As of 1 April 2025, significant changes to the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme came into effect across Scotland. Here are some key resources to help keep you informed about what’s needed from your organisation and ensure you’re meeting the current legal requirements.
What is Changing?
The Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme is becoming a legal requirement as part of the implementation of the Disclosure Act 2020. This legislation is here to safeguard children and vulnerable adults and prevent unsuitable individuals from holding regulated roles.
This means that from today, all individuals in regulated roles are required to be members of the PVG scheme. There is a three-month grace period, but after 1 July it will be a criminal offense for:
- Individuals to carry out a regulated role if they are not a member of the PVG scheme
- Organisations to offer a regulated role to an individual who is not a member of the PVG scheme
For further information about these changes, here is a summary from Disclosure Scotland.
What is a Regulated Role?
Regulated roles can be both paid and volunteering positions. This category includes people working directly with both children and vulnerable adults and others who hold a position of responsibility, such as charity trustees and Board Members.
This helpful guidance from Volunteer Scotland can help you determine whether your Board members, Committee members and trustees need to be members of the PVG scheme.
Volunteer Scotland are also offering information sessions to help you get accustomed to these changes.
How Will This Affect the Third Sector?
These changes are complex, and third sector organisations may feel some confusion about what is required of them. We’re here to help make sense of these changes and ensure you are compliant by 1 July.
We’ll be keeping abreast of the latest guidance and sharing resources to help you navigate the new PVG scheme. We’re also here to support if you have any individual questions or concerns.
Please let us know what you think of these changes. As the Third Sector Interface for Perth & Kinross, we are here to help organisations boost their resilience and navigate the fast-moving landscape of our sector.