Coming Soon - Vetting & Barring Scheme for Teachers & Teaching Assistants in the UK

Next month sees the launch of the governments new Vetting and Barring scheme which will run as a replacement for the current List 99 checks which we have up until now used to check for those prohibited from working with children in education.

Costing £64 for the check which will be run alongside the enhanced CRB check (which Classroom already processes for all teachers and support staff working with us) this check must be run for anyone working with Children or vulnerable adults in either a paid or voluntary capacity. Those who volunteer will not have to pay and this one off check does last a lifetime. This new check is run by the statutory body called the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) who say on their website that the scheme is designed to "help prevent unsuitable people from working with children and vulnerable adults".

With up to 11 million people likely to be affected by this new legislation it has so far proved controversial in the media. The author Philip Pullman (who frequently visits schools to discuss his books) has been publicised for his criticism of the legislation which he claims is "dispiriting and sinister". Fellow critics suggest the legislation could result in fewer volunteers and youth workers reaching out to younger people in need.

So what do people think? Surely new stricter legislation which helps to protect children and vulnerable adults is a good thing? Or is this new scheme a step too far? Are you comfortable knowing that your personal information will make up part of what will become one of the biggest data bases of its kind in the world?

From Classroom's perspective I can tell you that you will not immediately be affected by this new legislation. From July 2010 - anyone newly registering with Classroom will be liable to the £64 check if they have not already applied for it. For those teachers who are already here and working in schools - you will not be considered priority and so do not expect to be affected until towards the end of 2010. Remember though - this is a one off payment which lasts a lifetime.

Please let us know your views on this subject. Here's one comment we just received:

camefix said...

I am really upset about this.
First, I gossip with permies in the staffroom and I KNOW some of them haven't had a CRB done. I'm a supply and I must be checked and pay for it myself or I can't work.
2nd. When children are abused, the worst abusers are family members. No teacher beats, starves, or murders a child; or goes on holiday leaving kids unsupervised.

What do you think?