News
Launch of the Vetting & Barring Scheme
12 Hyd 2009Today, the Home Office will announce the launch of the Vetting & Barring Scheme (VBS), that will introduce increased safeguards and further enhance the protection of children and vulnerable adults.
The following increased safeguards are introduced from today, Monday 12th October 2009 further enhancing the protection of children and vulnerable adults:
It is a criminal offence for barred individuals to apply to work with children or vulnerable adults in a wide range of posts. Employers will also face criminal penalties if they knowingly permit barred individuals to engage in Regulated Activity;
The three current barring lists (POVA, POCA and List 99) will be replaced by the creation of two new barred lists administered by the ISA. From today, checks of these two lists can be made as part of an Enhanced CRB check; However List 99 will still appear on Enhanced Disclosures whilst this is migrated onto the new barred list;
Additional jobs and voluntary positions will be covered by the barring arrangements, including moderators of children’s internet chat rooms and a large number of NHS and prison service staff;
Employers, social services and professional regulators have a duty to refer to the ISA any information about individuals who may pose a risk to children and vulnerable adults.
In addition, from today, there will also be a number of changes to the way that you will apply for CRB checks.
A check of the new ISA barred lists is only available as part of an Enhanced CRB check.
Standard CRB checks are no longer available for posts working with children and vulnerable adults. For positions involving work with children and vulnerable adults, an Enhanced CRB check will be required;
Eligibility for Enhanced CRB checks extends to include anyone working in Regulated Activity with a Regulated Activity provider.
The POVA First service is renamed ‘ISA Adult First’. The new link to use the service is www.crb.gov.uk/isaadultfirst href="http://www.crb.gov.uk/isaadultfirst">www.crb.gov.uk/isaadultfirst
There is nor equirement at this point to request an Enhanced CRB check for existing staff who are now eligible under the extended criteria; they can be checked at the same time they are registered with the scheme in line with the phasing strategy.
Please note that in order to reflect the changes to eligibility for CRB checks, the list of Category Codes has now been amended. The amended Category Codes can be found at:
www.crb.gov.uk/guidance/rb_guidance/eligible_posts.aspx href="http://www.crb.gov.uk/guidance/rb_guidance/eligible_posts.aspx">http://www.crb.gov.uk/guidance/rb_guidance/eligible_posts.aspx
Please also find attached an email from the VBS team announcing the publication of the VBS guidance which is now available on both ISA and CRB websites.
The above information will be published on the CRB website in conjunction with a Home Office press notice.
For more information please contact www.cbscreening.com