Vetting and Barring Scheme guidance- June2010 summary

The Vetting and Barring scheme aims to protect children and vulnerable adults by ensuring that people who are judged to present a risk of harm are not allowed to work with them. It covers those doing paid or voluntary work. The Scheme is underpinned by the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006.

An individual’s vetting and barring scheme registration will be fully portable, and any prospective or subsequent employer will be able to check an individual’s registration online free of charge. Registration will be free for volunteers and £64 for paid workers (this includes the one off ISA registration cost of £28 and the CRB check cost of £36). The Council will cover the costs of employees, excluding those in schools.External organisations will be charged a £15 administration fee if using the Council as a registered body.

October 2009: 2 new lists created ISA Adults’ Barred list & ISA Children’s Barred List

A standard disclosure no longer reveals if a person checked against 2 lists, needs to be an enhanced disclosure. Duty to refer anyone you dismiss or cease to use because you think they harmed or pose a risk of harm to children or vulnerable adults.

ISA registration begins from 26 July 2010 for people taking up new roles in regulated activity- paid or voluntary- becomes mandatory in November 2010. It will be phased in for people already working with vulnerable groups up to July 2015.

From November 2010 if you employ a new member of staff or volunteer to work with children or vulnerable adults they must be ISA registered before they begin in their role.

Those already working in regulated activity may not register until April 2011.

Regulated activity covers working closely with children or vulnerable adults, either paid or unpaid, not part of a family or personal arrangement on a frequent, intensive or overnight basis. Frequent means once a week or more, except in health or personal care services where means once a month or more). Intensive means on four days or more in a single month.

Specified settings or establishments:

  • Schools
  • Pupil Referral Units
  • Childcare premises (includes nurseries)
  • Children’s homes
  • Children’s hospitals
  • Children’s centres
  • Adult care homes

Specified positions

  • School governors
  • Members concerned with education or social services
  • Management committee of Pupil Referral Units
  • Members of fostering and adoption panels
  • Anyone who operates , establishes or maintains a ContactPoint database
  • Members of local Safeguarding Childrens Boards

Vulnerable adults:- defined as a person 18 years or over:

  • Living in residential accommodation
  • Living in sheltered housing
  • Receiving domiciliary care in their own home
  • Receiving any form of healthcare
  • Receiving any specified welfare service
  • Receiving a service or participating in an activity for people who have particular needs because of age or disability
  • Receiving direct payments

You can register with the scheme if you are self-employed and work in a position covered by the Scheme.

ISA registration should be a 7 working day turn round. Enhanced CRB disclosure may take a few weeks to come back. You need to put safeguards in place, e.g. supervision for employees /volunteers until CRB cleared.

List 99 checks for schools awaiting return of CRB checks that have been submitted will be available until November 2010.

Controlled activity is work that does not constitute regulated activity but which provides opportunities for contact with children or vulnerable adults, or opportunities to access education records (for children) or health or social services records about children or vulnerable adults

  • frequent or intensive ancillary activity in adult social care settings and further education.
  • People working for specified organisations with access to health, education or social services records

From 12 October the duty to refer an employee to the ISA is the same for regulated activity. Introduction of controlled activity regulation due in 2014.

Useful weblinks

Criminal Record Bureay

Independent Safeguarding Authority

The Local Safeguarding Childrens Board


Childrens’ Services Procedure Manual

Vetting and Barring Scheme Guide

ISA Referral Guide

Online training Wider children’s workforce

Safer recruitment –schools

Council Contacts

Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
Corporate Safeguarding Team:
Lawna Grant / / 0207 361 2410
Margaret Burns / / 0207 261 2972
Sally Bazeley / / 0207 361 2844
Family and Children’s Services
Glen Peache, (Local Authority Designated Officer)- / / 0207 361 3317
Hilary Shaw, Principal Education & Welfare Officer / / 0207 598 4876
Jonathan Williams
Child Protection & Safeguarding Manager / / 0207 361 2273
Housing, Health and Adult Social Care
Mary Wynne, Safeguarding Adults Co-ordinator / / 0207 361 2484

Margaret Burns

HR Contracts and Safeguarding Consultant

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