Home Secretary, Theresa May, announced on 15 June that the rollout of the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) Vetting and Barring Scheme (due to start 26 July 2010) has been halted to allow the Government to “redraw the Scheme to common sense levels”.
UNISON has sent a letter (on behalf of a joint TUC coalition) to the Home Office seeking a meeting to discuss the government’s ideas, the timescale for the review and to raise our concerns including the impact of the cost of ISA registration on individuals, the duplication with existing regulation by professional registration bodies, and the need to ensure that individuals have the right to a fair hearing. At the moment we do not know how far the review may go toward addressing these concerns.
The announcement of the review does not alter the current process. Existing requirements for criminal record checks remain in place and employers are still legally obliged to refer information to the ISA if an individual has harmed or demonstrated a risk of harm to a child or vulnerable adult. The ISA continues to investigate relevant information which is referred to it. The ISA will write to individuals who are under investigation and inform them whether it is ‘minded to bar’. If branches become aware of any members who receive a letter from the ISA, please inform your regional office and UNISON’s Professional Registration - Representation Unit.
Further details of the process for remodelling the Scheme will be announced shortly and we will provide Branches with this information as soon as it is available.
UNISON has sent a letter (on behalf of a joint TUC coalition) to the Home Office seeking a meeting to discuss the government’s ideas, the timescale for the review and to raise our concerns including the impact of the cost of ISA registration on individuals, the duplication with existing regulation by professional registration bodies, and the need to ensure that individuals have the right to a fair hearing. At the moment we do not know how far the review may go toward addressing these concerns.
The announcement of the review does not alter the current process. Existing requirements for criminal record checks remain in place and employers are still legally obliged to refer information to the ISA if an individual has harmed or demonstrated a risk of harm to a child or vulnerable adult. The ISA continues to investigate relevant information which is referred to it. The ISA will write to individuals who are under investigation and inform them whether it is ‘minded to bar’. If branches become aware of any members who receive a letter from the ISA, please inform your regional office and UNISON’s Professional Registration - Representation Unit.
Further details of the process for remodelling the Scheme will be announced shortly and we will provide Branches with this information as soon as it is available.
