This is important to all Hacks and PH alike, so read please

Of interest to all those who are working on School or Social service runs taking children to Schools, you will have to register for this apparently. Surprise is that we haven't heard much about it from taxi firms or from the Council.
It will be a criminal offence for an employer to allow a barred person, or a person who is not yet registered with the ISA, to work for any length of time in any regulated activity.
It will be a criminal offence for an employer to take on a person in a regulated activity if they fail to check that person’s status.

Have never heard of the ISA? Then read on


The Independent Safeguarding Authority


The cost for registration has been announced
as £64 and this includes the cost of a CRB
disclosure (the information from which is
needed by ISA to determine the suitability
of the applicant to become registered). The
County Council will be encouraging licensing
authorities to give applicant taxi drivers the
option of applying for ISA registration at
the same time as their next CRB disclosure
renewal after 12th October this year apparently

The Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) was created as part of the Government's Vetting and Barring Scheme (VBS) to help prevent unsuitable people from working with children and vulnerable adults. It is a Non Departmental Public Body, sponsored by the Home Office.

They work in partnership with the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) to help ensure that there is ‘no known reason' why individuals who work or wish to work or volunteer with children or vulnerable adults shouldn't do so. You can read more about it on their website link provided below.

The ISA’s role within the VBS is to make independent barring decisions and place or remove individuals on either the ISA’s Children's Barred List or the ISA’s Vulnerable Adult’s Barred List, or both.

Increased safeguards were introduced under the Vetting and Barring Scheme, from October 12th 2009:
It is a criminal offence for individuals barred by the ISA to work or apply to work with children or vulnerable adults in a wide range of posts - including most NHS jobs, Prison Service, education and childcare. Employers also face criminal sanctions for knowingly employing a barred individual across a wider range of work;
The three former barred lists (POCA, POVA and List 99) are being replaced by two new ISA-barred lists;
Employers, local authorities, professional regulators and other bodies have a duty to refer to the ISA, information about individuals working with children or vulnerable adults where they consider them to have caused harm or pose a risk of harm. Referral forms and referral guidance are available.



Full Scheme guidance can be found on their website.

Please note: ISA-registration for the Vetting and Barring Scheme does not start for new workers or those moving jobs until July 2010 and ISA-registration does not become mandatory for these workers until November 2010. All other staff will be phased into the scheme from 2011. Further information on how to apply for registration will be provided in due course.

http://www.isa-gov.org.uk/Default.aspx?page=2

We have looked into this from a Licensing Authority point of view and we have raised questions as to whether taxi driving is to form one of the regulated activities as listed in the 100 odd page circular that was sent to Authorities, One of those questions yet unanswered is that as an Authority we Enhance CRB check all our drivers every 18 months at a cost of £39, each CRB, the CRB enchanced check will check with the ISA as to anybody who is classed as a barred person, or on a list, the CRB will then report that check to us whether clear or not. If a person is on the barred register then we will get to know on the CRB, any new driver does not get a licence until they have a CRB back.

IF a person licenced as a driver and under new conditions brought in in Aprils Board meeting (see other post) any conviction or charge for any offences, are reported to the licensing Section.

We have therefore considered whether or not we are duplicating a lot of the checks and have asked for clarification on this matter, as of yet we have had nothing back, we do not want to introduce this as a mandatory thing for drivers as it is also another expense that would have to be met by the driver personally.

We will keep you informed of any changes that take place in regards to the ISA checking

Thanks
Licensing Section

If it is going to be required and the requirement comes in from July, then there is not much time left I would have thought. Please keep us updated Licensing as this could potentially affect a lot of people on School and Social services runs.