News

The government has published new regulations  to bar people convicted of sexual offences against children from working in schools and other education settings in England.

The regulations, which are out for consultation until 2 January 2007, set out three ways in which people’s names can be added to List 99, the list of people barred from working in schools:

• automatic barring, with no right to make representations against the decision for at least 10 years
• automatic inclusion, where people would be able to make representations against their entry
• discretionary barring, where decisions would be made according to the advice of an expert panel led by former Barnardo's chief Roger Singleton

The regulations tighten up the current barring system before it is replaced by a new vetting and barring scheme to be introduced through the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Bill, which is going through Parliament.

The government is also amending the Day Care and Child Minding Disqualification Regulations so the same regime applies to day care settings.

www.communitycare.co.uk/childprotection