What to do if volunteers are not compliant
What to do if volunteers are not compliant
What to do if volunteers aren’t compliant
It is vital that our members are kept safe at all times, and therefore requires Lead Volunteers to manage the risk for volunteers who are either overdue or have expired safety & safeguarding learning, or an overdue or expired criminal record check. Where a volunteer is suspended for non-compliance of either safety, safeguarding or criminal records check, this is automatically lifted when the learning is completed or the clear disclosure issued.
Scottish Variation - Any Young Leaders or Young Helpers aged 16-17 and adults must have the Disclosure Issued status against a Disclosure Scotland check in My Membership before they can start, or continue, carrying out any regulated role(s).
There are different ways to manage non-compliance;
New volunteer non-compliance
- Learning - the member must be suspended if they have not completed the learning within 30 days, and must remain suspended until the learning has been completed
- Criminal record check - the volunteer must be suspended if they have not submitted a criminal record check request to the relevant authority within 30 days (England and Wales), or 60 days (Scotland, NI and BSO). The status will show as Forwarded to Authority. They must remain suspended until the criminal record check has been returned and approved.
- Learning - the member must be suspended until the learning has been completed.
- Criminal record check - where the check has expired and no new application has been submitted, the volunteer must be suspended until the criminal record check is received and approved.
- where the volunteer has submitted the criminal record check before the expiration, but the check hasn’t yet been returned and is showing as “Forwarded to Authority”, they may carry on volunteering with members but must be supervised at all times. This means they cannot attend any activity without the supervision of another volunteer present at all times who themselves, has a valid criminal records check, and cannot attend any overnight activities.
Where an existing volunteer takes on another role with new or additional requirements, they should follow the new member guidance.
Scottish PVG Variations
Any new volunteers, who have not submitted their criminal record check within 60 days should have their role ended, rather than being suspended.
Existing volunteers who's PVG has expired must stop carrying out any regulated role until they have a valid PVG, if after 60 days they have not submitted this the same rules as above apply for suspension.
Information for Lead Volunteers (District and County/Area/Region)
If you are a Lead Volunteer and now required to suspend a member because they are overdue or expired, read the Suspensions Process for Lead Volunteers and check the Suspensions Digital Tool Guide to get step-by-step instructions on how to recommend and approve a suspension through My Membership. You can also find information on options when learning remains overdue.
Where a member is unable to complete mandatory ongoing learning for personal or medical reasons, and they are currently not carrying out their role in Scouts, they can be given an exemption for 3-6 months.
Information for Team Leaders, Chairs and Lead Volunteers
Team Leaders, Chairs and Lead Volunteers can find tips on how to support volunteers to complete their learning.
They can also share our Digital Tool Guides with their teams to help them complete their learning and submit criminal record checks through our new digital tools.
All the rules about suspensions and restrictions can be found in Chapter 16 of our Policy, Organisation and Rules.