This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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First Minister Backs UK-Wide Vetting to Stop Child Abusers
29/07/1999
"People applying to work with children need to be properly checked and vetted".
First Minister Donald Dewar warned today that:
"Paedophiles are mobile and do not respect national boundaries. It is therefore important to ensure that within the UK there is a fully integrated system for checking and vetting those who apply to work with children and young people in paid or unpaid positions.
Welcoming the Interdepartmental working group's report on Preventing Unsuitable People Working with Children and Abuse of Trust, Donald Dewar said:
"We have been working closely with the Home Office to develop a coherent and integrated package of measures to prevent unsuitable people from obtaining access to children. The proposed scheme announced today comprises an important child protection measure for which legislation will be required. The Executive is currently considering pre-legislative proposals to be announced before the end of the year. These will contain details of the Consultancy Index which would contain names of persons considered to be unsuitable to work with children.
"I am confident that all Members of the Scottish Parliament will share the Executive's determination to introduce measures which will help protect children from those who would seek to harm them."
The Consultancy Index would list information provided by employers about staff whom they consider unsuitable to work with children by reason of misconduct which harmed a child or put a child at risk.
Inclusion on the Index would prohibit individuals from applying for jobs involving children and young people. This would mean that any individual who knows he or she is on a list would be committing an offence if they applied for a post involving work with children It would also be an offence for any employer to take on a person knowing that he or she is listed on the Consultancy Index.
Employers planning to fill positions involving access to children would be able to apply to the Index to check if potential employees were listed.
BACKGROUND
1. Proposals for a Consultancy Index for Scotland were contained within " Aiming for Excellence - Modernising Social Work Services in Scotland" published in March 1999.
News Release: SE0188/99
29 July, 1999