WALES COUNCIL FOR VOLUNTARY ACTION CRIMINAL RECORDS UNIT SAFEGUARDING SERVICE   SAFEGUARDING in the THIRD SECTOR

Safeguarding – children, adults, everyone   

Context Increasing enquiries from CRU service users and third sector organisations holistic approach- safer recruiting as part of safeguarding changes in Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) −RA change in eligibility – supervised volunteers −Filtering guidance −Single issue certificate −Update service DBS statutory duty to refer

DBS changes Filtering guidance –Understanding of criminal record information – interpretation and risk assessment Single issue certificate - How to manage viewing certificate, need for ID Update service

DBS Duty to refer A regulated activity provider, such as a person who manages volunteers in a regulated activity position has a legal duty to refer to the Disclosure and Barring Service. ISA (as was) noticed fewer referrals from Wales as expected campaign to raise profile WCVA CRU worked closely with DBS to deliver awareness raising

DBS When to refer When the two main conditions below have been met: ONE : Permanent removal from regulated activity TWO: Referring party thinks that the person has either; –engaged in relevant conduct or –satisfied the harm test or –received a caution for, or been convicted of, a relevant offence

Harm test to satisfy the harm test there needs to be credible evidence of a risk of harm to vulnerable groups including children such as statements made by an individual regarding conduct/behaviour, etc. for a case to be considered as a risk of harm, relevant conduct would not have occurred but there must be tangible evidence rather than a “feeling” that a person represents a risk to children and / or adults. This is when the second condition has been met

Case by case basis Referrals from employers and other providers of regulated activity, personnel suppliers, local authorities / health and social care trusts / education and library boards and professional regulatory bodies where they have dismissed or moved an employee working in regulated activity, following harm to a child or adult or where there is a risk of harm. the majority of barring decisions rest upon the material provided by a) the employer (regulated activity provider) b) the referred person in their representation

DBS Referral material DBS would expect an organisation’s internal processes to already have i dentification of individual recruitment documentation induction and training record supervision / appraisal records incidents / complaints involving individual internal investigations / disciplinary processes activity / care plans external contacts; agencies and reports exit processing

foundations Embrace a culture of safeguarding and better understanding of safeguarding and protection a need for a safeguarding policy and its implementation a need to understand what abuse looks like broadest sense a need for risk assessment to know how to identify and report concerns continual improvement with confidence – more specific topics

CRU website Supporting third sector organisations and CRU service users to meet their safeguarding responsibilities safeguarding information and guidance FAQ’s, “hot topics” and free downloads self assessment toolkit signposting to specialist organisations for specific children’s or adult’s issues

CRU Safeguarding enquiries safeguarding issues –e.g. shared use of premises; faith groups safer recruiting; policies and procedures as well as checks; –policy templates volunteer concerns; – e.g. roles and responsibilities disclosures, confidentiality and consent regulated activity and barring lists duty to refer and barring process

Safeguarding training for third sector and CRU service users as extension of their ongoing programme of advice and guidance bespoke and general working with CVCs – roll out across the sector for the hardest to reach groups regardless of end user involved in joint planning of Safeguarding Induction course with CCW, pilot in Autumn

Contact Any questions, issues or concerns about safeguarding in your organisation? CRU Safeguarding Officer - Suzanne Mollison CRU

NEED HELP?.....from CRU Safeguarding Service  Helpline 9 am – 5 pm  WCVA CRU Morfa Hall Bath Street RHYL LL18 3EB