What’s all the fuss about - Why are we asking our clergy, members of religious congregations, church workers and volunteers to apply for a Disclosure check?
Since the introduction of The Protection of Children (Scotland) Act 2008 (PoCSA) many questions and concerns have been raised relating to the Disclosure process. Isn’t this check over the top and unnecessary?
As the National Co-ordinator for the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults I will attempt to answer the kind of questions that people are asking.
As you know, the Catholic Church is committed to doing everything possible to ensure children, young people and vulnerable adults are kept safe from harm. The single most important responsibility to be undertaken is to ensure that anyone placed in a position of trust within the Church whether paid or otherwise, which gives them direct access to children or vulnerable adults, is selected with the utmost care. The recruitment, selection and on-going support of both volunteers and paid employees to work with children and/or with vulnerable adults, whether undertaken locally or at diocesan level, requires rigorous recruitment, selection and monitoring practices.
The establishment of Disclosure Scotland creates a much improved opportunity for ‘police checks’ to form part of this process. It will not replace any other aspect of normal recruitment practices. The Disclosure will come as part of an entire recruitment strategy.
The Central Registered Body in Scotland (CRBS) has been established by the Government to provide free Disclosures for volunteers in the voluntary sector who work with children, young people and vulnerable adults and that the CRBS acts on behalf of the voluntary sector to process Disclosure applications.
In the present climate a new culture of professionalism and transparency is required of us.
Q Why do we have to ask our clergy, church workers and volunteers to apply for a disclosure?
A We are legally required to exercise a proper “duty of care” in recruitment. It is a criminal offence to appoint someone who is known to be disqualified from working with children and vulnerable adults. Failure to take advantage of these disclosures to check relevant information about suitability is likely to be seen as a failure in the “duty of care”. Therefore, the whole selection and recruitment process must include these disclosures.
Q Do other Churches carry out Disclosure checks?
A Yes, all mainstream Churches carry out Disclosure checks including the Church of Scotland and the Episcopal Church.
Q Isn’t the Disclosure process over the top and unnecessary? Does it really provide a safer Church?
A In itself, the Disclosure Check does not provide a safer Church. Good practice in work and ministry provide for safer environments. However, carrying out Disclosure checks provides evidence that the Church has carried out its responsibilities to check the backgrounds of people working within it. If a person has committed an offence, it gives us the opportunity to assess if we would be putting people at risk, by allowing them to perform a specific role.
Q How have parish roles been selected to be included in this process?
A Those identified as new recruits working with, or having access to children, young people and vulnerable adults, one-to-one contact or the potential for access, are subject to the Disclosure process e.g. Parish Co-ordinators/Eucharistic Ministers who visit parishioners in their homes/Children's Liturgy helpers etc. (See Section 3 of the policy document 'Awareness and Safety in our Catholic Communities'.
Q There seems to have been discrepancy. Some parishes are not asking for the same parish roles to be Disclosure checked.
A A national approach aimed at the highest level of protection, not the minimum, has been approved by the Bishops in Scotland at their Conference in September 2005. Now every Parish Priest and Parish Co-ordinator has a copy of this policy.
Q Is there anything that can be said to offset concerns that exist?
A Scotland's Commissioner for Children and Young People (SCCYP) commissioned a piece of research into adult's attitudes towards working which children in February 2007. Participants were asked about their attitudes towards Child Protection regulations. Although people did object to the practical difficulties of getting disclosures, such as having to have several disclosures for different organisations and the length of time that they take to process, the majority of people believed the regulations with regard to Disclosure Checks were appropriate.
July 2008