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27/06/08 - Improving protection for vulnerable people

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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

 

 

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