Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006: Independent Safeguarding Authority Scheme Consultation

The Act is designed to improve the way children are protected and was a response to the Bichard Inquiry of 2004, which concluded that organisations must introduce more stringent vetting and barring procedures following the deaths of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in Soham in 2002. The girls were murdered by Ian Huntley, a caretaker at their school who had been accused of a string of sexual assaults in the past.

To prevent similar incidents in future, the government is creating an Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) to hold a register of all individuals approved to work with children and vulnerable adults and decide on the regulation required for activities where these groups take part. The consultation is asking for a range of views on the proposals, including the activities to be covered by the legislation, who should be entitled to check that a person is ISA registered, and how they will be able to do this. Closing date: 20 February.