REPORT FROM THE OFFICE OF SANDRA BEALE

On Thursday 4 October 2007, I attended a CCPR event where Mr Peter Swift, Programme Director, Department for Children, Schools, and Families, was a guest speaker. His topic was Vetting and Barring: what does the new law mean for you? It was aimed at members of the CCPR—governing bodies, sports associations and groups with an interest in children, ie, scouts, guides etc.

The new scheme, lead by the Home Office, will be introduced in the Autumn of 2008, and much work and development is currently underway in readiness for this launch. It will run alongside the disclosure checks already being undertaken on all instructors and volunteers. It follows the Bichard Report—an investigation which took place following the Soham murders back in 2001,recommending that those who wish to work with children and vulnerable adults need to be registered at a central location, if there is no known reason why the individual should not work with these client groups.

Current developments are: the lists currently checked for disclosure will be merged into one list—a transition period is needed as this will take time; pre-employment vetting; consistent decisions by experts—The Independent Safeguarding Authority; and eventually a reduction in bureaucracy as on line checks will be done. Registration is a one off—the ISA will inform interested parties (ie, those who do an on-line check on an individual) if there is a change in status. They will not however, tell them what the change is, ie the new crime.

This registration is needed for any regulated activity ie, for us—’any activity which involves contact with children or vulnerable adults and is of a specific nature (eg teaching, training, care, supervision, advice, treatment or transport) frequently (more than once a month), intensively (lots over a short period of time) and/or overnight. It will be a legal offence to undertake regulated activity if barred.

NAKMAS would be able to make on-line checks for free. The registration would be done alongside disclosure checks (ie, probably another box to tick on the disclosure application form). It would be the responsibility of the potential ‘employee’ to get registered. It would be the governing body/employer’s responsibility not to accept an ‘employee’ or ‘member’ without ISA registration or someone who is barred.

Parents would be able to do on-line checks if they were to employ a self employed person ie, personal tutor (this would not be the case if a parent were taking a child to an arranged class). The CRB will administer the scheme on behalf of the ISA.

There is a timetable of stages of this scheme being introduced. It will start off similar to the way in which disclosures were introduced. Next Autumn they will begin with all new applications. They will gradually move onto to those who have already got disclosures. Obviously the last to have been checked, will become the last to be registered. The ISA think it will take some years to register everyone. This should stop so many disclosures being requested because once someone is registered, any employer can check to see if he is registered (ie, not barred). There will be no need for repeat disclosures every three years, as the ISA will inform the body if there have been changes. I think with this scheme imminent we should not worry ourselves about repeat disclosures except for those with disclosure results which have needed to be followed up with NSPCC advice.

I will visit the website shortly to discover if there is any information yet, on specific crimes etc which may bar an individual. Apparently it was discussed in the summer but he did not say if this information is published yet.

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