a barred individual to seek or undertake work with vulnerable groups; and for employers to knowingly take them on.
From 26 July 2010 all new entrants to roles working with vulnerable groups and those switching jobs within these sectors will be able to register with the VBS and be checked by the ISA.
Registration will include employers being continuously informed of an employee's suitability to work. To ensure robust testing and maximise the safety of vulnerable groups, the mechanism that keeps employers informed of an employee's suitability to work will also be introduced in July next year rather than October 2009.
So as not to disrupt normal recruitment over the traditionally busy summer period, the legal requirement for employees to register with the VBS and employers to check their status will come into force in November 2010.
Home Office Minister, Meg Hillier, said:
"The protection of children and vulnerable adults is a priority for the government. The extra safeguards we are delivering from 12 October and next year will help remove an even greater number of unsuitable people who pose a potential risk to vulnerable groups from the workforce.
"We already have one of the most comprehensive vetting systems in the world. Once employers start being updated with new information about their employees from July 2010 it will offer even greater protection."
The VBS is designed to offer a more stream-lined, faster system of workplace vetting for those working with children and vulnerable adults building on existing good practices.
Good progress has already been made to deliver the Vetting and Barring Scheme, a direct response to the recommendations of the Bichard Inquiry.
In January this year, the ISA took over responsibility from ministers for decisions on new cases referred under existing barring schemes (List 99, PoCA and PoVA) to ensure a smooth delivery of the scheme. The ISA has begun including or considering to include all barred individuals on the new lists.
The Home Office appointed Sir Roger Singleton as the chairman of the ISA and Adrian McAllister, as its chief executive. The Board members were announced last May.
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