The Vetting and Barring Scheme
From 12 October 2009, new measures will be introduced to help prevent unsuitable people from undertaking paid or volunteer work with children or vunerable adults. It is called the Vetting and Barring Scheme (VBS).
To help implement the scheme a new public body, the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA), has been created.
The ISA will make decisions, which will be legally binding, on who should be barred from working or volunteering with children or vulnerable adults. Failure to comply could result in prosecution for the employer and employee or volunteer. The ultimate sanction is imprisonment.
Under the new scheme many more paid or unpaid roles will be covered so potentially excluding barred individuals from a far wider range of jobs. It is estimated that, ultimately, over 11.3 million people will be subject to assessment.
ISA Registration
This is expected to begin in July 2010 with new employees, those moving jobs and volunteers who want to work with children or vulnerable adults being able to register with the ISA.
From November 2010, it will be compulsory for all new employees and volunteers to register before they start work. It will also become illegal to employ people who are not ISA registered. There will be a one-off registration fee of £64 for employees (and it is the employee’s responsibility to pay the fee) whilst no registration fee will be levied for unpaid volunteers.
CRB Disclosures will be unaffected and will operate alongside the ISA.
More information, should be available from Club Child Protection Officers and football’s governing bodies. It is also available on line at www.isa-gov.org.uk
