CRIMINAL RECORDS DISCLOSURES AND VETTING AND BARRING
We have been informed by the CRB on 16/03/2011 that they will be increasing their fee for paid workers from £36 to £44. This will mean that from 6 April 2011 Dudley's total price for a paid worker check will be £60.00.
The CRB acknowledge that any fee increase is not welcome news in the current climate and that many of you will have already set your budgets for the coming financial year. This increase and its timing is, however, linked directly to the Government’s recent decision to scale back the VBS to more common sense levels and the resulting cancellation of the requirement to register with the Scheme. This increase, which is significantly lower than the intended registration fee of £64, (which does not includes Dudley's admin fee of £9.00), will fund the administration costs of the retained elements of the Scheme.
Over the coming months the CRB will be working with the Home Office and the Independent Safeguarding Authority to develop proposals on how to implement the recommendations from the criminal records and VBS reviews and continue to maintain and enhance their existing services and overall performance. Until then please continue with CRB checks and renewals as you have been – it is very much ‘business as usual’.
The ISA registration stage of the Vetting and Barring Scheme has been halted to allow the new Government to conduct a remodelling of the scheme.
Theresa May, Home Secretary states ‘the Government has made clear its intention to bring the criminal records and vetting and barring regimes back to common sense levels’.
Until this remodelling has taken place, existing arrangements under the Scheme will continue to include the following:
- Since January 2009, the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) has been making independent barring decisions. It will continue to maintain two constantly updated lists, one for those barred from working with children, the other for those barred from working with vulnerable adults;
- Existing requirements concerning Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and Access Northern Ireland checks will remain in place, and those entitled to such checks can continue to apply for them;
- Employers are still legally obliged to refer information to the ISA if they have moved or removed an individual because they have harmed or there is a risk of harm to a member of a vulnerable group.
NOTE: The scope of the remodelling process - to be co-ordinated by the Home Office in partnership with Department of Health and Department for Education - is currently being finalised; EXTEND will let you know as and when the Government announces a time frame. No one can register with the Independent Safeguarding Authority until further notice from the Government.
New forms
Although this phase of the ISA has been halted, the new 'CRB Application form' will be available from 12 July 2010 from Dudley Kerswell however there will be sections relating to ISA that will no longer be mandatory parts of the form as advised.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS RELATING TO THE NEW FORM
Why has ISA registration been halted?
The new coalition Government had already stated their intention to "review the vetting and barring regime and scale it back to common sense levels".
The Government appreciates the amount of work and preparation that has gone into the scheme in sectors that work with children or vulnerable adults. Ministers are also aware that affected organisations will be keen to hear, from the new Government, details not only on the remodelling itself, but also on whether it will lead to any change to the future introduction of ISA registration, and will bear in mind that an early announcement on those specific points would be widely welcomed by all those who work with vulnerable groups.
The scope and timing of the remodel are expected to be finalised shortly and the CRB will communicate any updates as soon as more information is available.
Will ISA registration still be introduced?
It is not yet clear how the Government's remodelling of the Vetting and Barring Scheme will impact the future of ISA registration. Once more information about the outcome of the remodel is available, the CRB will communicate this to you.
Scotland - Protecting Vulnerable Groups Scheme
The Scottish PVG Scheme expected to be introduced later this year (2010).
Scottish Ministers have made a strong commitment to ensuring that the PVG Scheme streamlines and simplifies the disclosure process. Applications to join PVG for the first time or for a PVG Scheme record (the full record) will cost £59. Once all the existing workforce has joined, the PVG Scheme record will only be required for people new to the workforce or when an 'employer' chooses to follow up any new vetting information relating to an employee.
