13/12/2009

The Scout Association has been made aware that Ed Balls has recently written to Sir Roger Singleton in response to his report into the Government’s Vetting and Barring Scheme (VBS).

We understand that in this letter Ed Balls accepts all of the recommendations made by Sir Roger and that a report confirming this position will be published on Monday 14 December.

Sir Roger Singleton, the Chief Adviser on the Safety of Children and Chair of the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA), was asked by Ed Balls in September to check that the line was drawn in the right place in relation to those who have to register with the scheme because of the frequent or intensive nature of their contact with children.

We understand that Sir Roger’s recommendations include:

• Where organisations such as schools, clubs or groups make the decisions as to which adults should work with their children then the requirement to register with the VBS should apply, subject to the frequent and intensive contact provisions.
• The frequent contact test should be met if the work with children takes place once a week or more (at present the test is if activity happens as often as once a month). The intensive contact test should be met if the work takes place on four days in one month or more or overnight (this change is designed to make the scheme easier to understand and put into practice, since at present the test is three times in every 30 days or overnight.)
• Individuals who go into different schools or similar settings to work with different groups of children should not be required to register unless their contact with the same children is frequent or intensive.
• The minimum age of registration for young people who engage in regulated activity as part of their continuing education will be reviewed. The Government should make immediate changes to the rules so that 16, 17 and 18-year-olds in education will not be required to register.
• Overseas visitors bringing their own groups of children to the UK e.g. to international camps or the Olympics, should have a three months exemption from the requirement to register.
• Exchange visits lasting less than 28 days, where overseas parents accept the responsibility for the selection of the host family, should be regarded as private arrangements and will not require registration.

We understand that in his letter to Sir Roger, Ed Balls is reassured by the progress that has been made over the past three months, and the wide range of organisations and individuals that Sir Roger consulted.

Scout Association Members should be aware that representatives of the Movement met with Sir Roger last month and that we welcomed the positive engagement we have had with him on this subject. We feel he listened sympathetically to our concerns about the operational implementation of the Vetting and Barring Scheme.

We are therefore very pleased to hear that Ed Balls will accept all of Sir Roger Singleton’s recommendations to ensure that the Vetting and Barring scheme draws the line in the right place when protecting young people.

The Scout Association now believes that the updated guidelines protect young people without being unnecessarily difficult to operate. We look forward to seeing the full report on 14 December.