Approving Membership Presentation by The Radio Amateurs’ Emergency Network November 2010

1. Approving Membership Presentation byThe Radio Amateurs’ Emergency Network November 2010

2. This presentation The “Approving Membership” presentation was originally given at the 2010 AGMby Jim, G1HULand Cathy, G1GQJwith BPSS information from Chris, G8RXA This set of slides is made availableto assist Groups in putting theinformation over to their members

3. Vetting & Barring How it applies to RAYNET

4. Vetting & Barring CRB Confused? Probably! ISA BPSS

5. It’s been a challenge! • Lot of incorrect and selective information around, ably assisted by the media! • A challenge to understand: • exactly what its all about • what (if any) applies to RAYNET operations • Taken 9 months to come to an understanding and conclusion about the way forward for RAYNET

6. What are we looking at? • Summary of what the UK Vetting & Barring Scheme is all about • Explode a few myths • Whether the VBS applies to RAYNET • Real-world RAYNET situations • What RAYNET can and cannot do with respect to checking • What we are doing regarding checking

7. Terminology VBS Vetting & Barring Scheme CRB Criminal Records Bureau ISA Independent Safeguarding Authority Employment Any organisation who uses the servicesof another person A Group “employs” its members

8. Terminology Frequently Once a week or more Intensively On four days or more in a single month Overnight Activity undertaken between 2am and 6am All the above refer to working with the same group of children or vulnerable adults

9. Terminology Examples only, not a comprehensive list Defined activities Teachers, coaches, youth & care workers … Defined settings / establishments Schools, childcare premises, care centres … Defined positions Governing & managing education provision and centres, fostering, child courts …

10. Underlying principle Ask yourself:Is there an opportunityfor the person to builda relationship of trust? The test applied by many organisations is: Does the person havesubstantial unsupervised access?

11. Vetting & Barring Scheme • Simply an umbrella term for • Independent Safeguarding Authority • Criminal Records Bureau

12. Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) • Set up in 2006 as a result of the Bichard enquiry into the Soham Murders • Merges several “banned” lists (POVA, POCA, List 99) and other intelligence • Was due to be implemented October 2010 • Suspended in June and now the subject of a complete review

13. Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) • Only affects adults who work withchildren or vulnerable adults • in a definedactivity, establishment or position or • frequently, intensively or overnight • Interaction between adults and children or vulnerable adults in everyday life is outside the boundaries of the Scheme • The Scheme also completely excludes family and personal arrangements

14. Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) • So how was the ISA intended to work? • A person registers with the ISA • Employers notify the ISA that a person is working for them • Ongoing monitoring of the persons status by both parties • Any change of status (e.g. court convictions) are notified to all employers • This is VERY different from a “CRB check”

15. Criminal Records Bureau • Is a one-off check against Police and Government records (think “MOT”) • No “validity period”, although most organisations have a 3 year recheck cycle • Has three levels of check • Basic • Standard • Enhanced

16. Criminal Records Bureau • Basic checks are a simple statement of unspent criminal convictions • Standard & Enhanced checks include spent convictions and other intelligence • Aimed at specific areas of employment; those working with children or vulnerable adults, or those working in the health, legal, financial, security and other specified positions • May only be carried out by organisations working in these specific areas

17. How does this apply to RAYNET? • We are not offering a regulated activity • We do not specifically target or provide activities for children or vulnerable adults • Members do not require ISA registration or CRB checks to attend events where children or vulnerable adults are present • We do not do work with these people; frequently, intensively or overnight, or in a setting that is of a specified nature, a regulated activity or in a specified place

18. But hang on…Don’t we operate onall-night youth events?Isn’t that “Overnight”?

19. Overnight youth events • Well, yes, but… • Work with children is a regulated activity • RAYNET is notproviding the regulated activity • RAYNET is providing support to the activity provider, not the children • Yes, there will be brief contact • But no opportunity for trust building or substantial unsupervised access • Event will have procedures in place for those children to be appropriately supervised

20. Rest Centres • Every person in a rest centre is classified as vulnerable due to their displaced status • RAYNET is providing support to the rest centre team, not the vulnerable people • Yes, there will be brief contact • But no opportunity for trust building or substantial unsupervised access

21. Checkpoints etc. • Sometimes children will be helping • Family of checkpoint staff • Scouts / Guides / Youth clubs • User Service youth sections (SJA Cadets etc.) • RAYNET is providing support to the User Service, not the children • Yes, there will be contact during the day • But no opportunity for trust building or substantial unsupervised access • Event / User will have procedures in place for those children to be appropriately supervised

22. Can we “CRB check” our membership? • Standard & Enhanced level: No • We do not fall under any of the Disclosure Access Category Codes • Basic level: Yes • Reveals any unspent convictions • Are requested by the person, not the organisation • The organisation does not get a copy of the check • Relies on the member passing it on • Offers little more than self declaration • Does not prove identity • No independent check of personal details on the application

23. What about User requests? • Checking / vetting is not transferrable • Information obtained under any checking system is confidential to authorised officials in the organisation and the Subject of the check • Asking for “everyone to be checked” is pointless • Checked how? • What would be a bar to working with the User? • If the User requires us to be specifically checked, they must provide the mechanism for the checks to be carried out

24. To summarise • We do not offer a regulated activity • To attend RAYNET activities we do not require to be • ISA registered • CRB checked to Standard or Enhanced level • We cannot CRB check at Standard or Enhanced level • Basic CRB checks offer little benefit • Users must provide checking if they require specific levels of checking • So, where now?

25. Self declaration • A system where a prospective member • Provides positive ID (photo, name & address) • Declares any unspent convictions • Why? • Provides proof of ID • Provides everything that a basic CRB check does, without administrative problems • Has greater value outside the organisation • Should satisfy User “checking” requirements • Will prove due diligence

26. BPSS Baseline Personnel Security Standard Prepared by Chris Hampson G8RXA

27. Background • Encouragement for RAYNET to participate in the National Resilience Extranet (NRE) nationally • Some Zonal Co-ordinators already participating in RRF telecomms sub-groups • Controllers have indicated they are being offered access to NRE

28. What is the NRE? • The National Resilience Extranet (NRE) is a secure web based browser tool that enables responders to have access to key information up to and including RESTRICTED level, for multi-agency working and communication. • Available for use by all Category 1 & 2 Responders, Government Departments and Agencies and other key organisations in the UK resilience community to share knowledge, plan responses to emergency situations and manage incidents as they happen

29. What does BPSS do? • Provides a level of assurance to the trustworthiness and integrity of individuals whose work involves access to sensitive assets or information. • Confirmation of their identity, their place of residence, that they are legally entitled to live in the UK and a declaration of any unspent criminal convictions • RAYNET BPSS checking is entirely voluntary

30. How BPSS wouldbenefit Groups • Confidence that your members really are who they say they are. • User Services assured that you are exercising due diligence using a recognised standard when accepting new members. • Scheme would satisfy any general requests from our User Services for RAYNET members to be “checked”, in most cases.

31. How would BPSSbenefit members? • Growing need for RAYNET members to have access to protectively marked information up to and including RESTRICTED level: • National Resilience Extranet (NRE) • Cabinet Office and local authority documents • Regional/Local Resilience Forum documentation

32. What BPSS is Not The BPSS check is nota formalsecurity clearance or vettingagainst government held lists It is entirely internal to RAYNETwithout reference to outside agencies

33. How BPSS would work • Members wishing to be checked would be asked to: • Present evidence of their name and address • Declare any unspent criminal convictions • Administered by Controllers and Zonal Co-ordinators who have themselves been checked. • Only the reference number, indicating successful completion of a BPSS check, would be recorded nationally.

34. What proof of identity is required? • Ideally a passport • If not, then any two of the following: • Current full UK driving licence or UK photocard driving licence • Recent HMRC tax notification • Birth or marriage certificate • Recent original utility bill * • Local authority tax bill (valid for current year) * • Bank, building society or credit union statement or passbook or mortgage statement containing current address * • P45 * * dated within the last 6 months

35. Implementation (1) • Implementation of the BPSS checks is entirely voluntary, with both Groups and individuals deciding locally whether to opt into the scheme • Should a Group wish to implement the checks, the Controller would first be checked by their Zonal Co-ordinator or County Controller. S/he would then be able to act as the authorised person in the Group.

36. Implementation (2) • The initial documentation would be handled by the local controller, who would pass all relevant completed details to CoM’s BPSS Co-ordinator for checking, allocation of approval and filing. • BPSS Co-ordinator available for advice and would work closely with the controller on any queries. (BPSS@raynet-uk.net)

37. Isn’t this the “thin end of a wedge”,with full vetting coming along later? No! We can’t predict what our User Services might require in the future, but there are no plans to increase the level of member checking beyond the current BPSS standard.

38. What would happen if a member’s BPSS submission were refused? • A refusal would prevent that member from having uncontrolled access to RESTRICTED material (eg NRE) and thus may be excluded from meetings and areas where access to such information is freely available.

39. Right of appeal • Members who do not receive a BPSS approval would have the right to be told the reason and if not satisfied, to request an appeal hearing. • This hearing would take place within 6 weeks of the request.

40. How would the applicationsbe handled? • Once proof of identity and the criminal record declaration have been checked, the member would complete part 1 on the Verification Record. • The controller would then complete parts 2 and 3 and forward all documentation to the BPSS Co-ordinator, who would add a unique number to the Approval document. • The approval or otherwise will be notified to the controller and the member’s record and database record updated accordingly.

43. How can I be assured the documentation will be securely handled? • Some of the information could be sensitive personal data, so access to such information would be restricted to those with a true need to know. • Documents relating to the BPSS and the completed Baseline Standard Verification Record must be kept. (Annexes A & B)

44. How can I be assured the documentation will be securely handled? • Any supporting documentation (e.g. copies of utility bills, etc) would be destroyed within 6 months unless there is a clear business reason for exceeding this period. • Criminal conviction information collected in the course of the BPSS process will also be deleted except in exceptional circumstances.

45. How far hasRAYNET BPSS got? • All Committee of Management members and Team Leaders have been checked • Briefing documents sent to County, Area and Group Controllers • Some Controllers opted to begin the application process at the national AGM

46. Finding additional informationon VBS and BPSS Additional information for Controllers and also for members can be found in the members area of the website www.raynet-uk.net

47. What next? • Individual Groups decide whether to opt into the scheme • Opportunity for CCs/GCs to complete BPSS applications at Zonal meetings • CCs/GCs check members locally