The Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme is managed by Disclosure Scotland. It helps ensure people who are unsuitable to work with children and protected adults cannot do certain types of regulated work with these vulnerable groups.

Only people who do regulated work with children and protected adults need to join the PVG Scheme. It does not apply to parents who support or help their own children. Parents who make personal arrangements with friends and family to look after their children are also not considered to meet the legal requirement to join the PVG Scheme.

PVG Scheme membership allows Disclosure Scotland to continuously monitor individual's memberships. This means that any new information, which indicates that a person may become unsuitable to carry out a Regulated Role, will be identified and assessed by Disclosure Scotland. Should this new information lead to the individual being placed under consideration for listing, Disclosure Scotland will notify the organisation(s) that the individual is carrying out a Regulated Role. More information on the consideration for listing process (Disclosure Scotland). As well as strengthening protection for children and protected adults, the PVG Scheme is quick and easy for staff and volunteers to use. Apply to join the PVG scheme online.

Volunteer Scotland Disclosure Services provide a service that is free for organisations who meet the criteria of a qualifying voluntary organisation. They provide checks at no cost to organisations who meet the criteria, and guidance, advice and support to voluntary sector organisations.

You can email Disclosure Scotland or call their helpline on 0300 0200 040. The helpline is available Monday to Wednesday 9am to 4pm and Friday 9am to 3:30pm (closed Thursday). 

Questions and answers

Disclosure Scotland guidance on Regulated Roles can be found on mygov.scot:

PVG scheme - Regulated roles guidance
Guidance for parent run groups

Do parents coming into school have to be a member of the PVG Scheme?

Most definitely not. The PVG Scheme applies to people who are doing a regulated role with children and protected adults. Parents attending parents' evenings or visiting the school for any reason to do with their own child would not be considered as doing a regulated role so would fall outside the scope of the PVG Scheme.

Do Parent Council members have to join the PVG Scheme?

Please refer to the Regulated Roles Guidance for Parent Groups.

What about parents helping on school trips - do they need to be checked?

Anyone who is a parent volunteer and who is being asked to carry out at least one of the activities provided for in the legislation will be required to be a PVG Scheme Member. Please refer to the Regulated Roles Guidance for Parent Groups.

Do parents wishing to hire the school hall outside of school hours or who get involved in raising funds for school equipment have to be scheme members?

Please refer to the guidance on regulated roles. The consideration here is what is the purpose of the event and who is it targeted at. For fundraising, please refer to the provisions in the guidance that relates to Committees etc.; simply fund raising would not be in itself a requirement for PVG Scheme Membership.

What is the Scottish Government doing to prevent unnecessary checking taking place?

The changes the implementation of the Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020 brought from 1 April 2025 mean it is now a legal requirement for anyone doing a regulated role to be a PVG Scheme member – please refer to the guidance on regulated roles.

Further information

Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020

The Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020 was implemented on 1 April 2025. The changes the Act brought aim to make the disclosure process in Scotland simpler and easier to understand. 

Disclosure Scotland Guidance

Guidance materials about the PVG Scheme (Disclosure Scotland).

Connect

Connect (formerly SPTC)​ has published a range of child safety and protection leaflets for Parent Councils.

PVG Scheme - Types of Disclosure

Parents and Parent Council members can find more information about what type of organisations should apply for PVG Scheme membership. Disclosure Scotland have also published video guidance explaining the different types of disclosure available.