Update on vetting and barring

Philip Avery on 21/12/2011

When the current coalition government came to power it halted implementation of much of the Vetting and Barring Scheme - particularly the part which required registration with the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) of all those working with children or vulnerable adults (whether paid or volunteers).

There was agreement with loud lobbying from the WSA and others that the scheme as it stood was not proportionate and there were very real risks that it would put off volunteers and lead to injustices.

Changes to the scheme are being looked at in the Protection of Freedoms Bill 2011. It appears that the ISA registration and continuous monitoring features of the scheme have been scrapped and will not be introduced.

It would also appear that the CRB and ISA will be merged to form a single new body.

The new organization will be called the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The planned operational date for the DBS is by the end of November 2012.

We will keep NGBs updated as and when the new scheme becomes law and full guidance is available but it is important to note in the meantime that some parts still apply - namely the referral duty to the ISA and the ISA barred lists.

A person who is barred from working with children or vulnerable adults will be breaking the law if they work or volunteer, or try to work or volunteer with those groups.

An organization which knowingly employs someone who is barred to work with those groups will also be breaking the law.

If your organization works with children or vulnerable adults and you dismiss or remove a member of staff or a volunteer because they have harmed a child or vulnerable adult, or you would have done so if they had not left, you must tell the Independent Safeguarding Authority.

For further information please visit the Home Office web site.

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