Protecting Vunerable Groups (PVG) Scheme

Disclosure Scotland is the Executive Agency of the Scottish Government which checks and shares information about people’s criminal records. This helps employers make safer decisions when recruiting people. Disclosure Scotland also manages the Protecting Vulnerable Groups Scheme which applies to regulated roles – covering members of the dental team – with children and protected adults.

Several legislative changes to the disclosure scheme were approved by the Scottish Parliament in 2020. The changes do not come into immediate effect but instead will be implemented in stages by 2024.  Examples of these changes include:

• it will be mandatory for those carrying out regulated roles with children and protected adults to be a member of the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme
• the lifetime PVG scheme membership will end and be replaced with a five-year membership period
• Disclosure Scotland will have new powers to impose conditions on individuals while they are being considered for listing

There will be a period of implementation where Disclosure Scotland develop their processes and for organisations to prepare for their new responsibilities.

Disclosure Scotland is committed to then mounting a major communications exercise and offering guidance and training opportunities in advance of changes being implemented. If you have any questions at this stage about the changes ahead, or if your organisation would like to work with Disclosure Scotland to help deliver this important legislation,    

Please contact them at: DisclosureAct@disclosurescotland.gov.scot 

This replaces an earlier news item from the 6th January 2022.