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Independent Safeguarding Authority ‘go live’ date announced

Recruitment agencies will be required to start checking a new candidate’s ISA status from October 2009 if the placement involves regular contact with children and/or vulnerable adults or if the placement is within a controlled environment. 

Controlled environments are considered to be places where candidates come into regular contact with children or vulnerable adults e.g. a hospital or school. Controlled activities are defined by the ISA as frequent if the activity is regular (once a month or more) or ‘intensive’ (takes place on three or more days in a 30-day period). 

The ISA will be incorporated into the same application form as the current CRB check. However consultants should inform their candidates that the cost for an individual to apply will be subject to a one-off fee of £64.  

The ISA is being established in response to the Soham murders in 2002 and will seek to reduce the risk of dangerous individuals coming into contact with children or vulnerable adults.  

REC will be working with the ISA over the next year to ensure that members receive more detailed information on what regular contact is and what would be considered to be a controlled environment.  The ISA is developing policy on this.

 Details of how the roll-out strategy and the details of what and how the ISA will check are still being finalised. REC will continue to make representations on this issue and will be meeting with Government officials in April to discuss this matter further.