Childcare Bill

The Minister will recall that in Committee I was concerned that there appeared to be a loophole on the safeguarding provisions for child care operators in chapter 4—that is, those with voluntary registration. I therefore welcome her statement on safeguarding and the read-across to the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Bill. I want to emphasise on the record that that Bill now stipulates the following:"““Under the new scheme, where work, whether paid or unpaid, involves frequent teaching, caring for or otherwise working closely with children, the employer will be required to check that their employees are not barred from working with children, and they will be committing an offence and will face penalties if they employ a person so barred. This will include those working in childcare not registered by Ofsted.””" I am most grateful for that tightening up of the situation.