Vetting & Barring

Regulations from the Independent Safeguarding Authority

• A person who is barred from working with children or adults at risk will be breaking the law if they work or volunteer, or try to work or volunteer with those groups.
• An organisation which knowingly employs someone who is barred from working with those groups will also be breaking the law.
• If your organisation works with children or adults at risk and you dismiss a member of staff or a volunteer because they have harmed a child or adult at risk, or you would have done so if they had not left, you must tell the Independent Safeguarding Authority.

In the meantime, organisations are therefore recommended to continue to implement their existing safe recruitment processes, which should include CRB checks for relevant individuals and posts.

The WKGB CRB Process was coordinated and implemented before the start of the V&BS and continues to be a prime requirement for all Coaches and Instructors. Associations must remain aware of the requirement for CRB Disclosure for all new Associations joining the WKGB and Clubs their organisations directly.

UK legislation on vetting and barring in sports

In the UK, the legislation on vetting and barring in sports is governed by the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 (as amended by the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012) and the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

Under this legislation, certain individuals who work with children or adults at risk in sports and other activities are required to undergo criminal record checks to ensure that they are suitable for such work. This includes coaches, instructors, volunteers, and other staff members who have regular contact with children or adults at risk.

The DBS is responsible for maintaining a list of individuals who are barred from working with children or adults at risk. This list, known as the "barred list," is checked by employers to ensure that individuals who are unsuitable for such work are not employed in positions where they would have contact with children or adults at risk.

Employers are also required to have policies and procedures in place to ensure that their employees and volunteers are suitable for their roles, and to report any concerns about the welfare of children or adults at risk to the appropriate authorities.