Will the new Independent Safeguarding Authority effect Community Learning?

The Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) has been created to help prevent unsuitable people from working with children and vulnerable adults. The ISA will be working in partnership with the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and other delivery partners.

Many Neighbourhood Learning Centres work with people who come into the category of vulnerable adults. The definition of vulnerable is quite widely encompassing (see Vulnerable learners). The guidance the ISA give is that it is for individuals to register, not organisations.

However, organisations may be expected to have a published policy on who needs to have had a CRB check, especially if they are delivering learning activities for local authorities or applying for funding from grant awarding bodies.

Further information is available from the ISA website www.isa-gov.org.uk.