Tighter vetting on childcare staff

The consultation, announced last week by assembly health and social services minister Jane Hutt, will involve a wide range of professional and voluntary organisations working with children.

The Disqualification for Caring for Children (Wales) Regulations are part of a reform of the regulatory regime affecting a broad spectrum of social care and independent healthcare services. The regulatory functions will be undertaken by the Care Standards Inspectorate for Wales (CSIW), a new division within the Assembly, which will not be involved in providing or commissioning care. The changes follow the Care Standards Act 2000.

At the heart of the proposals is a toughening of the procedure for disqualifying individuals from childminding and daycare. Anyone disqualified under the proposals would not be allowed to register to foster a child privately or work as a childminder, nor would they be able to manage or have a financial interest in a children's home or daycare setting. Under existing arrangements local authorities can grant a 'waiver' to lift the ban on someone childminding, fostering privately, working in a children's home or in daycare provision.