Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups
The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups (Northern Ireland) Order 2007 (SVG Order) and equivalent legislation in England, Wales and Scotland will establish new safeguarding arrangements across the UK aimed at strengthening protection for children and vulnerable adults in workplace situations.
Key features of the new arrangements will include:
- The establishment of a new Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA), which will register those working with children and vulnerable adults and maintain lists of those barred from such work on the basis of harm or risk of harm;
- A requirement for employees (both paid and unpaid) working in specified positions to register with the ISA and pay a registration fee;
- A requirement for employers to check whether an individual working in specified positions is registered with the ISA prior to employing them. This may be done by way of an on-line check;
- Phased ISA registration of the existing children’s and vulnerable adults’ workforces;
- Continuous monitoring of those registered with the ISA;
- A requirement for employers, professional registration bodies and inspection authorities to refer relevant information to the ISA;
- Offences for not meeting the requirements created by the legislation;
The new arrangements will go-live in October 2009. The fee in Northern Ireland for ISA registration will be £58.
