ISA Registration - Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) - isa checks

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The Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) has been created to help prevent unsuitable people from working with children and vulnerable adults. Personnel Checks is authorised to process ISA registration applications as they are phased in (see Time Scales)

The ISA will take responsibility and run the Vetting and Barring Scheme which was established by The Safeguarding Vulnerable Group Acts 2006. This act is one the government’s key responses to the murders of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman by Ian Huntley. The new vetting and barring scheme will ensure that everyone working in regulated and controlled activity with children (those defined under 18) or vulnerable adults is checked and registered.

The ISA will be working in partnership with the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and other delivery partners such as the department for children schools and families(DCSF), department of health and the department of education and will have the power and responsibility to bar unsuitable people from the children's or vulnerable adults' workforce.

The ISA is a single agency which will verify all individuals who want to work with vulnerable people and the first time this decision will be made by independent experts and not Government Ministers.

Anyone wanting to working with vulnerable people will have to register with the ISA and be deemed suitable before they can work in certain environments. The new vbschecking procedures means that the workers status will be automatically kept up to date, as information is fed into the ISA from employers and the Criminal Record Bureau.

ISA registration and isa checks will apply to both the paid workforce and the voluntary sector.

The three former barred lists (POCA, POVA and List 99) are being replaced by two new ISA barred lists; The Children’s Barred List and the Adults Barred List. These two new lists will contain details of those individuals the Independent Safeguarding Authority has decided it inappropriate from working with children and vulnerable adults and who are therefore prevented from working or volunteering with them.

The PoVAFirst service is renamed “ISA Adult First”. Offering the same service at the same cost. For further information visit: http://www.crb.gov.uk/isaadultfirst

• Please note: i.s.a. registration for the Vetting and Barring Scheme does not start for new workers or those moving jobs until 26th July 2010. All other staff will be phased into the scheme from 2011.
• Individuals will need to apply for ISA registration, using an application form through Personnel Checks. You will be able to apply for ISA registration and / or a CRB check using the same form.
• Registration under the scheme will commence in July 2010 Further information on how to apply will be provided in due course.

If you would like to receive further updates as the Independent safeguading scheme develops please register your interest by emailing us.

Click here for the ISA implementation time line

Click here for the Vetting & Barring Scheme Guidance October 2009 (these links are found on the newspage of our website)

For more information on the Vetting & Barring Scheme (VBS)

Independent safeguarding authority visit www.isa.homeoffice.gov.uk

Regulated Activities Involve contact with children or vulnerable adults and are:
Of a specified nature e.g. teaching, training, care, supervision, advice, treatment or transport		Frequently, Intensively and / or overnight Once a month
Or	And	Or Three or more occasions in a period of 30 days
In a specified place e.g. schools, children’s homes & hospitals, juvenile detention facilities, adult care homes		Or Overnight: Between 2am – 6am
Also covers Fostering and ‘Defined Office Holders’ e.g. Directors of Children’s services, Trustees of children’s charities, School Governors No distinction made between paid and voluntary work.

Controlled Activities involve indirect contact with children or vulnerable adults and are in the specified places mentioned above.

Such work includes cleaners, caretakers, catering staff, car park attendants and office administration staff. Controlled activity also includes those who might have access to information about vulnerable groups.

The i.s.a. has been live from 12th October 2009 and businesses are legally obliged to check a candidates ISA status by undertaking an enhanced CRB check. Those entering the job market in regulated activity from July 2010 will need to register before being able to work in such positions.