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Bichard vetting and barring scheme

  • Last modified date:
    9 February 2007
  • Gateway reference:
    6409

Background

In response to recommendation 19 of the Bichard Inquiry, the Government is planning to introduce a new vetting and barring scheme for people who work with children and vulnerable adults.  The introduction of the new scheme will be subject to Parliament approving the necessary legislation.

The aim of the vetting and barring scheme is to reduce the incidence of harm to children and vulnerable adults by helping to ensure that:

  • employers benefit from an improved vetting service for those who work with children and/or vulnerable adults;
  • those who are known to be unsuitable are barred from working with children and/or vulnerable adults at the earliest possible opportunity.

Consultation

The Department of Health and the Department for Education and Skills jointly carried out a public consultation on the proposals for a new vetting and barring scheme from 5 April to 5 July 2005.  The proposed model for vetting and barring was widely welcomed, with 88% of respondents either agreeing or strongly agreeing that the new scheme would have a positive impact on safeguards for children and vulnerable adults.

The consultation materials are available at:

The report of the consultation is available at:

Changes to current vetting and barring processes

The new scheme will:

  • build on the existing lists of those barred from work with children and vulnerable adults, including the Protection of Vulnerable Adults (POVA) list;
  • be more comprehensive in coverage, with a wider workforce eligible for checks;
  • enable a barring decision to be made on the basis of an individual's criminal record history, as well as following a referral from an employer or another body;
  • update barring decisions as soon as any new information is made available and notify employers if an employee is deemed unsuitable;
  • enable employers to make secure, instant online checks of an applicant's status in relation to the scheme.

Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act

The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Bill received Royal Assent on 8 November 2006. Click on the link below to read the Act in full.

Next steps

The scheme will be implemented in a staged process, as recommended by Sir Michael Bichard.  Implementation of the scheme will begin in 2007, although the bulk of the new systems required to support the scheme will be put in place in autumn 2008.

Contact point

Any queries about the vetting and barring scheme can be e-mailed to the Department of Health Customer Service Centre at:

Background documents

These links can be copied from the end of the DfES Bichard webpage at the link below.

  • Bichard Inquiry Report, June 2004
  • Bichard Inquiry Recommendations First Progress Report, December 2004
  • Bichard Inquiry Final Report, March 2005
  • Bichard Inquiry Recommendations Second Progress Report, November 2005

External links

Additional links

The Criminal Records Bureau

The role of the Criminal Records Bureau is to reduce the risk of abuse by ensuring that those who are unsuitable are not able to work with children and vulnerable adults

Commission for Social Care Inspection

The Commission for Social Care Inspection is the single, independent inspectorate for social care in England.

Additional links

Access keys