Tougher controls on working with children

The government has announced a series of tougher controls on adults who have been cleared to work with children in the publication of a new bill today.

The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Bill includes plans to introduce a centralised vetting system for people working with children and vulnerable adults.

However, employers - including those who operate Internet chat rooms - will face fines of up to £5,000 and a maximum prison sentence of five years in the most serious cases, if they fail to properly vet employees.

The same penalties would also apply to employees.

The new vetting system will bring all the relevant information together in one place for the first time, replacing the current various check-lists, which include List 99 - a list of people banned from working in schools and the Protection of Children Act lists, which ban people from working in the health service.

Ministers will also no longer be responsible for making decisions to ban people from working with children. This will become the responsibility of a new independent body.

Under the new legislation, anyone who is cautioned for sex offences would receive an automatic ban, not just those who have been convicted.

The Bill will also enable employers to check a prospective employee's status via secure online checks as well as make it possible for domestic employers to check the status of people such as private tutors, nannies and care workers.

The announcement of the Bill follows the row over sex offenders being discovered working in UK schools, which led to widespread criticism of Education Secretary Ruth Kelly.

Commenting on the Bill, Mrs Kelly said: "Today's Bill will introduce a 21st Century approach to the protection of children and vulnerable adults. It will fundamentally reform and rebalance vetting procedures so that children's and other vulnerable people's safety is unequivocally the first priority.

"This Bill brings forward root-and-branch reform I promised ensuring we have a far more comprehensive and coordinated system."

The new measures will be introduced next year.

Teachers' union NASUWT Deputy General Secretary Jerry Bartlett "warmly welcomed" the introduction of a central vetting system. However, she said that there must be a fair right of appeal for teachers. She said: "School staff have all too frequently been the victim of false and malicious allegations and these concerns have to be addressed. NASUWT would want to be consulted on the composition and remit of the board.

"The publication of the Bill is the start of the process. NASUWT will now scrutinise every line of it before putting forward our recommendations."

(KMcA/GB)