News Archive

Industrial action at the CRB

WCVA Policy Events

The April round of the Policy Events will be focused on the Vetting and Barring Scheme. There will be a presentation from VBS Communications, a Q&A session and the opportunity to attend workshops on the referral process, sports specific VBS guidance and the application process. Find out more WCVA Policy Events

ISA Toolkit

To help organisations communicate the new Vetting and Barring Scheme information ISA have just released an online toolkit containing a selection of downloadable material, from posters to inserts. To access this please visit Vetting and Barring Scheme

CRB Reduce Fees

The CRB has announced that from October 2009 it will reduce the fee for a Standard Disclosure to £26.

Safeguarding Adults – Report on the Consultation on the Review of “No Secrets: Guidance on developing and implementing multi-agency policies and procedures to protect vulnerable adults from abuse.”

This report summarises the responses to a consultation on the no secrets guidance that sets out the responsibility of local authorities to investigate and take action when a vulnerable adult is believed to be suffering abuse.

The Welsh equivalent of No secrets, entitled “In Safe Hands – Implementing Adult Protection Procedures In Wales July 2000”, is also under review by the Welsh Assembly Government. The review is being conducted by the University of Glamorgan and their report is due in Autumn 2009. Policing in Wales remains the responsibility of the Home Office so Welsh police forces have also contributed to the No secrets consultation and the Home Office is liaising with the Welsh Assembly Government over the review.

Revised CRB Code of Practice April 2009

Organisations that wish to use CRB checks must comply with the CRB's Code of Practice, developed after a lengthy public consultation exercise with input from a range of organisations.

For more information click on the following link Criminal Records Bureau

ISA Announcement

WCVA CRU would like to draw your attention to the ministerial statement made on 19 March 2009 by Meg Hillier, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Identity in which a revised date for the duty to register with the Scheme has been announced as 26 July 2010. However, from October 2009 eligibility for Enhanced checks will expand to include more employment and voluntary positions and Standard CRB checks will no longer be available for those working with children or vulnerable adults.

In the intervening period it is important therefore to remind organisations of the importance of continuing to carry out CRB disclosure checks for staff and volunteers working with vulnerable groups where eligible. However, neither CRB checks nor ISA, when enforceable, are a replacement for the safe recruitment and employment practices that all employers should already follow.

Vetting and Barring Scheme Contact Centre

The Vetting and Barring Scheme contact centre has now opened - phone 0300 123 111 Monday to Friday between 8:00 am and 5:30 pm. CRU would welcome feedback on your experiences using this new service.

Protecting children from sexual abuse

At least 10 children have been protected from potential abuse by sex offenders in the first six months of the government's child sexual offender disclosure pilot.

This early success has led to the decision to extend the scheme within the police forces involved. From 16 March 2009 the pilot will be extended force-wide in Cleveland, Cambridgeshire and Hampshire). The fourth pilot site, Warwickshire, is already force-wide.

Since the pilot launched six months ago, provisional information provided by the police forces shows there have been a total of 153 enquiries and 79 applications from parents, carers and guardians. Ten disclosures have taken place.

Under the terms of the pilot, launched in September 2008, a parent, carer or guardian can request that an individual who has access to their child or children is checked out for a record of child sexual offences. If this individual is found to have convictions for sexual offences against children, and poses a risk of causing serious harm to the child or children concerned, then this information may be disclosed to the person best placed to protect the child – usually the parent, carer or guardian.

Jacqui Smith, Home Secretary said, 'Protecting children and families from sex offenders is one of my top priorities and the UK has one of the most robust systems of managing sex offenders in the world. Today's results are extremely encouraging - this pilot has provided crucial protection for children who might otherwise be at risk.

'The development of this scheme in consultation with Sara Payne, the police and children's charities has been a major step forward in our ability to protect children from sex offenders but also to empower parents and guardians to understand how to best protect their children.

For more information click on the following link :- Child-sex-offenders-disclosure

ISA Decision Making Process

The Independent Safeguarding Authority has published its “Decision Making Process” on its website. This process is the method used by the ISA's caseworkers and the ISA Board to decide whether it is appropriate that an individual should be barred from working with children or vulnerable adults.

To view this please visit ISA and click on Resource Library or if you have any questions please contact ISA at info@isa.gsi.gov.uk

These documents are available in pdf format on the Resources page.

Championing volunteers in the criminal justice system

Baroness Julia Neuberger, the government's independent volunteering Champion, is calling for more offenders to be able to volunteer as part of their rehabilitation. Baroness Neuberger said 'There simply wouldn't be a reliable criminal justice system in this country without the dedication of volunteers so I want to see more emphasis put on their role right across the system'.

Her second report, in the series examining the role of volunteers and volunteering in public services, highlights the valuable contribution that thousands of volunteers make to reducing crime and re-offending, delivering justice and bringing about safer communities. Please use this link to download the report.

ISA Guidance

The Independent Safeguarding Authority Vetting and Barring Scheme was launched on 12 October 2009 introducing the following safeguards to further enhance the protection of children and vulnerable adults:

• It is a criminal offence for barred individuals to apply to work with children or vulnerable adults in a wide range of posts. Employers will also face criminal penalties if they knowingly permit barred individuals to engage in Regulated activity
• POVA, POCA and List 99 are replaced by the creation of tow new barred lists adminstered by ISA. Checks of these two lists can now be made as part of the Enhanced CRB check
• Employers, social services and professional regulators have a duty to refer to the ISA any information about individuals who may pose a risk to children and vulnerable adults

It is also important to be aware that Standard CRB checks are no longer available for posts working with children and vulnerable adults as the eligibility for Enhanced CRB checks has been extended to include anyone working in Regulated Activity.

ISA have released the VBS Guidance and Referral Guidance which provide informaiton on the Scheme and how to make referrals. Please visit the ISA ISA or contact WCVA CRU on 0800 0197 391

Vetting and Barring Scheme Information Sessions

The Home Office is running a number of information sessions where you will be able to find out more about the new Vetting and Barring Scheme.

During these sessions the changes that will come into force from Autumn 2009 will be explained including how the new vetting and barring scheme will operate, the new duties under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act and how the new duties will impact on employers and other organisations.

So far the following sessions have been scheduled :-

13 July 2009 - Cardiff

14 July 2009 - Llandudno

To register please follow the link Independent Safeguarding Authority

Independent Safeguarding Authority Takes Over Decision Making From Secretary of State

From 20 January 2009, the new Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) will take over responsibility from the Secretary of State for the making of barring decisions on new referrals under List 99, POCA and POVA.

Those with a duty to refer under List 99, POCA and POVA should send new referrals made on or after Tuesday 20 January 2009 to a new address. This is : Independent Safeguarding Authority, PO Box 181, Darlington DL1 9FA. Revised guidance to those with such a duty will also be publicised on DCSF, DH and ISA websites.

It is important to note that the wording printed on a Disclosure relating to POVA/POVA and List 99 will change slightly to reflect the fact that the decision is not taken by ISA.

For further information please visit the ISA website, or contact the ISA information line on 0300 123 1111.

CRB Interim Chief Executive Appointed

Vince Gaskell, the CRB's Chief Executive announced in November 2008 that he would be leaving the CRB to join the Identity and Passport Service as the Executive Director for New Service Implementation. The Home Office has now appointed Steve Long as the new interim Chief Executive. Steve is currently the Head of Unit for the Pay and Pensions Service and Director of the Home Office HR Change Programme. However, previously Steve worked for the CRB as Director of Service Delivery so has experience of being both a former customer and employee and states that as such he “is very conscious of the invaluable service that it provides to the public”.

Volunteers Welcome Criminal Record Checks to Protect the Vulnerable

The myth that volunteers are put off by Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks has been destroyed by research which shows nine out of ten people are in favour of them. The research published last week also shows 91 per cent support checks for anyone working or volunteering with children and vulnerable adults.

The research found:

• nine out of ten people say anyone working or volunteering with vulnerable groups should be checked;
• more than 70 per cent think the CRB helps protect the vulnerable; and
• three out of four people are more likely to use a business if staff have been CRB checked

Since 2002 the CRB has issued more than 18 million checks and prevented more than 80,000 unsuitable people working with children and vulnerable adults.

Home Office Minister Meg Hillier said that “This research clearly destroys the myth that people are put off volunteering by CRB checks. Most people are only too willing to be checked and understand it protects children and vulnerable adults”.

This report is available on the CRB

Of course it is important to remember that from 12 October 2009 individuals will need to register with the Independent Safeguaring Authority (ISA) if they are to work or volunteer with children and/or vulnerable adults in regulated activity. An example of the positions that this would involve are coaches, advisors, counsellors, nursery workers, therapists etc – that is anybody who has close contact with children which is of a specified nature.

If you need to know more about ISA and how it will affect your organisation please contact CRU on 0800 0197 391 or email cru@wcva.org.uk

Criminal Record Unit marks five years supporting voluntary groups

A unique service set up to check the suitability of people working with children and vulnerable adults has helped more than 1000 Welsh voluntary organisations over the past five years.

The Criminal Records Unit (CRU) managed by Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA) has been hailed by the Welsh Assembly Government's Minister for Social Justice and Local Government, Dr Brian Gibbons, as a good example of innovative partnership working between the Welsh Assembly Government and the third sector in Wales.

The Minister said: 'No other part of the UK supports a national body to access free criminal records checks for the third sector. For the past five years the CRU has played a vital role in helping to ensure that we have a safe and secure third sector in Wales.

'I am determined that children and vulnerable adults in Wales should be protected from abuse or exploitation by unscrupulous people and am committed to continuing this partnership with the CRU in the future.'

Funded by the Welsh Assembly Government to give free access to criminal record checks for those working with vulnerable groups, since it began in December 2003, the CRU has handled over 81,000 requests for checks, issued 45,000 disclosure certificates and has over 4,000 service users.

Mark Favager, Head of Customer Services at the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) said: 'WCVA was one of the first umbrella bodies on board with the Criminal Records Bureau, and over time we have developed a very strong working relationship.

'The CRB welcomed the innovative approach that the WCVA took to establish the CRU, as allowing voluntary organisations in Wales access to free criminal records checks, advice and guidance through a central body has led to a consistent approach for the voluntary sector throughout Wales.'

Organisations using CRU range from small children's playgroups and national sports bodies to organisations providing counselling for vulnerable adults to environmental organisations working with children. These are based throughout Wales.

Before the CRU was established, organisations were only able to access CRB checks for volunteers and staff by becoming a registered body with CRB or through the services of a CRB registered umbrella body, many of which charge administration fees ranging from £7 to £70 per check.

Although WCVA CRU does not charge for processing applications for the voluntary sector, the CRB costs for checks for paid staff still have to be met by the employing organisation.

The CRU was launched in 2003 by WCVA President, Euro MP Glenys Kinnock. Mrs Kinnock said today: 'WCVA's Criminal Records Unit has proved invaluable for voluntary and community groups throughout Wales, large and small, for five years.

'These organisations provide services at the cutting edge of social care, working with children, older people and disabled people, often in vulnerable positions. I'm delighted that the National Assembly is supporting the third sector in providing the CRU, and am confident that it will continue to deliver for many years to come.'

Next year will see the introduction of the new Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) which is set to have a huge impact on the third sector. From October 2009, anybody - volunteers or paid staff - who want to work with children or vulnerable adults will have to register with the new Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) through the Vetting Barring Scheme (VBS).

WCVA CRU has been busy informing the sector of the forthcoming changes and was priviledged to have Tom Davies ISA Board Member chair a recent awareness raising event as recognition of CRU's role in helping voluntary organisations prepare for ISA .

'ISA registration is a one-off requirement and is expected to make the recruitment process faster and more streamlined,' said CRU Head Elizabeth Flack. 'We look forward to supporting the sector through the service and providing further advice and guidance throughout 2009'.

National Identity Scheme & the Importance of ID Verification for CRB Checks

In a speech at the Social Market Foundation on 6 November 2008, the Home Secretary set out progress on the delivery of identity cards and action taken in response to issues on privacy, accountability and appropriate safeguards raised by the public. The wider scheme will start with the introduction of identity cards for foreign nationals from 25 November 2008 and within three years all those who successfully apply to come to the UK for more than six months and to extend their stay once here will have a card. The Home Secretary emphasised that this card not only provides protection for the integrity of the UK's borders but protects individuals by confirming their right to work or study.

The announcement sets out how the Government has listened to the public, and responded to the views raised in the consultation following publication of the Government's National Identity Scheme Delivery Plan in March 2008. To help people understand what the Scheme will do for them a guide has been published entitled Introducing the National Identity Scheme. The full announcement and guide are available at www.ips.gov.uk/identity/press-2008-11-06.asp

Alongside this response a plan for a National Identity Scheme Commissioner has been unveiled. Once appointed, the Commissioner will be responsible for looking after the public's interest and will scrutinse the way the Scheme is implemented and how identity cards are used within both public and private sectors.

The need to prove identity is not new – it is a requirement that is ever present and will become increasingly important – both for government and organisations employing individuals into specific positions. Checking and validating the information provided by the applicant on a CRB Disclosure Application Form and confirming the identity of the applicant through the examination of a range of identity documents is vital.

CRU would like to remind ID Verifiers of the importance of carrying out face to face ID Verification and ensuring that as ID Verifiers you are able to relate your prospective employee to the information they have given you about themselves by determining that the identity is genuine and relates to a real person.

ISA Decision Making

Since 31 March 2008, as part of transition to the new Vetting and Barring Scheme (starting October 2009), the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) has advised the Secretaries of State at the Department for Children, Schools and Familes and the Department of Health on barring (List 99, PoCA, PoVA in England and Wales).

In the next stage of transition, from winter 2008 (subject to Parliamentary approval), employers in England and Wales (under PoCA or PoVA), and employers in England (under List 99) must send new referrals under these schemes to the ISA, which will take the barring decisions. Where the ISA asks organisations for information on a case, they must provide it.

ISA recommend organisations act by October to: cascade this message within their sector(s), so employers can prepare in time; and remind employers to fulfil existing pre-employment responsibilities, e.g. taking up references and conducting checks.

The Vetting and Barring Scheme

Please note that the Independent Safeguarding Authority have made a decision regarding the name of the Scheme it provides. The phrase “ISA Scheme” will no longer be used to describe the wider scheme for which the ISA provides the decision making capacity.

Office Closure

To help you plan your applications and enquiries to CRU, we list below full details of our opening times over Christmas and the New Year.

Afternoon - Tuesday 16 December - Closed for WCVA staff training

Morning - Wednesday 17 December - Closed for WCVA staff training

Wednesday 24 December 08 - Friday 2 January 09 Closed for Christmas

Volunteer & Community Justice Awards

North Wales Criminal Justice Board in partnership with Barclays Bank and supported by WCVA and the High Sheriff's of Gwynedd and Clwyd is pleased to announce the launch of the fourth annual 'Volunteer & Community Justice Awards 2008'.

People working in the Criminal Justice System (CJS) do an incredible job. Every day, their commitment and dedication makes a dramatic difference to people's lives. The local awards scheme recognises and celebrates excellence and admirable work undertaken by all volunteers and staff working in the Criminal Justice System to reduce the fear of crime and help keep our communities safe.

This is your opportunity to nominate individuals who you believe deserve recognition for their outstanding work within the Criminal Justice System. Please nominate today:  or request a nomination form: kelly.parsons@nthwales.pnn.police.uk tel: 01745 588508

The closing date for nominations is Wednesday 17th September 2008.

Cabinet Office Guidance

The Cabinet Office has today published guidance to help organisations to decide when CRB checks should and should not be carried out on volunteers. This guidance will help cut unnecessary red tape and responds to concerns voiced by the voluntary sector that potential volunteers can be put off if they are asked to undergo a CRB check without good reason.

Please click on the link to read the document in full.

ISA Consultation

The Government has published its formal reponse to the recent consultation on the ISA Scheme.

Please click on the link to read the document in full.

ISA Board Members Announced

The appointment of the Independent Safeguarding Authority's ten board members, who will oversee the delivery of a new vetting and barring process, was announced on 16 May 2008. Members of the board have been chosen for their wide-ranging expertise in work with vulnerable people and those who abuse them. ISA chairman Sir Roger Singleton said:

“I am delighted to announce that the Board of the Independent Safeguarding Authority is now in place. This is an important milestone towards improving the safety of the most vulnerable people in our society.

“I am looking forward to working alongside such a wealth of experience to ensure that those who are judged to pose a risk to children and vulnerable adults are barred from working with them.

Four voluntary sector leaders are among the 10 board members appointed. The four are: Moira Murray, child protection expert at the Children's Society; Donald Findlater, director of research and development at child protection charity the Lucy Faithfull Foundation; Debbie Ariyo, founder and executive director of Africans Unite against Child Abuse; and Dr John Belcher, chief executive of not-for-profit at older people's care housing and support provider the Anchor Trust.

The other board members are Dr Valerie Brasse, Adviser to the Cumberlege Comission, established by the Catholic Church in England and Wales to review the church's safeguarding arrangements for children and vulnerable adults; social care adviser to the Victoria Climbié child abuse inquiry, led child protection policy development and implementation, including implementing parts of the Children Act 1989; Richard Black OBE, who has had a career in social services; Tom Davies, Commissioner for the Independent Police Commission, with responsibility for Wales; Professor Don Grubin Professor of psychiatry at Newcastle University and consultant forensic psychiatrist in the Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Trust; Mehmuda Mian Pritchard Commissioner at the Independent Police Complaints Commission; and Peter Withers Board member, Tayside Health Board and Risk Management Authority, executive vice chairman (resources) for the Civil Service Sports Council.

The ISA board will be starting work to define the criteria for barring individuals in preparation for when the full scheme goes live October 2009. ISA will provide employers with the most comprehensive vetting service on offer anywhere in the world and it is expected that under the ISA scheme approximately 11.3 million employees and volunteers will be registered once the scheme is fully implemented.

ISA go-live date

On 1 April 2008 the Home Office announced that from 12 October 2009 individuals will need to register with the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) if they are to work or volunteer with children and/or vulnerable adults in a regulated activity.

The new 'go live' stage will be the official start date of the scheme, although preparatory work and advice and guidance will have been undertaken and completed by this stage. After this date all new workers or those changing jobs (in regulated activity) will be required to register with the ISA Scheme.

Home Office Minister Meg Hillier said: 'The Independent Safeguarding Authority is at the heart of the Government's drive to increase the protection of vulnerable members of our society. The mandatory scheme aims to prevent those who are deemed unsuitable to work with children and/or vulnerable adults from gaining access to them through their work'.

For the latest information concerning ISA please visit the ISA's website where you can register to receive regular updates.

ISA Registration Cost

It has been announced that the overall cost for registering with ISA will be £64 per person. The fee will consist of two components: an ISA registration fee of £28 and a CRB enhanced disclosure, currently £36, which provides employers with details of information held on police records about potential staff members. However, there will be no cost for volunteers. It is important to note that a CRB enhanced disclosure will still cost £36.

CRB Price Freeze

Fees for criminal record checks have been frozen for the second year running. The CRB has been able to freeze its fees as a direct result of year-on-year efficiency savings and increasing demand for its service.

New Independent Safeguarding Authority website

Independent Safeguarding Authority

The overriding aim of the Independent Safeguarding Authority will be to prevent those who are deemed unsuitable to work with children and/or vulnerable adults from gaining access to them through their work. It will do this by taking all discretionary decisions as to those individuals who should be placed on the new barred lists.

Resounding thumbs up by volunteers in trial of new process

In line with recommendations from the Bichard Report, the CRB is examining the security benefits that ID cards may bring. In a joint trial with the Identity and Passport Service (IPS), 160 volunteers piloted two online services aimed at accelerating and 'toughening-up' background checks on people who want to work with children and vulnerable adults. The first is a short-term process using UK passports, the second a longer-term process using ID Cards under the National Identity Scheme.

The report for this trial reveals that the overwhelming majority of trial participants back the new services, with 96% saying the passport-linked service is an improvement on current arrangements, and 87% saying that the ID card-linked service would be even stronger.

These trials took place in June and WCVA Criminal Records Unit would like to thank its registered organisations that volunteered their time to take part in this trial. All the volunteers went through a simulated experience of applying for a position requiring a CRB check including meeting their prospective employer, filling out the CRB Disclosure Application form, having their identity authenticated by a counter-signatory and receiving their Disclosure. Each volunteer completed two circuits; one using a passport and one using an ID card which enabled experience of both proposed processes to derive comparisons.

Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 : Controlled Activities Wales Consultation

The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 and the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups (NI) Order 2007 are major elements of a wide-ranging and ambitious programme of work established across government to address the systemic failures identified by the Bichard Inquiry. The legislation was enacted in response to recommendation 19 of the Bichard Inquiry Report which states 'New arrangements should be introduced requiring those who wish to work with children or vulnerable adults, to be registered. The register would confirm that there is no known reason why an individual should not work with these clients'.

Please visit the Welsh Assembly Government website to read the full document and respond to the consultation.

Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 : Independent Safeguarding Authority Scheme Consultation

A fourteen week consultation begun on 14 November concerning the implementation of the Independent Safeguarding Authority scheme. Under the terms of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 the scheme will introduce the most stringent vetting and barring service yet. The scheme will protect both children and vulnerable adults by preventing those who are known to pose a risk of harm accessing these groups through their work. The consultation seeks views on a wide range of policy issues that will ensure the successful implementation of the Act. This consultation is jointly published by the Department for Children, Schools and Families, Home Office, and the Department of Health.

Please visit http://www.dfes.gov.uk/consultations/conDetails.cfm?consultationId=1516 to read the full document and respond to the consultation.

Office Closure

To help you plan your applications and enquiries to CRU, we list below full details of our opening times over Christmas and New Year.

Monday 24 December - Tuesday 1 January CLOSED FOR CHRISTMAS PERIOD. CRU would like to inform service users that strike action by Royal Mail, planned for the 5, 8 and 9 of October will have some impact on the Disclosure service.

The Communications Workers Union (CWU) has announced further strike action. Two 48-hour strikes are planned. The first will begin at lunchtime on Thursday 4 October and ends at lunchtime on Saturday 6 October. The second will begin in the early hours of Monday 8 October, ending in the early hours of Wednesday 10 October. This will be followed by an unspecified programme of weekly strikes commencing on 15 October until this dispute has been resolved.

Reduced deliveries will delay applications arriving at CRU and the completed Disclosure Certificates reaching employers and applicants. Please bear this in mind when planning any recruitment.

Please be assured that once applications are received, we will process them as quickly as possible.

New research shows numbers of older people abused at home

Elder abuse and neglect (mistreatment) are increasingly acknowledged as a social problem in the UK and internationally, but there has been an absence of any sound data on the extent of this in the UK. However, new research, revealing the true extent of abuse suffered by older people in the UK, has been released by Comic Relief, Chief Executive, Kevin Cahill and Health Minster, Ivan Lewis.

The UK Study of Abuse and Neglect, carried out over two years by independent researchers at National Centre for Social Research and Kings College, London, was based on a survey of around 2000 people aged 66 and over who live in their own homes (including sheltered housing).

The findings of the study show that:

- 2.6% or 227,000 people were neglected or abused by family, close friends and care workers in the last year.

- 4% or 342,400 people were neglected or abused in the last year by family, close friends and care workers, neighbours and acquaintances

- mistreatment is broken down into neglect (1.1%), financial abuse (0.7%), psychological and physical abuse (both 0.4%) and sexual abuse (0.2%).

- the majority of the incidents involved a partner (51%) or another family member (49%) followed by a voluntary or paid care worker (13%) and close friend (5%).

These statistics show that a small but significant proportion of abuse is carried out by volunteers or paid care workers and this highlights the importance of carrying out CRB checks as part of assessing suitability where eligible. This report is a considerable step forward in tackling adult abuse as an equally serious and social problem to that of child abuse.

Kevin Cahill, CEO, Comic Relief said:

“Comic Relief feels passionately that growing older with dignity, free from abuse is something we should all expect rather than aspire to.

“Through this robust research we now know without question that thousands of older people are being abused or neglected. It is important that this new data is used to highlight the problem, help guide the development of future policy and ensure help is available to those who need it. People are living longer and the numbers of older people are set to rise in the future. This problem is not going to go away unless as a society we take action to reduce it.”

Care Services Minister, Ivan Lewis said:

"Older people deserve to be treated with dignity and respect - abuse in any setting is just unacceptable.

"I want people to be as outraged by the abuse of an older person as they are by the abuse of a child. Sadly, we are nowhere near that yet as a society but that culture has to change.

“This research shows us the nature of the problems that we will all face in the future.

“That's why today I'm announcing two measures for the first time, national and local records on the abuse of older people will be systematically collected so that each individual council can monitor abuse locally and act on it.

'”It is essential to put in place the mechanisms for collecting accurate and impartial data that will allow help to be targeted where it is most needed.

"Knowing the size of the challenge nationally is one thing but each individual council ought equally to know what's going on locally. A systematic data collection will identify this and allow comparisons between councils.

"No Secrets is the existing guidance on safeguarding vulnerable adults, launched in 2000. (“In Safe Hands” 2000 is the comparable Welsh Guidance). The aim of 'No Secrets' is to ensure that health, social services and the police, are able to work together to protect vulnerable adults from abuse.

"Seven years on, and in the light of several serious incidences of adult abuse, it is timely to review this guidance and to consult with other government departments that have an interest in this field. New guidance is necessary to reflect the evidence in today's report and respond to the new demographic realities which are affecting our society. We will also consider the case for legislation as part of the review process.”

To read this report in full please visit www.comicrelief.com/elderabuse

Borders and Immigration Agency

Under Section 8 of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996 all employers in the United Kingdom are required to make basic document checks to help prevent anyone from working illegally. By carrying out checks employers will be able to establish a defence for themselves if any of their employees are found to be working illegally at a later date.

There are currently 2 services available :-

An on-line interactive guide

(www.employingmigrantworkers.org.uk)

This guide will take you through the decision making process to see if the migrant worker can prove they have the right to work in the UK.

An Employer Helpline

0845 010 6677

The Helpline can provide general advice and guidance about employing migrant workers and the types of documents that you should ask for. The Helpline also offers an Employer Checking service which allows you to check if the migrant worker has an outstanding application or appeal with the Border and Immigration Agency (BIA) and as a result cannot provide you with the documents you require. The service can also validate Application Registration Cards (ARC).

Over the next few months BIA will be running a number of pilots to trial a new range of checks to be offered by the Employer Checking Service. The pilots are being run in partnership with the Identity & Passport Service (IPS). The first pilot is already underway to validate UK passports with a view to incorporating identity checking as part of the service. In September the pilot will be extended to make checks on a wider range of Indefinite Leave to Remain applications and student applications. Further Border and Immigration Agency categories will also be added in November.

If you would be interested in taking part in these pilots to help develop the service, please email employerchecking@ind.homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

Borders and Immigration Agency

Under Section 8 of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996 all employers in the United Kingdom are required to make basic document checks to help prevent anyone from working illegally. By carrying out checks employers will be able to establish a defence for themselves if any of their employees are found to be working illegally at a later date.

There are currently 2 services available :-

An on-line interactive guide

(www.employingmigrantworkers.org.uk)

This guide will take you through the decision making process to see if the migrant worker can prove they have the right to work in the UK.

An Employer Helpline

0845 010 6677

The Helpline can provide general advice and guidance about employing migrant workers and the types of documents that you should ask for. The Helpline also offers an Employer Checking service which allows you to check if the migrant worker has an outstanding application or appeal with the Border and Immigration Agency (BIA) and as a result cannot provide you with the documents you require. The service can also validate Application Registration Cards (ARC).

Over the next few months BIA will be running a number of pilots to trial a new range of checks to be offered by the Employer Checking Service. The pilots are being run in partnership with the Identity & Passport Service (IPS). The first pilot is already underway to validate UK passports with a view to incorporating identity checking as part of the service. In September the pilot will be extended to make checks on a wider range of Indefinite Leave to Remain applications and student applications. Further Border and Immigration Agency categories will also be added in November.

If you would be interested in taking part in these pilots to help develop the service, please email employerchecking@ind.homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

Who benefits from volunteering?

Calls are being made to the CRB to clear up confusion about who is and who isn't entitled to free disclosure checks under the heading of volunteers. The controversy has arisen because the CRB's Disclosure News reported that people will not satisfy the CRB's definition of a volunteer if they receive payments in excess of expenses they actually incur, or benefit directly themselves.

This has lead some groups to interpret the 'direct benefits' ruling as meaning that volunteers who receive 'thank you' certificates, or are part of an accredited programme such as Millennium Volunteers or Duke of Edinburgh Award, will have to pay for their Disclosure checks.

The CRB has ruled out making changes to its definition of a volunteer, claiming that the regulations remain the same. All they are trying to do, they say, is to ensure that no-one abuses the system for free checks for legitimate volunteers.

Independent Safeguarding Authority

The Independent Safeguarding Authority is the new name for the Vetting and Barring Scheme and the Independent Barring Board (which decides whether a person can be a member of the scheme).

Sir Roger Singleton who is the Chair of the Independent Safeguarding Authority explains the reason for this change of name :

“Independent emphasises the detachment of the new organisation from ministerial decision making and that the Independent Safeguarding Authority itself will take all barring decisions. Safeguarding reflects the positive effects of barring and states what the agency intends to achieve. Authority adds weight to the organisation's role, reflecting that it is a formal statutory body whose information requirements need to be responded to and whose decisions are significant. ”

The overriding aim of the Independent Safeguarding Authority will be to prevent those who are deemed unsuitable to work with children and/or vulnerable adults from gaining access to them through their work. It will do this by taking all discretionary decisions as to those individuals who should be placed on the new barred lists.

For more information about the scheme visit www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/socialcare/safeguarding/independentsafeguardingauthority/

Consultation on Automatic Barring

A twelve week consultation begun in June concerning the process for barring people who are unsuitable to work with children and vulnerable adults, under the new arrangements to exclude unsuitable people from the workforce. It will run until 14 September 2007.

The main points on which the consultation seeks views are;

• The list of offences which would result in being automatically barred from working with children and vulnerable people;
• In cases where someone is permitted to make representations about whether they should be barred, the period of time in which those individuals are allowed to make those representations to the Independent Safeguarding Authority about their case;
• How long adults and young people who are barred should have to wait before they can ask for their bar to be reviewed – the “minimum no-review period”;
• Whether this “minimum no-review period” should be the same length for both adults and young people and whether the age boundary for a younger person – which determines how long they have to wait before they can apply for a review – should be 18 or 25.

Please visit http://www.dfes.gov.uk/consultations/conDetails.cfm?consultationId=1476 to read the full document and respond to the consultation.

NSPCC Don't Hide It Campaign

The main audience for this campaign is 11 to 16 year olds and it seeks to empower them to speak out about all forms of child abuse, neglect and also bullying. The campaign is preventative in that it will encourage all young people to understand what child abuse is and how they can help ensure that they are safe. The campaign will promote the ChildLine service.

The campaign will, of course, also be relevant to adults, including parents and carers and to a range of professionals, both specialist and not specialist.

The Don't Hide It campaign will comprise :-television and radio advertising aimed at young people; advertorials placed in magazines read by young people; media and PR activity to promote the campaign; information on the campaign placed on partnering websites that are popular with young people; a special microsite called donthideit.com which young people can access and; the mass distribution of a new information product called In the know, through schools to 8 to 11 year olds. In the know is written in a lively, colourful magazine style and has been developed following consultation with children and professionals who work with them.

For more information please use the following links www.nspcc.org.uk or www.donthideit.com .

CRB The Movie

The Criminal Records Bureau launches a virtual guide to the Disclosure process. This guide is designed to shed light on the Disclosure process, and is useful for those who are interested in how a CRB check is carried out - from completion of the form to the final recruitment or licensing decision. The guide explains and clarifies each stage of the application process and identifies what can be done to ensure a speedy service.

The guide is aimed at those who need to apply for a CRB check - providing a simple, clear and concise explanation of the application process. The guide is available for viewing online, in English and Welsh at www.crb.gov.uk/movie

Charity Commission Consultation Response

On 14 February the Charity Commission launched a consultation on its approach to Criminal Records (CRB) checks for trustees of charities working with children or vulnerable adults.

This response to the consultation on CRB checks of trustees of charities is given by WCVA Criminal Records Unit (CRU) as a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) Umbrella Registered Body (URB) providing access to the CRB Disclosure service for the voluntary sector within Wales.Please download this document at the bottom of this page.

If you are registered to use WCVA CRU please feel free to use the members forum of this website to discuss this issue.

CRB Innovation Award

The Criminal Records Bureau has received a Government Computing Award for Innovation 2007. These Awards have been running since 1996 and recognise the best and most innovative work in the development and delivery of information age services to citizens, businesses or the public sector.

This award recognises the importance of the CRB's i-PLX database as a significant milestone in the sharing of information across the criminal justice system. It represents the first step towards a national database of police force information and a significant advancement in the protection of the vulnerable.

The i-PLX or interim police local cross referencing database increases access to local police force information and highlights if any force, not just those where a person has lived, holds relevant information about an applicant. This has reduced the CRB's reliance on applicants providing their full address history, providing a fuller picture of information across the country and offering greater protection to the most vulnerable.

Over 25 separate projects were short-listed into this years' Government Computing Awards for Innovation. Entries came from all parts of the public sector - central and local government, healthcare, education, criminal justice and the military - reflecting the appeal of the most prestigious awards in the arena.

CRB Price Freeze

The CRB have announced that their fees will be frozen at 2006/07 levels for the new financial year. The fees will continue therefore to be £31 Standard and £36 Enhanced throughout 2007/08.

This information can be accessed through the following link http://www.crb.gov.uk or please download the CRB announcement at the bottom of this page.

Online Tracking

The CRB has today (3 January 2007) launched its first online service. For the first time customers can now track the progress of an application form online, from receipt through to issue.

This new service will provide much greater clarity and visibility of the service throughout the application process.

Customers can access the service, free of charge from the CRB website www.crb.gov.uk/tracking by entering the application form reference number and the applicant's date of birth.

This service will provide customers with the following information :-

For Standard Disclosures customers can find out the application status at four distinct stages of the process. These being when the application has been received and validated; when the Police National Computer has been searched; when POCA, POVA and List 99 Checks have been undertaken (if applicable) and when the Disclosure has been printed.

Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act

On 8 November 2006, the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act received Royal Assent. This Act lays the foundation for a new vetting and barring scheme, which will be phased in from autumn 2008. The background to this Act is that it has responded to a key recommendation from the Bichard Enquiry for a registration scheme which prevents those who are deemed to be unsuitable from gaining access to children or vulnerable adults through their work. This will be achieved by helping to ensure that employers benefit from an improved vetting service for those who work with children and/or vulnerable adults; and that those who are known to be unsuitable are barred from working with children and/or vulnerable adults at the earliest possible opportunity.

For more information on this new Act please use the links the below or http://www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/vettingandbarring and http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2006/ukpga_20060047_en_1

OR go to CRU Events and Seminars for information on our recent Policy Events and download the presentation entitled Vetting and Barring Scheme.

This scheme is expected to go live on Monday 29 September 2008 and CRU will keep organisations fully informed of any developments as and when they occur.

Parliament

Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre – CEOP

The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre has launched the UK's first National website dedicated to locating child sex offenders who have failed to comply with notification requirements.

Details of some of the UK's 'Most Wanted' offenders are now being posted on this website in this new initiative which reflects the continued determination of law enforcement partners to work together to ensure that every available step is taken to manage offenders within the community.

This new initiative provides an opportunity for the public to work with the CEOP Centre and law enforcement agencies to help track offenders who try to avoid being managed by the authorities. Offenders who fail to register and provide details of their whereabouts are committing a criminal offence under the Sexual Offences Act 2003. This is an arrestable offence with a punishment of up to five years imprisonment. This new site will be used to maximise opportunities to locate offenders who are 'missing' in order to protect children and the communities in which they live.

For more information please use the following link :-

http://www.ceop.gov.uk/wanted