From 1st April 2025 the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme becomes a legal requirement in Scotland. You still have time to prepare – here’s some information to help…
It will be a legal requirement for individuals to be a member of the PVG Scheme when carrying out a regulated role with children, protected adults, or both. Organisations must ensure that individuals who are to carry out a regulated role (paid or voluntary) have PVG scheme membership from 1st April 2025 onwards.
From this date, ‘regulated work’ will be replaced by ‘regulated roles’. Disclosure Scotland expect that roles which are currently included under regulated work, will also be regulated roles. However, the introduction of ‘regulated roles’ will bring new roles into the PVG scheme that are currently not regulated work. Examples include, football agents, talent scouts, hypnotherapists and certain hospital or hospice-based roles that do not currently qualify for the PVG scheme.
To help you assess the criteria for regulated roles, please review the Disclosure Act schedules on ‘regulated roles’ with children and protected adults, and explanatory notes. If you work in a regulated role, you must become a member of the PVG scheme.
Disclosure Scotland will also be providing checklists to determine if the roles within your organisation require a PVG Scheme and we will support you in this assessment.
There will be a short grace period of three months after the PVG scheme becomes a legal requirement on 1st April 2025. This will ensure individuals and organisations don’t immediately commit an offence if there are individuals who are not yet PVG scheme members but are currently working in regulated roles.
These sessions will give you the opportunity to learn about the new legislation and how you can prepare for working with the new Disclosure Act, provide you a chance to ask any questions you may have about the implementation of the Disclosure Act in 2025, as well as how to work with the current disclosure legislation.
These informal online sessions will give you the opportunity to chat with a member of our training team about the Disclosure Act and upcoming changes. These sessions are free to attend and no booking required. You’re welcome to join anytime during the scheduled session.
From 1st April 2025, applicants will have more control over their information. The disclosure process will now include a requirement for applicants to share a copy of their disclosure results with the recruiting organisation or notify Disclosure Scotland that they intend to seek a review of the content of their disclosure result.
Organisations should assess how they can adjust their current recruitment processes to raise awareness of this new step for applicants, enabling them to manage their own information effectively.
Disclosure Scotland recently consulted on fee discounts and waivers and will soon publish a report on their website. Consultation responses are informing policy development and options for Scottish Ministers. Future fee decisions will balance public finances and customer affordability, with fee regulations expected in early 2025.