Safeguarding:

CRB and VBS Reviews outcomes

As you will now be aware, the outcomes of the Criminal Records Regime and Vetting and Barring Scheme reviews were announced on 11 February.  The future plans will bring many changes to the current criminal records process and the Vetting and Barring Scheme (VBS) that you have been preparing for over the past few years.  

However, the outcomes demonstrate the Government’s commitment to provide proportionate public protection and bring many benefits to the public.

Criminal Records Regime Review

As a result of the Criminal Records Regime Review, the CRB will now start to develop plans to make the following changes to its service:

  • CRB certificates will be issued to the applicant only; giving them the opportunity to make representations against the information released before it is available to an organisation to consider the person’s suitability
  • A method will be developed for filtering out older and minor convictions so that they will no longer be revealed on a CRB check
  • Portability of CRB checks will be enhanced; applicants will be able to consent to a new process which will continuously update their CRB check and allow employers to carry out an online status check to see if there have been any changes since their last CRB check
  • Improvements will be made to the relevancy test used to determine whether police intelligence will be printed on the CRB certificate
  • "Additional" police information (information disclosed only to the Registered Body and not printed on the CRB certificate) will be abolished
  • The CRB will offer Basic Criminal Record checks
  • The functions of the ISA and the CRB will be brought together under one new organisation.
  • The Government sees benefits in bringing the respective, distinctive expertise and skill sets of the two organisations together to deliver these plans with the Home Office. 

VBS Review

As a result of the VBS Review, the Scheme will be radically scaled back:

  • There will be no registration with the Scheme and consequently no continuous monitoring
  • Regulated Activity will be redefined
  • Controlled activity will be abolished.

The safeguarding measures that were introduced in October 2009 will still apply. This means that employers, social services and professional regulators have a duty to refer to the ISA any information about individuals who may pose a risk to vulnerable groups.

Furthermore, there are criminal penalties for barred individuals who seek or undertake work with vulnerable groups and for employers who knowingly employ someone who is barred from working with those groups.

The ISA will continue to carry out its work as an independent decision making body as well as continuing to maintain the two ISA barred lists. They will also continue to accept safeguarding referrals from employers and other regulatory bodies.

Posted 24th March