Search by topic
PVG and your registration
As we discussed in the last issue of Teaching Scotland, the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme is due to be introduced by the Scottish Government in October 2010.
Following its introduction, membership of the PVG Scheme will be a requirement for anyone applying to register with GTC Scotland.
Registration
John Adams, the Teacher Registration Manager at GTC Scotland, explained the impact this will have on the registration process. He said: "From October 2010, anyone applying to join the GTC Scotland register will need to be a member of the PVG Scheme.
"If you are already registered with GTC Scotland, you should eventually be put into the PVG Scheme by your employer. It is intended that this will happen gradually from 2011 through to 2014.
"While initially there will be very little impact, from October 2011 all employers in Scotland will have a legal responsibility to ensure that teachers become members of the PVG Scheme - this will be called Retrospective Checking.
"GTC Scotland will not be carrying out Retrospective Checking, but will receive a copy of a registered teacher's membership as they are put into the PVG Scheme by their employer."
John added that you should contact your employer if you have any queries regarding how this process will operate and how any costs associated with this will be covered.
Vetting
GTC Scotland will still carry out its own vetting of teachers, even if they are members of the Scheme.
Mark Paxton, from the Professional Practice department at GTC Scotland, explained: "Membership of the PVG scheme is gained based on a determination that no information is available to suggest that an individual is 'unsuitable' to work with children.
"The GTC Scotland professional vetting process, which is an assessment of fitness to work as a teacher, must be much broader than the PVG scheme in order to protect the reputation of the teaching profession and to protect the public.
"It therefore involves considering whether a person is suitable to work with children and whether their character and conduct is such that they are fit to work as a teacher."
This means that a teacher or applicant could be a member of the PVG scheme, but still be refused GTC Scotland registration, or, ultimately, have their GTC Scotland registration removed.
Mark continued: "If the PVG Retrospective Checking uncovers a criminal offence (or similar) that we had not been informed of before, we would consider whether the particular matter affects the teacher's fitness to remain on its register following usual investigative procedures."
Mark insists that this approach is essential to protect the integrity and professionalism of the teaching profession. He said: "We must consider any information that we receive that may impact on an individual's fitness to teach, even if this relates to events that happened some time ago, and respond proportionately.
"Our experience of the enhanced disclosure process, however, would suggest that only a very small proportion of teachers would have any information disclosed to us through the new vetting procedures."
Please note, If you're not allowed into the PVG scheme, your registration with GTC Scotland will be removed or refused and you will not be allowed to teach in state schools in Scotland.
PVG in summary
The Protecting Vulnerable Groups Scheme delivers on the provisions outlined in the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) (Scotland) Act 2007. It will:
- help to ensure that those who have regular contact with children and protected adults through paid and unpaid work do not have a known history of harmful behaviour
- be quick and easy to use, reducing the need for PVG scheme members to complete a detailed application form every time a disclosure check is required
- strike a balance between proportionate protection and robust regulation and make it easier for employers to determine who they should check to protect their client group.