School Protection Registered Flawed
6th August 2009
The Independent reports that vetting procedures used for adults working with children may be flawed. Apparently some 20 per cent of the population will need to registered within the next five years.
The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 provides the legislative framework for a new vetting and barring scheme for people who work with children and vulnerable adults.
The purpose of the new scheme is to minimise the risk of harm posed to children and vulnerable adults by those that might seek to harm them through their work (paid or unpaid). It seeks to do this by barring unsuitable individuals not just on the basis of referrals but also at the earliest possible opportunity as part of a centralised vetting process that all those working closely with children and/or vulnerable adults will need to go through.
The Act provides that:-
- There will be two barred lists – one for those who are barred from engaging in regulated activity with children (the “children’s barred list”), and one for those who are barred from engaging in regulated activity with vulnerable adults (the “adults’ barred list”).
- There will be an Independent Barring Board (now the Independent Safeguarding Authority). The Authority will maintain the children’s barred list and adults’ barred list and will make decisions about whether an individual should be included in one or both barred lists.
See The Independent 6 August 2009 School Protection Register is Flawed
