A new vetting
and barring scheme to strengthen protection
for children and protected adults from those
who would do them harm is to be implemented
under the Protection of Vulnerable Groups
(Scotland) Act.
Secondary legislation is required to deliver
the new system that will check that those
who work with and care for vulnerable groups
are not unsuitable.
The Scottish Government is listening to
views as it shapes better safeguards for
children and other vulnerable groups,
Children's Minister Adam Ingram said today.
He was speaking following the publication of
an analysis of almost 200 responses to a
consultation on the PVG scheme.
Mr Ingram said:
"We all have a duty to protect our most
vulnerable people and must ensure safeguards
are in place for those at risk. That's why
we are driving forward with a dependable,
robust and strengthened vetting and barring
scheme.
"It is vital that we make sure people who
are unsuitable do not gain access to
children or protected adults through work,
either paid or unpaid, and that those who
become unsuitable are detected early and
prevented from continuing to work.
"We want to deliver a streamlined system
which strikes the right balance between the
proportionate protection of vulnerable
groups and the need to ensure the privacy
rights of individuals are not unduly
compromised.
"Stimulating discussion and listening to
views will help us find the best way forward
collectively and we will carefully consider
this detailed analysis to help us reduce the
risks to some of the most vulnerable people
in our society."
An analysis of the 199 responses to the
consultation on policy proposals for
secondary legislation required to implement
the new vetting and barring scheme under the
Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland)
Act 2007 was published today. The analysis
also encompasses the views of over 1000
people who attended a series of consultation
events held across Scotland.
Ministers will consider the detail of the
analysis and expect to publish a full
response in the autumn. The date for the
scheme to go live will be announced well in
advance to allow organisations and groups
who work with children and protected adults
adequate time to prepare.
The scheme - which aims to reduce
bureaucracy, streamline the disclosure
process and deliver a fair and consistent
system that will be easy for people to
understand and use - will cover those in
either paid employment or voluntary work.
It will:
* build on what has been learned from the
current system
* quickly identify and respond to people who
become unsuitable during their employment
* end the need for multiple disclosure
checks
* enable individual records to be updated as
and when people change jobs or volunteer or
when new, relevant information is referred
to the scheme
