Q. What would happen if we decided not to check volunteers and staff?

Currently, this is your decision. However, having the ability to undertake checks removes any defence you may have had to court action against your organisation for failing to manage the risks involved in transporting vulnerable people if something were to go wrong.

KDT is aware of community transport organisations that lost their major ongoing annual grant from their Local Authority because they recruited a paedophile and that was at a time when the CT did not have access to criminal records checks!

In Scotland, with the implementation of the Protection of Children (Scotland) Act 2003, in the Spring of 2004, organisations may be liable for prosecution if they engage volunteers who are named on a list that will be held and maintained by Scottish Ministers.  This list will only be accessible through the Disclosure scheme.  Similar legislation may be enacted in England and Wales in the future.