Child safeguarding

The verifier is simply the person responsible or jointly-responsible for recruiting staff and volunteers that your organisation wants to check.

On the NSPCC website you will find the most current and comprehensive information on child protection, safeguarding resources and publications.

The UK Council for Child Internet Safety publishes a document on social networking guidance (and other guides) available at on the education.gov website.

Facebook offers some guidelines to help parents help their children make safe use of the site.

England and Wales (enhanced disclosures only)

• Volunteers: £12.50 (Making Music member organisations) or £35.50 (non members)
• Employees: £50.50 (Making Music member organisations) or £73.50 (non members)

Disclosure Scotland

Please note that Making Music will not be able to process applications for the PVG scheme, but volunteers will be able to apply free of charge via the Central Registered Body in Scotland.

The Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme launched in Scotland on 28 February 2011 and is operated by Disclosure Scotland.

The PVG scheme is a membership programme for those who have regular contact with children and protected adults, requiring them to apply for inclusion on a continuously updated register in order to be eligible for such voluntary or professional positions. For any queries you can contact Disclosure Scotland on 03000 2000 40 or email info@disclosurescotland.gsi.gov.uk.

The Disclosure Scotland website has more guidance and information for individuals and organisations.

Please note that Making Music will not be able to process applications for the PVG scheme.

Please refer to the Disclosure Scotland website for more information and guidance.

In September 2012, the law changed to give a new definition of regulated activity. This outlines the specific types of work with vulnerable groups including children where an organisation must check the suitability of a potential employee or volunteer with the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Regulated activity relating to children now comprises:

1. Unsupervised activities: teach, train, instruct, care for or supervise children, or provide advice/guidance on well-being, or drive a vehicle only for children
2. Work for a limited range of establishments (‘specified places’), with opportunity for contact: for example, schools, children’s homes, childcare premises. Not work by supervised volunteers;
   Work under (1) or (2) is regulated activity only if done regularly.
3. Relevant personal care, for example washing or dressing; or health care by or supervised by a professional;
4. Registered childminding; and foster carers.

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Regulated activity relating to adults comprises:

1. Providing health care
2. Providing personal care including washing, dressing or helping with eating and drinking
3. Providing social work
4. Assistance with cash, bills or shopping
5. Assistance with personal affairs for example those with power of attorney
6. Conveying – transporting somebody to receive health care, personal care or social care (this will not include family, friends or taxi drivers)

Here ‘regular’ means carried out by the same person frequently (once a week or more often), or on 4 or more days in a 30-day period (or in some cases, overnight).

Making Music acts as an umbrella body for the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), handling applications on behalf of our members and any organisation based in England or Wales wishing to apply for DBS checks.

All DBS checks requested via Making Music are completed online via an online portal run by a company called First Advantage.

The first time you request an online DBS check a registration fee (£5 for members, £7.50 for non-members) will be payable. This is a one off fee and you will not have to pay it for any future checks. The process will work as follows (more detailed guidance for each step will be provided when you order a check). 

1. Verifier requests DBS checks from Making Music
2. Verifier is set-up with online First Advantage account
3. Verifier emails applicant(s) though online account with request to complete online form
4. Applicant completes online form
5. Applicant and Verifier meet and check documents Verifier completes verification part of online form
6. Online form sent directly to DBS
7. Making Music invoice for check(s)
8. DBS contacts applicant with check outcome