UK Act of Parliament 2006 United Kingdom

Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006

View on legislation.gov.uk (opens in a new tab) Ask Guv about this Act

At a glance

Enforced by

Ofsted, CIW, CQC, DBS

What's here

23 compliance obligations, 13 practical guides across 3 topics · 8 journeys

Penalty landscape

4 of 23 obligations carry imprisonment (5 years). 2 carry different penalties and 17 have no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.

Who this Act binds

Business-side actors with duties under this Act, ranked by how often they appear.

  • Any Person 5
  • Distributor 3
  • Director or Officer 1

Plus 14 non-business duties on Crown ministers, regulators, local authorities or tribunals — shown collapsed under each section below.

Step-by-step journeys using this legislation

Walkthroughs that take you from a real business situation to compliance.

Relevant guidance

Practical guides for businesses affected by this Act, ordered by how closely they engage with it.

Direct — cites this Act

4 guides

Supporting — topic alignment

8 guides

Mentioned in related content

1 guides
View all 13 guides →

Other Acts binding the same actors

For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.

Any Person also bound by 2338 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Distributors also bound by 177 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Directors and Officers also bound by 425 other Acts (top 5 shown)

What this Act requires

Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.

Schedules

s.sch001

(1) ISA must keep its accounts in such form as...

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • ISA must keep and prepare annual accounts in the form set by the Secretary of State Statutory regulator
s.sch003

(1) DBS must not include a person in the adults'...

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • DBS must not bar on grounds already decided by Scottish authorities Statutory regulator
s.sch003

(1) DBS must ensure that in respect of any information...

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • DBS must assess all new information for barring decisions Statutory regulator
s.sch003

When an individual is included in a barred list DBS...

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • DBS must notify individuals when added to a barred list Statutory regulator
s.sch003

(1) A person who is included in a barred list...

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • DBS must review barred list inclusions upon application and remove if no longer appropriate Statutory regulator
s.sch003

DBS must provide the Secretary of State with the prescribed...

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • DBS must notify Secretary of State about barred individuals Statutory regulator
s.sch003

(1) DBS must not include a person in the children's...

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • DBS must not bar a person already considered by a Scottish authority on the same ground Statutory regulator
s.sch004

(1) The Secretary of State must give guidance for the...

  • Consider guidance on supervision when deciding if someone is in regulated activity with children Distributor
s.sch008

DBS must provide the Secretary of State with such advice...

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • DBS must provide advice to the Secretary of State on barring decisions Statutory regulator
s.sch008

An order under paragraph 2 or 3 may—

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Orders creating criminal offences under paragraphs 2 or 3 must cap penalties at level 5 Crown / Minister / Government department
Browse 82 other Schedules — structural / supplementary
s.sch001

(1) ISA shall consist of— (a) a chairman;

s.sch001

The Secretary of State may direct ISA to submit a...

s.sch001

The Secretary of State may make payments to ISA of...

s.sch001

(1) ISA is not to be regarded—

s.sch001

(1) If ISA thinks— (a) that action taken by or...

s.sch001

(1) In connection with the exercise of any of its...

s.sch001

A document purporting to be signed on behalf of ISA...

s.sch001

(1) The chairman and members hold and must vacate office...

s.sch001

(1) ISA must pay to the chairman and each of...

s.sch001

(1) ISA shall have— (a) a chief executive;

s.sch001

(1) ISA must pay to its employees such remuneration and...

s.sch001

(1) ISA may to such extent as it may determine...

s.sch001

ISA may to such extent as it may determine delegate...

s.sch001

A core function is— (a) determining whether it is appropriate...

s.sch001

(1) As soon as possible after the end of each...

s.sch002

(1) The Secretary of State may make a scheme (a...

s.sch002

(1) The Secretary of State may make a scheme (a...

s.sch002

A staff transfer scheme, or property transfer scheme, may make...

s.sch003

(1) This paragraph applies to a person if any of...

s.sch003

(1) For the purposes of paragraph 9 relevant conduct is—...

s.sch003

(1) This paragraph applies to a person if—

s.sch003

(1) The Secretary of State may, by regulations, make provision...

s.sch003

(1) A person who is, by virtue of any provision...

s.sch003

(1) This paragraph applies to a person who is included...

s.sch003

(1) Sub-paragraph (2) applies if a person's inclusion in a...

s.sch003

(1) DBS may require— (a) any person who holds records...

s.sch003

(1) This paragraph applies to a person if any of...

s.sch003

(1) The Secretary of State may provide to DBS any...

s.sch003

DBS must inform the Scottish Ministers if a person is...

s.sch003

DBS may provide the Scottish Ministers with such information as...

s.sch003

DBS may, at the request of the Welsh Ministers, provide...

s.sch003

(1) The criteria which may be prescribed for the purposes...

s.sch003

(1) A court by or before which a person is...

s.sch003

(1) This paragraph applies to a person if—

s.sch003

(1) For the purposes of paragraph 3 relevant conduct is—...

s.sch003

(1) This paragraph applies to a person if—

s.sch003

(1) This paragraph applies to a person if any of...

s.sch003

(1) This paragraph applies to a person if any of...

s.sch003

(1) This paragraph applies to a person if—

s.sch004

(1) An activity is a regulated activity relating to children...

s.sch004

(1) The period condition is satisfied if the person carrying...

s.sch004

(1) The activities referred to in paragraph 1(1) are—

s.sch004

(1) The establishments referred to in paragraph 1(2) and (9C)...

s.sch004

A person who is part of a group in relation...

s.sch004

The Secretary of State may, by order, provide that in...

s.sch004

(1) Each of the following is a regulated activity relating...

s.sch004

The Secretary of State may, by order, provide that in...

s.sch007

This is the table referred to in sections 30A and...

s.sch007

The Secretary of State may by order amend this Schedule....

s.sch007

(1) In entries 1 and 5 in the table the...

s.sch007

Parental responsibility has the same meaning as in the Children...

s.sch007

A regulated activity provider is an independent regulated activity provider...

s.sch007

An adult placement scheme is a scheme—

s.sch007

An adult placement service, in relation to Wales, has the...

s.sch008

(1) This paragraph applies to a person who is—

s.sch008

(1) This paragraph applies to a person who is included...

s.sch009

In Schedule 9A to the Children Act 1989 (child minding...

s.sch009

(1) In section 75(3) of the Childcare Act 2006 (disqualification...

s.sch009

(1) The Police Pensions Act 1976 is amended as follows....

s.sch009

In section 68 of the Children Act 1989 (persons disqualified...

s.sch009

(1) Section 97 of the Police Act 1996 (police officers...

s.sch009

(1) The Police Act 1997 is amended as follows.

s.sch009

(1) The Data Protection Act 1998 is amended as follows....

s.sch009

In section 58 of the Care Standards Act 2000, after...

s.sch009

The Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998 is amended as...

s.sch009

Section 2(4) (advisory functions of General Teaching Council) is omitted....

s.sch009

In section 3(3) (eligibility for registration), after paragraph (a) insert—...

s.sch009

(1) Section 15 (supply of information following dismissal etc) is...

s.sch009

(1) Section 15A (supply of information by contractor, agency, etc)...

s.sch009

In paragraph 1(4) of Schedule 2 (disciplinary powers of Council),...

s.sch009

(1) The Protection of Children Act 1999 is amended as...

s.sch009

Sections 80 to 89 and 91 to 93 of the...

s.002

Barred lists

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • DBS must maintain barred lists and record prescribed information Statutory regulator
s.018

Offences: companies &c.

5 years imprisonment
  • Liability for safeguarding offence via director consent or neglect Director or Officer
s.033

Cessation of registration

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • DBS must cancel monitoring registrations upon request or specific triggers Statutory regulator
Browse 56 other sections — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.024

Monitoring: power to prescribe additional fees

s.050

Provision of information to the police etc.

Read the full Act on legislation.gov.uk (opens in a new tab)

Official guidance

Authoritative sources published by regulators or government explaining this legislation.

Enforcement and responsible bodies

The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.

Ofsted

Primary

Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills

Inspects and regulates services providing education, training, and childcare in England. Inspects schools, colleges, initial teacher training, and children's social care. Registers …

CIW

Care Inspectorate Wales

Registers and inspects social care and childcare services in Wales. Regulates care homes, domiciliary care, children's homes, and childminders.

CQC

Care Quality Commission

Independent regulator of health and social care in England. Registers, monitors, inspects and rates hospitals, care homes, GP practices, dental surgeries, and …

DBS

Disclosure and Barring Service

Provides criminal record checks (Basic, Standard, and Enhanced) for employers and organisations. Maintains the children's and adults' barred lists. Employers in regulated …

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Browse legislation

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Regulators

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