Scotland’s disclosure checks system is reworked

A new system to check that people are safe to work with children and vulnerable adults was announced by the Scottish Government yesterday.

The updated version of the Disclosure Scotland scheme will end the need for multiple one-off checks – which currently cost £23 – with a system that is constantly updated.

The government said it will quickly identify people who become unsuitable to work with vulnerable groups and allow employers to check records quickly and cheaply.

The original checks were introduced after the murders of Soham schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman by school caretaker Ian Huntley in 2002. It emerged that Huntley had previously faced accusations of sex with underage girls.

Children’s Minister Adam Ingram said: “Tragedies such as the Soham murders bring into focus the need to safeguard vulnerable people from the small number of unscrupulous individuals who betray the trust we place in them.

“These reforms will strengthen our ongoing work to support vulnerable children and adults by ensuring those who are unsuitable are not given positions of responsibility.”

He said it will strike the right balance, providing protection without hindering those seeking work.

The cost of setting up the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme is estimated at £44.4million, of which £32.7million is for IT development.

It will cost £59 to join the scheme and subsequent checks, such as when a teacher moves to a new school, will cost £18. It will remain free to volunteers doing regulated work in the voluntary sector.

The government said that while the initial joining fee is higher than the present scheme, it will work out cheaper for employers in the long-term. It will also cost less than comparable schemes in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. A government spokesman said: “The fee structure has been set up to allow employers to make a recurring saving on costs once everyone is in the scheme. Once the workforce has joined the scheme in full, we estimate that, as a result of both the efficiency of the online system and use of record updates, annual savings to employers will be around £9.5million.”

Association of Directors of Social Work president and Highland social work director Harriet Dempster said: “This new approach achieves a better balance between protection and practicality, removes the need for multiple checks, reduces the risk of delay and provides workable safeguards which will be welcomed by employers and volunteers.”

Karen Williams, Grampian Police corporate service director and lead representative for PVG with the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland, said: “We welcome the increased levels of public protection that it will offer to continue to protect vulnerable groups in our society.”