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Safeguarding Children

My right honourable friend the Minister of State for Children, Young People and Families (Dawn Primarolo) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. I am today publishing two consultation documents as part of reviews of elements of the vetting and barring scheme as recommended by Sir Roger Singleton, the Government’s chief adviser on the safety of children, in his recent report Drawing the Line. The first seeks views on a review of the statutory requirements, and the Government’s advice, for Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) disclosures for safeguarding purposes on those who work with vulnerable groups, when they are already registered with the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA). The second seeks views on a review of whether there is a continuing need for the separate class of work with different requirements, defined in the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 as "controlled activity". I am also today publishing for consultation a revised version of the guidance Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education. This is the key safeguarding guidance for schools, and has been revised largely to take account of the implementation of the vetting and barring scheme under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006. Changes are also included in response to Keeping our School Safe, Sir Roger Singleton’s review of safeguarding arrangements in independent schools, non-maintained special schools and boarding schools in England. The consultation also seeks views from the education sector on whether CRB checks should be required or recommended where an individual is registered with the ISA. These consultations are available to download from www.dcsf.gov.uk/consultations. Views are sought by 15 June 2010.