Disclosure Scotland plays an important role in the safeguarding landscape in Scotland. Our vetting service matches people to criminal records, helping organisations make safer recruitment decisions.  They also manage the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme, which includes:

•    ongoing monitoring of everyone who is a member of the PVG scheme
•    matching millions of updated police records to scheme members annually
•    managing a barring service, which follows a fair process to remove those who have a history of harmful or potentially harmful behaviour from regulated work with children or protected adults
 
You can hear more about their role, including what their stakeholders from Positive Changes, Scottish Nursing Guild and Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS), say about them, by watching their ‘Reform in Action’ video.
 
Disclosure (Scotland) Act changes
 
The Act will improve the disclosure system in Scotland by removing unnecessary barriers for people with convictions as they seek employment or other opportunities and enhance the PVG scheme. This includes:

•    the introduction of simplified disclosure products and people having more control over their information
•    an individualised approach to the disclosure of childhood offending and rights of review for convictions disclosed, to enhance fairness and proportionality
•    the PVG scheme becoming mandatory for those carrying out regulated roles with children and protected adults
•    the ability for Disclosure Scotland to impose conditions on PVG scheme members who are under consideration for listing
 
Most of the Act will be implemented on 1 April 2025.  They will continue their work on implementation in a collaborative manner and with their stakeholders’ participation informing their product design.
 
From 1 April 2026, lifetime membership of the PVG scheme will be replaced by time-limited scheme membership, with renewal required every five years. They have postponed implementation of time limited membership to engage with stakeholders further on what is required for the transition of existing scheme members to time-limited membership.
 
Expanding their digital services
 
They’re continuing to introduce online disclosure results, which is an important development in the move towards the implementation of the Act. This is providing customers with an end-to-end digital service of the PVG scheme and will be available to all of Disclosure Scotland’s customers later this year.
 
Their customers have told them that this service is delivering a faster, more user-friendly and accessible experience. Organisations can arrange immediate access to our secure online results service by contacting customerengagement(at)disclosurescotland.gov.scot
 
Take part in the fees consultation
 
They’re currently reviewing their fee waivers, discounting and registration fees as part of the delivery of the Act. Their public consultation is available to complete until 28 May 2024.
 
They’re offering short workshops to review the proposals laid out in the consultation, giving you the opportunity to give your feedback and highlight what should be considered. If you’re interested in these workshops visit their events page. 
 
New corporate website
 
They’re pleased to announce the launch of their new website, where you can keep up to date with what is going on in Disclosure Scotland.
 
What you can do now
 
PVG scheme members:
•    by law, you have a responsibility to tell Disclosure Scotland if your personal details have changed, to ensure we hold accurate information
•    for more information on how to update your PVG details, timescales and legal requirements visit their webpage
Organisations:
•    by law, you have a responsibility to notify Disclosure Scotland when a PVG scheme member stops doing regulated work with your organisation
•    to do this, email dsupdate(at)disclosurescotland.gov.scot with the individual’s name, date of birth and PVG number