Issue - meetings

This Committee:

1.     Notes that the Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020 came into force on 1 April 2025 and made the PVG scheme mandatory for everyone carrying out a regulated role with children and vulnerable adults

2.     Notes the importance of PVGs to safeguarding our young people

3.     Notes that Connect and Volunteer Scotland have provided guidance to parent councils and this has raised more question and concerns

4.     Notes that Aberdeen parent councils and PTAs who already struggle to get parental engagement are concerned by the ramifications of the changes on their operations including volunteer recruitment for school events, the additional administrative burden, and cost.

5.     Instructs the Executive Director of Families and Communities to write to the Cabinet Secretary of Education and Skills to ask for an extension of the grace deadline for parent groups and provide additional guidance including scenario planning to parent councils.

6.     Instructs the Chief Officer - Education and Lifelong Learning after consultation with the Interim Chief Officer - Governance to write to parent councils to confirm the date of requirement to have PVG checks in place.

The Committee resolved:-

1.    to note that the Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020 came into force on 1 April 2025 and made the PVG scheme mandatory for everyone carrying out a regulated role with children and vulnerable adults;

2.    to note the importance of PVGs to safeguarding our young people

3.    to note that Connect and Volunteer Scotland have provided guidance to parent councils and this has raised more question and concerns

4.    to note that Aberdeen parent councils and PTAs who already struggle to get parental engagement are concerned by the ramifications of the changes on their operations including volunteer recruitment for school events, the additional administrative burden, and cost.

5.    to instruct the Executive Director of Families and Communities to write to the Cabinet Secretary of Education and Skills to ask for an extension of the grace deadline for parent groups and provide additional guidance including scenario planning to parent councils; and

6.    to instruct the Chief Officer - Education and Lifelong Learning after consultation with the Interim Chief Officer - Governance to write to parent councils to confirm  the date of  requirement to have PVG checks in place.

The Committee had before it an urgent notice of motion by Councillor Blake, Mrs Barclay and Dr Murray in the following terms:-

That the Committee -

1.    note that the Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020 came into force on 1 April 2025 and made the PVG scheme mandatory for everyone carrying out a regulated role with children and vulnerable adults;

2.    note the importance of PVGs to safeguarding our young people

3.    note that Connect and Volunteer Scotland have provided guidance to parent councils and this has raised more question and concerns

4.    note that Aberdeen parent councils and PTAs who already struggle to get parental engagement are concerned by the ramifications of the changes on their operations including volunteer recruitment for school events, the additional administrative burden, and cost.

5.    instruct the Executive Director of Families and Communities to write to the Cabinet Secretary of Education and Skills to ask for an extension of the grace deadline for parent groups and provide additional guidance including scenario planning to parent councils; and

6.    instruct the Chief Officer - Education and Lifelong Learning after consultation with the Interim Chief Officer - Governance to write to parent councils to confirm  the date of  requirement to have PVG checks in place.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the urgent notice of motion.