Child protection law now in force

The law aims to make children safer

A new law aimed at protecting children from people who could put them at risk is coming into force on Monday.

The Protection of Children (Scotland) Act 2003 creates a list of people unsuitable to work with youngsters.

It is designed to ensure that those who have harmed youngsters in the past - or exposed them to harm - are not able to work with children.

Disqualified people will commit an offence if they continue to work with children.

Organisations must refer people in child care positions to the list if they harm a child or put a child at risk and are dismissed or moved away from contact with children as a consequence.

They can check whether people they are considering appointing to child care positions are disqualified.

Retrospective referrals can be made to the list if organisations have appropriate evidence.

'Positions of trust'

Euan Robson, Deputy Minister for Education and Young People, said: "Parents can be confident that this legislation is both a safeguard and a deterrent.

"Along with other robust recruitment and supervision measures, it will help ensure that those unsuitable to work with children are not appointed to positions of trust.

"Individuals applying to work with children will be checked against the list as part of recruitment procedures that include a criminal records check.

"The new duties on individuals, employers and voluntary organisations are part of our fundamental reform of child protection and will boost the safeguards already in place."

The list will be maintained by Scottish ministers and from 11 April this year all organisations will have to check whether people they are considering appointing to a child care position are on the list, or risk committing an offence.