Nursery World - Carers warned of protection law

Day nurseries and other organisations in Northern Ireland that work with children have been given notice of new child protection legislation that is to come into force there this autumn. The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety last week published an information note about the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults Order (2003), setting out provisions such as the requirement for them to carry out pre-employment checks on staff and to report individuals who have been found to be unsuitable to work with children.

The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety last week published an information note about the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults Order (2003), setting out provisions such as the requirement for them to carry out pre-employment checks on staff and to report individuals who have been found to be unsuitable to work with children.

The Order will replace the current Pre-Employment Consultancy Service (PECS) arrangement on a statutory basis in Northern Ireland. It will make it a criminal offence to offer work to individuals who are disqualified under the legislation from working with children or vulnerable adults.

Health minister Angela Smith said the new law was designed to offer greater protection to children and vulnerable adults, and that the information note was to help organisations working with children to understand the legislation, consider what implications it will have for them and to enable them to prepare for its introduction.

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