News

The government has insisted that the proposed scheme for preventing unsuitable people from working with children will be more than just a register of banned individuals.

Following last year's inquiry into how Ian Huntley obtained his job as a school caretaker, Sir Michael Bichard recommended the introduction of a system identifying all those suitable to work with children.

But the government announced earlier this month that a licensing or card scheme would be unworkable and unaffordable due to the sheer scale and complexity of the workforce.

Althea Efunshile, director of the safeguarding children group at the Department for Education and Skills, said the government's proposed alternative system would meet all of Bichard's requirements. The system would be "comprehensive" and prevent those who are known to be unsuitable gaining access to children or vulnerable adults through their work, she said.

Key features of the scheme, which is still being developed, include suitability judgements made before employment, immediate notifications of new offences and allegations, and immediate updates to employers of any change in the barred status of an individual.


Significantly, the scope of the scheme would also be extended to cover categories previously exempt, such as those employed directly by parents or personal employers. These would include nannies and carers employed under the direct payments scheme.

Efunshile said the government hoped a bill would be ready by November, and that the whole scheme would be in place by early 2007. The changes will "require primary legislation and significant resources to deliver", she added.