News
Phased Introduction of Vetting & Barring on Hold
The Home Secretary, announces that she is putting on hold the phased introduction of the vetting and barring scheme.
The first voluntary registrations under the scheme of those who have frequent contact in paid or voluntary work with children in "regulated activities" – including teaching, care and supervision – were due to start on 26 July.
Registrations are still due to become mandatory from this November and those parts of the scheme that have already been implemented will remain in place.
Martin Narey, Barnardo's chief executive, said the decision to review the scheme would be a popular move, but warned that the government would be "rash" to dilute it dramatically.
The new government's decision to look again at the vetting and barring scheme follows a high-profile campaign by children's authors, including Phillip Pullman and Michael Morpurgo, who argued that it was "outrageous and demeaning" that they should have to go through the £64 vetting checks before they could visit schools.
The home secretary said she had halted the implementation of the scheme because it had become clear it was a draconian measure."We were finding the prospect of a lot of people who do very good work up and down the country, were actually saying: 'I can't be bothered to if you are going to treat me like that'," said May.
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