Vetting & Barring
Vetting and Barring Scheme Guidance
With the introduction of the VBS Scheme, which commenced on 12th October 2009,
the first phase has been made available covering the changes from that date.
It is now a criminal offence for individuals barred by the ISA to work or apply to work with children or vulnerable adults in a wide range of posts - including most NHS jobs, Prison Service, education and childcare. Employers also face criminal sanctions for knowingly employing a barred individual across a wider range of work;
The three former barred lists (POCA, POVA and List 99) are being replaced by two new ISA-barred lists;
Employers, local authorities, professional regulators and other bodies have a duty to refer to the ISA, information about individuals working with children or vulnerable adults where they consider them to have caused harm or pose a risk of harm.
New employees and those changing jobs in regulated activity do not need to start applying for ISA-registration until July 2010 and ISA-registration does not become mandatory for these workers until November 2010. All other staff will be phased into the scheme from 2011.
Further information on how to apply for registration will be provided in due course.
The guidance is available from http://www.isa-gov.org.uk/PDF/VBS_Guidance.pdf and covers those working or volunteering in England, Wales (a Welsh language edition is available http://www.isagov.org.uk/PDF/VBS_GUIDANCE_Welsh_NOV09.pdf ) and Northern Ireland. Those working in Scotland are subject to a separate, parallel scheme which is being developed by the Scottish government.
