Independent Safeguarding Authority

The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act received Royal Assent in November 2006 and it lays the foundation for the Independent Safeguarding Authority.

The background to this Act is that it responded to a key recommendation from the Bichard Inquiry following the murders of Jessica Chapman and Holly Wells by Ian Huntley in 2002. This recommendation being the need for a registration scheme which would prevent those who are deemed to be unsuitable from gaining access to children or vulnerable adults through their work.

The Independent Safeguarding Authority has been created to fulfill this role across England, Wales and Northern Ireland (Scotland is in the process of developing a similar system which will work closely with ISA).

Protection of Freedoms Bill

The government has today unveiled its Protection of Freedoms Bill which aims to clarify the process of vetting for those who work with children and vulnerable adults.

The Bill seeks to scale back the vetting and barring scheme and criminal records regime to common-sense levels while ensuring vulnerable groups are appropriately protected and the proposals include:

  • merging the CRB and ISA to form a streamlined new body providing a proportionate barring and criminal records checking service
  • a large reduction in the number of positions requiring checks. Only those working closely and regularly with children and vulnerable adults will need them
  • portability of criminal record checks between jobs to cut down on needless bureaucracy
  • an end to a requirement for those working or volunteering with vulnerable groups to register with the VBS and then be continuously monitored
  • stopping employers who knowingly request criminal records checks on individuals who are not entitled to them.
For more information Parliament UK, Home Office, A Common Sense Approach and Vetting & Barring Scheme Remodelling Review

ISA VBS CRU Brief Feb 2011

Protection of Freedoms Bill: Committee Stage Report

The Protection of Freedoms Bill: Committee Stage Report was released on 28 June. This report provides the full details of the significant amendments made to the Bill's provisions on the barring scheme operated by the Independent Safeguarding Authority(ISA). For more information Protection of Freedoms Bill Committee Stage Report

Protection of Freedoms Bill announcement

The government will today clarify plans for the process of vetting individuals who work with children and vulnerable adults when it unveils the Protection of Freedoms Bill.

WCVA CRU opposes any watering down of the current system of use of CRB checks as a tool to help with safeguarding both children and vulnerable adults.

WCVA CRU handles over 16,000 Disclosure certificates a year for both paid staff and volunteers and regularly sees information on the certificates which would cause concern over an individual’s suitability to work with children and vulnerable adults and of which the employer should be aware.

The issue is not about proportionality but about requests for ineligible checks and the misunderstanding of when a CRB check is mandatory and when it is done as best practice according to eligibility guidelines. We welcome the initiative to stop employers requesting ineligible checks.

We will provide further guidance as the measures in the Bill are clarified but if you have any queries please contact us. For more information Home Office.

 The ISA has four statutory duties:

  • To maintain a list of individuals barred from engaging in regulated activity with children;
  • To maintain a list of individuals barred from engaging in regulated activity with vulnerable adults;
  • To make well-informed and considered decisions about whether an individual should be included on one or both barred lists; and
  • To reach decisions as to whether to remove an individual from a barred list.
On October 12 2009 Schedule 3 of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 and the consequences of being included on the Children’s and Adults Barred Lists come into force fully. Access to these lists will be available on request as part of an Enhanced Disclosure.

Other key changes introduced on October 12 2009 include:
  • Eligibility for an Enhanced Disclosure will expand to include all regulated activity;
  • Criminal penalties will be imposed on those barred individuals who seek or undertake work with vulnerable groups and equally for those employers who knowingly take them on;
  • New information sharing duties – there will be a statutory duty for Regulated Activity Providers to refer to ISA any information about an individual who may pose a risk, ensuring potential threats to vulnerable groups can be identified and dealt with.

ISA VBS remodelling and CRB checks review

CRU Information Sheet - ISA VBS

Independent Safeguarding Authority

Vetting and Barring Scheme Guidance

Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act

Members Area - available now - please contact us for your login details. New disclosure application form advice pack available here.

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Criminal Records Unit, WCVA, Morfa Hall, Bath Street, Rhyl, LL18 3EB
T: 0800 0197 391 F: 01745 357 593 E: cru@wcva.org.uk