Recently I described the new Vetting and Barring Scheme that is gradually being brought into force in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, underpinned by the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006.¹ A reader wrote in to say that the position in Scotland, which is different, had not been addressed in detail, and so I apologise to readers in Scotland for this omission and now hasten to remedy it!

In Scotland, the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme has been created by the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007 (see www.opsi.gov.uk/legislation/scotland/acts2007/asp_20070014_en_1), and goes live in 2010, with implementation being phased in to minimise the administrative burden on individual organisations.

For further details of the current and future Scottish provisions, consultations and for news of the PVG Scheme as it unfolds, see the website above and also see the PVG Scheme Information Booklet (available online, as a hard copy and in BSL as a DVD. Contact 0131 244 4907; jan.murray@scotland.gsi.gov.uk).

Monitoring procedures and safeguards in Scotland and N Ireland
The monitoring procedure includes a criminal records check and enquiries of local police forces. In Scotland, the Central Registered Body in Scotland (CRBS) provides enhanced disclosures in the voluntary sector for those working with children, young people and adults at risk (see www.crbs.org.uk). Disclosure Scotland provides criminal records disclosures upon request and payment of a fee, (see www.disclosurescotland.co.uk/apply/). In Northern Ireland, a similar service is provided by Access Northern Ireland (see www.accessni.gov.uk/).

Dr Barbara Mitchels is a solicitor in private practice. A Fellow of BACP, she is also a psychotherapist and director of Watershed Counselling Service. She runs a web based information and legal advice service for therapists at www.therapylaw.co.uk

1. Mitchels B. Safeguarding vulnerable groups. Therapy Today. Lutterworth: BACP. 2009; 20(9): 26-30.