The Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) an organisation set up to get more than 11 million people checked before they can work with children or vulnerable adults was questioned by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation as what recruitment agencies directives should be when referring suspicions on individuals.
The REC has written to ministers to ask that the £5000 fine is not introduced until employers have had enough time to comply with the new regulations. Recruitment agencies are especially concerned as they are deemed the employers when it comes to temporary staff and as is would face criminal charges if all sanctions are not adhere to by the 12th of October.
The reason the ISA came to fruition is so to prevent a repeat of the Soham murders, by ensuring that all who want to work with children and vulnerable adults have been screened properly. A problem that exists by doing this is how intricate do you go, the scheme at the moment would mean that even parents organising lifts home from football matches would have to pay £64 to register with the ISA and be screened, this seems slightly excessive.
There are fears that this can sway so far into the overprotective category that every little suspicion is reported and so in turn ruining potentially many innocent peoples’ livelihood. The fact also that you will have to pay £64 to the ISA to get this screening done, would also mean that many workers such as cleaners would be hesitant to pay this and so choose other types of establishments to go to.
The REC believes these directives were rushed through and not thought about how they would work in the real world. It needs time to get employers to understand how ISA will operate and hopes the ISA will be lenient with implementing the fines in early stages.
From my point of view I agree with most things the ISA is trying to do and would find it hard for anyone to disagree with this, but as with many things the government tries to implement it seems to be rushed and have a lack of understanding by employers especially Recruitment Agencies. I hope these teething problems are sorted out quickly and efficiently
