The Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults (NI) Order 2003 will place the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety's Pre-employment Consultancy Service register on a statutory basis, making it a criminal offence for anyone on it knowingly to apply for or accept a post that involves working with children. It will also give courts the power to issue an order banning someone from working with children.
Ian Elliott, divisional director of the NSPCC in Northern Ireland, said the Order 'will significantly strengthen the vetting arrangements for those working with children in Northern Ireland' and it meant the Province's child protection legislation would be stronger than anywhere else in the UK. He also welcomed the provision for an accreditation system for sports and leisure groups, which will now be required to meet Department of Health standards on child protection and have a legal obligation to vet and report staff dismissed as in childcare organisations.
The order also includes a 'whistle-blowing' provision, allowing an employee of both childcare and accredited organisations to report any failure to comply with the legislation's requirements.
Mr Elliott added, 'The NSPCC will now be calling on the Government to ensure that accreditation in non-childcare organisations is supported by all departments and, where appropriate, necessary finance is made available to underpin these new arrangements. We would also like to see the provision of all grants to organisations that work with children as being contingent on accreditation or a commitment to become accredited.'
The legislation, one of 22 Bills progressing through the Northern Ireland Assembly when it was suspended last autumn, has passed through the House of Commons committee stage and is going to the House of Lords before becoming law this month.
