An enhanced DBS certificate is required for anyone undertaking Regulated Activity.
Regulated Activity ……includes work that involves close and unsupervised contact with vulnerable groups, including children.
Examples of Regulated Activity with children include:
* Work under (1) or (2) is Regulated Activity only if done regularly. ‘Regularly’ means carried out by the same person frequently (once a week or more) or on three or more days in a 30-day period (or in some cases overnight).
It follows that a monthly children’s meeting for worship with the usual safeguards of 2 volunteers present at all times would fall outside of regulated activity. However, we would expect each Meeting House holding Children’s Meetings for Worship to consult with Gill, Ann or Tony for advice about their specific situation.
Activities which would place a volunteer working with adults within the scope of regulated activity include:
At the moment, to our knowledge, none of the Local Meetings in North London Area Quaker Meeting are undertaking Regulated Activity with Adults as defined here and therefore the volunteers we have are not required to have a DBS check. Please liaise with Ann Boater, Gill Sewell or Tony Carroll, if in any doubt.
However, irrespective of whether an individual’s activity within the meeting meets the criteria for a DBS check, we have a shared responsibility to ensure that attendance at Quaker activities is a safe place for all and to talk through informally and in confidence with Gill, Ann or Tony any borderline concerns which may arise about the behaviour of an individual within the Meeting.
Should one of the Local Meetings in the Area start any new activity with children or adults which may meet the Regulated Activity criteria, please take advice from Gill Sewell (Lead), Tony Caroll (Deputy) and Ann Boater (Deputy).
If a DBS check is required, Ann Boater is the appointed verifier for North London Area Meeting and will take you through the process.
This Document has been agreed by the Area Meeting Safeguarding Team, Gill Sewell (Lead) 07977 478743, Tony Caroll (Deputy) 07766056855 and Ann Boater (Deputy) 07951359779.