The Vetting and Barring Scheme will create a single list of people assessed to be unsuitable to work with children and a separate but linked one for those unsuitable to work with vulnerable adults.  These bring together and replace all existing lists of barred people (e.g. the POCA and POVA lists, List 99 and the Disqualification Order Regime).  The Vetting and Barring Scheme will apply equally to people in paid and unpaid work

The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) will deal with applications for the scheme and the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) will decide who should be barred.  These decisions will be based on information provided by the CRB relating to criminal records and employment history.   

Only applicants who are judged not to pose a risk to vulnerable people can be registered with the Vetting and Barring Scheme. Once the scheme has been fully rolled out employers who work with children or vulnerable people will only be allowed to recruit people who are ISA-registered.  However, the scheme cannot guarantee that anyone not barred is “suitable” or “safe” to work with children. 

Applicants who are accepted on the register will be given a registration number which can be used by their current or future employers to make an online check that they are not barred from working with children or vulnerable adults. An organisation with a genuine interest in an individual may register with the ISA to be notified if that person’s status changes.  

Employers have a legal duty to tell the ISA if they have relevant information about an employee or volunteer.  The list of people registered with the scheme will be constantly updated as fresh information is gathered. If new information indicates that an individual may pose a risk to vulnerable people, the ISA will decide whether they should be barred and will inform their current employer(s) if they are removed from the register.

Barring decisions are made on the basis of serious indications from a person’s criminal or employment history that they are unsuitable to work with vulnerable groups.  If an employer wishes to know the details of an applicants offences they will still be able to make an application for an enhanced CRB check for certain categories of jobs.

NB: The Vetting and Barring Scheme applies only to England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Scotland is developing its own similar system, which will work closely with the ISA.