HC Deb 05 February 1992 vol 203 cc209-10W
Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will issue guidance to local authorities on the implementation of the Disqualification for Caring for Children Regulations 1991;

(2) if the guidance contained in Home Office circular 88(102) is superseded by the Disqualification for Caring for Children Regulations 1991;

(3) if he will make a statement on his plans for publicising the Disqualification for Caring for Children Regulations 1991;

(4) if he will extend the principles concerning the schedule of offences established in the Disqualification for Caring for Children Regulations 1991 to the vetting of (a) applicants for social work employment and social work students seeking placements, (b) applicants to work in childrens homes and (c) potential foster parents.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

Guidance on the implementations of the Disqualification for the Caring for Children Regulations 1991 is contained in volume 8 of the Children Act Regulations and Guidance series, which also reproduces the text of the regulations. Copies of volume 8 were distributed to local authorities, voluntary organisations and others with an interest on 15 October 1991.

The Disqualification for Caring for Children Regulations apply to applicants who wish to work in registered childrens homes or voluntary homes or as private foster parents, child minders or providers of day care. Local authorities have discretion under the Children Act to lift a disqualification, although the guidance in volume 8 is that this should be done only in the most exceptional circumstances.

Although the regulations do not apply to the local authority sector, the guidance in volume 8 advises that local authorities should have regard to the regulations when considering the appointment of staff to any services which are run by the local authority and when assessing people's suitability to work as childminders or foster parents employed by a local authority. Volumes 2 ("Family Support, Day Care and Educational Provision for Young Children"), 3 ("Family Placements") and 4 ("Residential Care") in the Children Act series contain clear guidance on the necessity for local authorities to undertake a thorough assessment of the suitability of people who wish to work with children in any services run by the local authority. These provisions ensure that equivalent measures exist for safeguarding the welfare of children care for in such services as in any in the private and voluntary sectors.

The guidance in Home Office circular 88(102) is not superseded by the Disqualification for Caring for Children Regulations 1991 and continues to apply to local authorities in addition to the Children Act guidance in volumes 2, 3 and 4.