What you need to know about the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) registration

This article looks at the initial ISA registration process which applies to those working with children and vulnerable adults and includes newly qualified and student teachers.

An independent inquiry following the Soham murders of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman made recommendations to seek to improve the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults. One of the inquiry’s recommendations included a revision of the vetting and barring system and led to the introduction of the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA). The ISA is an independent body with responsibility for assessing the risk of future harm to children and vulnerable adults based on information that is known about an individual.

From November 2010, student teachers and NQT’s who intend working regularly with children up to the age of 18, and vulnerable adults, will have to be registered with the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA).

The registration scheme will apply to all those who will be engaged in carrying out ‘regulated activity’, which includes work of a specified nature such as teaching and training with children or vulnerable adults. ‘Regulated activity’ also includes any work that takes place in a specified place, eg a school or college, where there could be contact with children or vulnerable adults.

Registration is compulsory if the work/training is of a specified nature or takes place in a specified setting and is carried out on a frequent and intensive basis. The ISA define frequent as being once a week and intensive as taking place on 4 days or more in one month or more. Registration is also compulsory if any activity working with children or vulnerable adults takes place overnight; ie between 2am and 6am.

ISA registration will therefore affect all new entrants to the education profession as well as those who are still studying who have to carry out work placements in schools or colleges.

There is a one-off cost to register with the ISA; for those in England and Wales the registration fee is £64, in Northern Ireland it is £58. Scotland will be introducing a scheme that is similar to the one in England, Wales and Northern Ireland shortly. The registration fee is currently payable by the individual and not an employer or training body.

ATL understands that the one-off registration fee will be a big financial burden to students and newly qualified teachers especially at a time when student debt is at its highest.

ATL is working alongside other public sector unions to lobby the government to require employers or training bodies to meet the cost of registration.

Please speak to your college about what steps you should take to register with the ISA if you are likely to be engaging in regulated activity in November this year.

Download ATL's factsheet on the ISA here. If you have any specific queries contact your ATL representative for advice.