This document explains the process of applying for a PVG Disclosure (also called a criminal records check) for The Scouts if you are
- aged 16 – 17 (you can be added to scouts.org.uk when you are aged 15yrs and 8mths)
- helping support younger Scouts as a Young Helper or within the Young Leader or Duke of Edinburgh scheme in Scotland.
Why do I need a PVG Disclosure?
The PVG Disclosure is an important part of keeping young people safe in Scouting. More information on the PVG scheme can be found here: Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme – mygov.scot
Your work supporting younger Scouts is defined as a ‘Regulated Role’ because it involves being in charge of children whilst instructing them in their activities so your criminal records check will be at the PVG (Protecting Vulnerable Groups) level. You do not need to pay for it as you are a volunteer.
In Scotland, PVG disclosures are not just a single check, PVG is an ongoing scheme that you join. After your first disclosure (PVG result), if there is any new criminal information, your employer (Scouts HQ) would be kept updated.
If you already have PVG membership and have had a PVG disclosure for another organisation, you will still need to apply for a Scouts’ PVG disclosure so Disclosure Scotland know they can share information with Scouts.
How do I apply?
- On or after your 16th birthday, you can apply to join the PVG scheme using the same Scouts’ online process as adult members which includes a ScotAccount. You would not be able to volunteer with younger Scouts until your PVG disclosure is received and the Scouts’ vetting process has completed. Continue reading this guidance to find out how to do this.
- If you are not yet 16, you can be added to scouts.org.uk when you are aged 15 years and 8 months, The PVG application is a different process without a ScotAccount. By applying at this age, we hope that your PVG disclosure is received and assessed by Scouts’ HQ before your 16th birthday so you won’t need to stop volunteering. You can find further information about this process here.
In both cases, once you turn 16, you can only volunteer as a Young Helper, Young Leader or Duke of Edinburgh participant once your PVG disclosure has been received and risk assessed at HQ, even if you already hold a PVG disclosure for another organisation.
These rules apply even if you are only volunteering for one day or a short period of time, such as 3 months for the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze award.
What if I have a caution, conviction or police information that will show on my PVG disclosure?
If you have cautions, convictions or other adverse police informationon your PVG disclosure, this does not automatically stop you from volunteering with The Scouts. The information will be risk assessed by the Scouts’ Safeguarding Team at HQ and they may involve your District Lead Volunteer.
Any criminal information will only be shared with the adults involved in the Scouts’ vetting process to enable them to make a decision about your suitability to hold the role. As you are still a young person in Scouting, your parents may need to be involved but this would be discussed with you first. If you have adverse information on your check and also have an Explorer role in Scouting, the HQ Safeguarding Team would talk to you about whether it affects that role.
What happens when I become 18?
- If you would like to continue volunteering with an adult role when you are 18, you wouldn’t need to apply for a new PVG disclosure however, any known adverse information may be risk assessed again by HQ, considering the responsibilities of your new role.
- If you do not wish to become an adult leader when you become 18, your Young Leader/ Duke of Edinburgh / Young Helper role would end and Scouts HQ would notify Disclosure Scotland that you had left the PVG scheme.
What information is stored about me?
Your personal data will be stored on the Scouts’ membership system at scouts.org.uk to support your PVG application process. Your volunteer leaders will be able to see the application information held about you in the membership system. Other members of your group will be able to see your name only. If you continue in Scouting when you turn 18 your membership record will become a full adult record, and if you do not, your account will be closed and the data kept on the system for 10 years.
When your PVG disclosure is complete, any adverse or criminal information provided to us may be shared with members of the HQ Safeguarding Team and senior Local Volunteers; and used to make a decision about your suitability to hold a role. Scouts may also need to share the information with statutory agencies such as the Local Authority. The information will be securely retained on the Scouts’ HQ confidential safeguarding database in line with the Data Retention Policy For more information about how Scouts use your data please see the Data Protection Policy
For information about how Disclosure Scotland use your data please see Disclosure Scotland’s privacy statement – mygov.scot
THREE- STEP APPLICATION PROCESS (ID Meeting- Scot Account – Sharing result)
- Meeting to review your Identity Documents
You will be asked to meet a member of The Scouts’ local team so they can view your identity documents and process your application on the membership system (scouts.org.uk).
Please take to that meeting:
- Your 16-digit member number if you already have a PVG for another organisation
- 3 original documents in your name from the List of Acceptable Documents below. At least one of these must have a photo of you. These documents should show your name, date of birth and current home address.
The documents have to be valid and original– not photocopies or print-outs from the internet like internet bank statements. You cannot use the same document for both date of birth and address. A Disclosure / PVG certificate cannot be used to prove identity.
- Proof of any name changes
If you have legally changed your name you will need to declare this and show any documents about this to your ID checker. If you don’t have documents, please discuss this with your ID Checker
- PVG application – Scot Account
Once your ID Checker has checked your identity documents and submitted the application on scouts.org.uk, the Scouts’ HQ Safeguarding Team will submit the application to Disclosure Scotland who will then email you with a link regarding how to complete the application. When you select the link you’ll be asked to sign in to or create a ScotAccount. You can find more information about ScotAccounts here: ScotAccount – mygov.scot
- You will only have 14 days to complete your application from when you were sent the link.
- Receiving the Outcome of your PVG disclosure
When Disclosure Scotland tells you that your check is complete, there will be a ‘Share’ button in your ScotAccount so The Scout Association (the HQ Safeguarding Team) can view your disclosure.
- You will only have 14 days to click the ‘Share’ button.
Scouts HQ will not be able to see the detail on your PVG disclosure unless you agree for it to be ‘Shared’.
You will need to ‘Share’ your PVG result with The Scouts HQ, even if its clear. (If you don’t agree to sharing it, you would have to stop helping with younger Scouts, even if you have a PVG disclosure for another organisation) Your PVG disclosure must be shared with Scouts HQ within 14 days of receiving it. If you do not ‘share’ your result with Scouts HQ within that timeframe, you would need to start the application process again.
If you think that the information on your disclosure is incorrect, you can talk to Disclosure Scotland about this before you Share with Scouts.
If you do forget to ‘Share’ your outcome with The Scout Association you can first try contacting Disclosure Scotland to ask if they will re-issue your result. Contact – Disclosure Scotland
If your PVG disclosure contains some adverse (negative) criminal information, the HQ Safeguarding Team
will need to risk assess it so you may not be able to help with younger Scouts straight away. If you also
have an Explorer role in Scouting, the HQ Safeguarding Team will talk to you about whether it affects that
role.
Further information about how to share your outcome can be found here: PVG Online Results for Applicants
If you have any other questions about this process, you can contact the HQ Safeguarding Team via Disclosures@scouts.org.uk
For further guidance, the Disclosure Scotland Code of Practice can be accessed via the MyScot website – Disclosure Scotland Code of Practice – mygov.scot
