PVG Important Changes 2025

The Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020

The changes to the Act come into effect on 1 April, and aim to do the following:

focus on protecting the public, while balancing the need for people to move on from offending
simplify the process for disclosing criminal history information

There are several changes to the current process. These are:

Mandatory PVG Scheme membership

It will be mandatory for anyone working in a regulated role to be a member of the PVG Scheme BEFORE taking up that role. If that person does not have a PVG, they cannot start their role. It will be a criminal offence to for the individual and the club if they have people in their club undertaking a regulated roles without PVGs in place.

Regulate work will become Regulated Roles

The criteria for who needs a PVG is changing with the legislation update. The existing list of those who require a PVG will not change – if you have a PVG now, you will need a PVG after 1 April 2025.

The current disclosure levels will change to:

Level 1
Level 2
Level 2 with barred list check
PVG scheme

Find out more about the different levels here, www.disclosure.gov.scot/new-disclosure-levels.

We anticipate that there will be several roles within a triathlon club that will require a PVG from 1 April 2025. The Government has created an online role checker to help you decide, www.mygov.scot/check-role-needs-pvg.

Use this Excel spreadsheet alongside the online role checker to record your decision and rationale. The roles within the spreadsheet are examples. Please ensure you look at the roles within your club and complete the information accordingly.

We can also help, please get in touch welfare@triathlonscotland.org.

Grace period

There is a 3-month grace period, 1 April 2025 – 30 June 2025, for clubs to submit their PVG applications. This grace period is for any role that did not require a PVG prior to the changes. Those who require a PVG prior to 1 April 2025, must have it in place or STOP doing that role until it is in place.

Action required

Attend the legislation training on 25 March 2025, sign up here, https://forms.office.com/e/3s1NKmaHYH

Identify all roles within your club – coaches, helpers, committee members, welfare officers, etc. – and use the role checker to help you decide which roles require a PVG. Use a spreadsheet to keep track of these and your rationale as to why the role does/does not require a PVG.

You cannot start applying for PVGs for new regulated roles until 1 April 2025, but you should start to get organised.