Disclosure Scotland and the PVG (Protecting Vulnerable Groups) Scheme

Disclosure Scotland is a Scottish Government organisation. It issues certificates called ‘disclosures’ to people applying for jobs where they will have regular contact with children or vulnerable adults. It also issues them to potential employers and voluntary organisations.

Disclosures help to make sure that workers don’t have a history that might put vulnerable people at risk of harm. Disclosure Scotland does background checks on job applicants and workers to make sure they are suitable for the job before issuing them with a disclosure certificate. There are different types of disclosure depending on the level of contact you have with vulnerable people.  

From February 28, 2011 Disclosure Scotland will be managing a new disclosure scheme called the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme.

Organisations recruiting people to do work with children and vulnerable people will ask them to join the PVG Scheme and get a Scheme Record, the new disclosure record.  For new members this will normally cost £59. Volunteers who will be working for qualifying voluntary organisations can join for free. You can join the PVG scheme before you start to apply for work.

Once you become a PVG Scheme member your Scheme Record will be updated on an ongoing basis to make sure you are still suitable for ‘regulated’ work.  

Disclosure Scotland will be phasing the new scheme in over the next four years. In the first year, it will only be available to people joining the vulnerable groups’ workforce for the first time, moving posts or whose circumstances have changed.

For more information visit the Disclosure Scotland website.

Disclosure Scotland
PO Box 250
Glasgow, G51 1YU

Phone: 0870 609 6006
Fax: 0870 609 6996
Web: www.disclosurescotland.co.uk