Vetting and Barring
Recent media coverage of the forthcoming Vetting and Barring Scheme has led to a number of enquiries from clubs. team BEDS&LUTON would like to provide the following information to our partners.
The Vetting and Barring Scheme came out of the inquiry into the murders of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman as a recommendation to prevent unsuitable persons working with young people and vulnerable adults. It is a registration scheme that will inform employers if someone is barred from undertaking paid or voluntary work with children or vulnerable adults. In a sporting context, ‘employers’ means any organisation deploying people in a paid or voluntary capacity working with young people. The barring decision will be made by the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA).
team BEDS&LUTON fully support any scheme which helps to protect young people and vulnerable adults.
Although media coverage is increasing in the run up to the new Vetting and Barring Scheme, sports sector specific guidance is not expected until early 2010 and therefore it remains difficult for team BEDS&LUTON to provide our partners with full details of the scheme at this time. Once the final details of the scheme are confirmed team BEDS&LUTON will provide advice and guidance to local clubs to enable them to comply with its requirements.
We believe the scheme will be phased in over a five year period from July 2010, however from 12 October 2009 it will become:
• a duty to refer names of people who may pose a risk to children and vulnerable adults
• an offence to knowingly use a barred individual for a role working with children or vulnerable adults
Until sports sector specific information is available, team BEDS&LUTON advises clubs and associations to follow the guidance currently available on the team BEDS&LUTON website or to follow guidance available through their National Governing Body.
Useful Links: http://www.nspcc.org.uk/Inform/cpsu/NewsAndEvents/vettingandbarringupdate_sept2009_wda68446.html