Why use Disclosures
Under current legislation* only organisations who are regulated by the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) and Ofsted to provide residential or domicilary care services to children or vulneraale adults are required by law to ask for Standard or Enhanced Disclosures.
Although the Government did not legislate to require other organisations to use the service (thereby avoiding the overhead of policing the legislation) they strongly encourage all organisations who offer roles that are eligible for Disclosures at the higher levels to ask for them.
In the commercial sector the main drivers to use Disclosures are :-
- A duty of care to customers and staff to have and impliment a policy that requires staff who come into regular contact with under 18's or vulnerable adults to be vetted to ensure that they have no known history of abusing these groups, or one that suggests they would pose a risk to these groups.
- Protecting the company (and Directors personally) against the possibility of legal (criminal or civil) action as a result of an incidence of abuse; along with the associated adverse publicity.
- Complying with most insurance underwriters clauses to "take all reasonable precautions to avoid a claim"
- Complying with client requirements to do so (rightly or wrongly)
- Maintain a competitive market position against those already using the service.
* As from the introduction of the Protection of Vulnerable Groups Act (2006) expected in late 2008, it will be a legal requirement for organisations offering "services aimed at children or vulnerable adults" to check that staff and their line managers delivering those services are not barred from doing so.