[Ely Announce] Vetting and Barring Scheme: Urgent Information: From Yvonne Quirk, the Bishop’s Safeguarding Adviser]

[Val Robson]

*Vetting and Barring Scheme: Urgent Information *

*From Yvonne Quirk, the Bishop’s Safeguarding Adviser*

*17^th June, 2010***

You may be aware that on Tuesday 15^th June the Home Office announced 
that it was calling a halt to the new Independent Safeguarding Authority 
(ISA) registration process. Theresa May, Secretary of State for the Home 
Department made a statement which included the following:

‘The Government has made clear its intention to bring the criminal 
records and Vetting and Barring regimes back to common sense levels. 
Until this remodelling has taken place, we have decided to maintain 
those aspects of the new Scheme which are already in place, but not to 
introduce further elements.

‘The terms of reference for the remodelling of the VBS and of the 
criminal records regime are currently being considered and a further 
announcement will be made in due course.’

I have now read and considered all available information issued in 
connection with this statement. The ISA registration of new workers has 
been *postponed* indefinitely, but *not* *cancelled*. It is important 
not to be panicked into throwing the baby out with the bath water. You 
will remember that in the Diocese of Ely, we made the decision to 
process all CRBs due for renewal in the next two years early, so as to 
avoid inevitable problems while the new scheme bedded down. This will 
stand us in good stead now, and we should able to escape most of the 
confusion this new announcement will create.

Sarah King and I will assess further information as it becomes available 
and will send it out once we have made sure of its authenticity and 
durability e.g. we will not share things the Government are 
/considering/, only things that are firmly /decided/. *Please do not 
take any action solely on the basis of what is reported in the press*. 
Check with Sarah or with me first, to avoid the kind of confusion that 
occurred in the initial reportage of the Scheme’s introduction last 
year. Our contact details are to be found at the end of this memo.

For the moment, here are the main points that need to be noted:

People being appointed to new posts with children and/or vulnerable 
adults will need to apply for an enhanced CRB check, just as they would 
have done before. However, they will not be able to apply for ISA 
registration. The new CRB/ISA forms will be used from 28^th June, to be 
processed from 28^th July (just as originally planned).  In between 
these dates, no CRBs will be processed. If this leaves you in 
difficulty, contact Sarah or me. When you fill in the new style form, 
just ignore any ISA related question (it will in any case be ignored by 
the CRB). The fee will be the old CRB fee of £36 (free for volunteers), 
not the higher joint CRB/ISA fee.

   1. The changes introduced in October 2009 are still in place. The new
      ‘barred’ lists are operating. The prohibition on seeking work if
      you are barred, or employing someone who is barred, still applies.
      Furthermore, if someone has stepped down, or been removed from a
      role with children or vulnerable adults, as a result of concerns
      about inappropriate behaviour, there will still need to be a
      referral to the ISA. Contact me in the first instance, and I will
      work with you throughout the process.
   2. The final VBS training session, planned for 26^th June in Ely, has
      been cancelled. If you had booked a place, you should receive
      separate notification about this. The course list will be kept on
      file and when the Scheme is ready for re-launch, you will be given
      priority places on any updated training offered.
   3. If you have already undergone training, don’t throw the
      information away. We have no idea what revisions will be made, but
      they are likely to be in the detail (eg definitions of
      ‘frequency’, or of which volunteers have to register) rather than
      the fundamental principles.
   4.  The Q&A documents Sarah and I have been preparing will not be
      sent out until the review is over, but please contact us if you
      are confused or in difficulty about any aspect of the changes or
      how it will impact on your parish. The commitment to protect
      children and vulnerable adults has not changed. It is vital now,
      especially while there is confusion and uncertainty around us,
      that we do not leave avoidable loopholes or lose our grip on the
      excellent ‘firewall’ approach that characterises the Diocese of
      Ely’s practice in ministering to our most vulnerable people

Yvonne Quirk

quirky at yvonnecoppard.plus.com <mailto:quirky at yvonnecoppard.plus.com>

tel. 01223 276957

Sarah King

sarah.king at ely.anglican.org <mailto:sarah.king at ely.anglican.org>

tel 01353 662749


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