Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006

The government has published new legislation to centralise the vetting system for people who work with children and vulnerable adults.

Under the proposed new law employers will be committing an offence and will face penalties if they employ people to work with children and vulnerable adults that they know are barred.

In the most serious cases they could face penalties of up to five years in prison.

Failure to make a background check could also result in fines of up to £5,000.

The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Bill will integrate the current List 99 (for people banned from working as teachers), and the Protection of Children Act lists which cover those working in childcare settings.

It will also establish a new list of people barred from working with vulnerable adults to replace the Protection of Vulnerable Adults list.

Ministers will lose responsibility for barring decisions, with the functions transferred to a new independent statutory board.

Domestic employers such as parents will be able to check whether private tutors, nannies, music teachers and care workers are barred.

And employers will be able to make ‘real-time’ checks of employees with secure online access to an electronic database.

“Today's Bill will introduce a 21st century approach to the protection of children and vulnerable adults,” said Kelly.

“This Bill brings forward the root-and-branch reform I promised ensuring we have a far more comprehensive and coordinated system,” she added.

Sir Michael Bichard, who headed the review of procedures prompted by the Soham murders, welcomed the move.

He added that the new registers “will not guarantee that all unsuitable people are prevented from working with children but it should ensure that no one about whom relevant intelligence is held should be able to ‘slip through the net’ in future”.

The government hopes the new systems will be implemented from 2007.

House of Lords

First reading: February 28 2006 [HL Bill 79]

Second reading: March 28 2006

Grand Committee:

• 1st day: May 2 2006
• 2nd day: May 3 2006
• Bill as amended: HL Bill 101

Report: May 24 2006

Third reading: June 7 2006

House of Commons

First reading: June 8 2006 [HC Bill 194]

Second reading: June 19 2006

Standing Committee B:

• 1st sitting: July 11 2006 (am)
• 2nd sitting: July 11 2006 (pm)
• 3rd sitting: July 13 2006 (am)
• 4th sitting: July 13 2006 (pm)

Remaining stages:

• 1st day: October 23 2006

House of Lords

Consideration of Commons amendments: November 1 2006

House of Commons

Consideration of Lords amendments: November 6 2006

House of Lords

Royal Assent: November 8 2006