Bichard vetting and barring scheme
From SR
Background
In response to recommendation 19 of the Bichard Inquiry, the Government is planning to introduce a new vetting and barring scheme for people who work with children and vulnerable adults. The introduction of the new scheme will be subject to Parliament approving the necessary legislation.
Purpose
The aim of the vetting and barring scheme is to reduce the incidence of harm to children and vulnerable adults by helping to ensure that:
- employers benefit from an improved vetting service for those who work with children and/or vulnerable adults
- those who are known to be unsuitable are barred from working with children and/or vulnerable adults at the earliest possible opportunity
The Department of Health and the Department for Education and Skills jointly carried out a public consultation on the proposals for a new vetting and barring scheme from 5 April to 5 July 2005. The proposed model for vetting and barring was widely welcomed, with 88% of respondents either agreeing or strongly agreeing that the new scheme would have a positive impact on safeguards for children and vulnerable adults.
The new scheme will:
- build on the existing lists of those barred from work with children and vulnerable adults, including the Protection of Vulnerable Adults (POVA) list
- be more comprehensive in coverage, with a wider workforce eligible for checks
- enable a barring decision to be made on the basis of an individual's criminal record history, as well as following a referral from an employer or another body
- update barring decisions as soon as any new information is made available and notify employers if an employee is deemed unsuitable
- enable employers to make secure, instant online checks of an applicant's status in relation to the scheme
Documents
The report of the consultation is available via Making Safeguarding Everybody's Business: A Post-Bichard Vetting Scheme: Analysis of the responses to the consultation document
