These Regulations, made under powers in the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006, prescribe a new purpose allowing a chief officer of police to disclose information to assist a person located outside the United Kingdom in assessing an individual's suitability for a role working with children.
The instrument cites the relevant empowering sections, states it applies to England and Wales, and sets a commencement date of 18th December 2025.
Arguments For
Facilitates the safeguarding of children by ensuring employers outside the UK have access to relevant barring information held by UK police forces when making suitability decisions.
Extends the utility of data held by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and police forces to international recruitment contexts, ensuring consistency in assessing individuals seeking roles with children abroad.
Streamlines the vetting process for roles involving children based overseas by providing a formal mechanism for information sharing under existing safeguarding legislation.
Arguments Against
Raises potential concerns regarding data protection and jurisdictional compliance when sharing UK safeguarding information with entities operating outside the United Kingdom.
Could impose additional administrative burdens on chief officers of police if numerous requests for information arise from outside the UK for suitability assessments.
The provision allows disclosure based on an assessment 'to assist' the process, which may lack strict legal definition regarding the ultimate weight given to the information by the overseas entity.
The Secretary of State makes these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 50A(1)(d), 60(1) and 61(1) of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006.
The responsible Secretary of State is enacting these rules using specific powers granted by sections 50A(1)(d), 60(1), and 61(1) of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act of 2006.
Citation, commencement and extent
1.
(1)
These Regulations may be cited as the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 (Prescribed Purposes) Regulations 2025 and come into force on 18th December 2025.
(2)
These Regulations extend to England and Wales.
The official title of these rules is the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 (Prescribed Purposes) Regulations 2025, and they officially become law on December 18th, 2025.
These regulations apply only to the legal jurisdictions of England and Wales.
Provision of information to the police: prescribed purposes
2.
The disclosure of information by a chief officer of police to assist a person located outside the United Kingdom in assessing a person’s suitability for a role working with children is prescribed under section 50A(1)(d) of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006.
This regulation formally establishes a new 'prescribed purpose' under section 50A(1)(d) of the 2006 Act.
This new purpose allows a police chief officer to release specific information when doing so helps an individual or organization situated outside the UK determine if a candidate is suitable for a job involving children.
Explanatory Note
(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations prescribe a new purpose under section 50A(1)(d) of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 (c. 47) (“the Act”). Section 50A(1)(d) of the Act enables the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) to share information with a chief officer of police for other reasons which may be prescribed, in addition to the existing purposes of crime prevention, detection and investigation, apprehending and prosecuting offenders and appointing individuals under the officer’s authority.
Regulation 2 enables a chief officer of police to disclose information provided by DBS, including whether an individual is on the children’s barred lists, to assist an employer or prospective employer assess the individual’s suitability to work with children where the appointment decision is made outside the United Kingdom.
A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen.
This note clarifies that the regulations create a new authorized purpose under the Act, allowing the DBS to share information with police chiefs for reasons beyond the standard purposes like preventing crime or prosecuting offenders.
Specifically, Regulation 2 permits the police chief to share DBS information, such as barring status, with an overseas entity that is assessing someone for a role involving children.
Officials do not anticipate this rule causing any significant effect on private, voluntary, or public organizations, so a full impact assessment was not required.