Nursery World - Workers' register to protect children

New statutory registers could protect children and vulnerable adults in Northern Ireland from people deemed unsuitable to work with them. The Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults Bill was introduced in the NorthernIreland Assembly last week by Bairbre de Brun, minister for health, social services and public safety. She said her aim was 'to establish a system which will improve the level of protection for the most vulnerable groups in society' by strengthening and extending current arrangements for vetting anyone seeking work with children or adults with a learning disability.

The Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults Bill was introduced in the NorthernIreland Assembly last week by Bairbre de Brun, minister for health, social services and public safety. She said her aim was 'to establish a system which will improve the level of protection for the most vulnerable groups in society' by strengthening and extending current arrangements for vetting anyone seeking work with children or adults with a learning disability.

A key feature of the Bill will be the creation of statutory lists of unsuitable people, to be held by the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety.

At present, checks are carried out through the Pre-Employment Consultancy Service, operated by the DHSSPS. The provisions in the Bill are broadly similar to those of the Protection of Children Act 1999 and the Care Standards Act 2000 in England and Wales.

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