The implementation of the Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020 has brought significant changes to the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme.
Find out more about how to submit a PVG scheme application here.
We hope the following FAQs will help answer questions that leaders may have. If you have any questions that you don’t feel are answered here please contact support@boys-brigade.org.uk or 0300 303 4454.
Jump to: Explaining the PVG scheme / The Boys’ Brigade’s Disclosure Milestone / PVG membership renewal with Disclosure Scotland
Explaining the PVG scheme
Membership of the PVG scheme is a legal requirement for all those carrying out a ‘regulated role’, which has replaced the concept of ‘regulated work’.
What are ‘regulated roles’?
A regulated role is when someone, as a necessary part of their role in Scotland, has direct involvement with children and/or protected adults that goes beyond incidental or occasional contact. This includes:
- Physical contact with children or protected adults.
- Visual, written, or verbal communication with children or protected adults.
- Exercising power, responsibility, or influence over children or protected adults/
All volunteer roles in The Boys’ Brigade fall within the criteria of regulated roles. This now includes our Trustees as their role involves power or influence over our children and young people.
What does this mean for me and my BB Company?
A regulated role includes ALL volunteering roles with children and young people in The Boys’ Brigade.
The Act should have no significant impact on your BB Company if you are already following the Brigade’s Safer Recruitment policies and procedures and all your leaders are fully registered (and therefore PVG checked for their role).
If I have adults volunteering in my Company not currently registered, what should I do?
Any adults not fully registered, and therefore not PVG checked for their role, MUST NOT attend any BB activities. It is now a criminal offence if they do. Find out more about how to register a new leader here.
How long will my PVG membership last?
The ‘lifetime’ PVG membership has been replaced with a five-year membership scheme. This change came into effect on 1st April 2026 for all new PVG applications and will be introduced in phases for existing members.
Under the new system, all members will be required to renew their membership every five years to remain in the scheme and continue to be eligible undertake regulated roles. Disclosure Scotland will be contacting existing scheme members in the coming months to confirm their individual renewal dates, which are expected to be from 2031 onwards.
Do I require separate PVG updates for different roles I have within the BB?
No, your PVG membership through BB will be sufficient for all your roles carried out within the BB.
What should we do if a parent/carer comes along to the Company to observe a session with consideration to become a leader?
A parent/carer can come along to observe one session if they are interested in becoming a leader. They must not be involved in any care or supervision of children young people. At least two registered BB leaders should be present in line with polices and procedures. If they would then like to become a leader they cannot attend until the Safer Recruitment process has been fully completed.
What should we do if a child or young person requires the support of a parent/carer to be present during a session linked to additional support needs or a disability?
Where the parent/carer is an immediate relative of the child/young person and is solely responsible of the child/young person they do not require a PVG. They must not be involved in any care or supervision of any children or young people in the Company.
Is our Company Treasurer a regulated role and now requiring PVG membership?
It depends how this role is being fulfilled in practice. If the individual is for example only involved in book-keeping and has no contact with children and young people then they would not require PVG membership. However if they are also a Trustee, part of this role will include decision making and having power or influence over children and young people and therefore would require PVG membership.
I don’t work directly with children and young people in my role. Why am I now being asked to become a PVG scheme member?
The Disclosure (Scotland) Act has introduced additional regulated roles where PVG Scheme membership is now required. This includes those responsible for decision making, and those having power and influence in an organisation that benefits children and young people.
Is our Battalion Treasurer a regulated role and now requiring PVG membership?
Yes, as the Battalion Treasurer is an Office Bearer and part of their role will include decision making and having power and influence over children and young people.
If we are taking our children/young people to an activity run by an external provider (e.g. go karting) what should we do?
The external provider of the activity is responsible for ensuring that their employees or volunteers have the correct PVG membership. In advance of any visit and as part of you risk assessment process for the activity you should ask for information about the provider’s safeguarding policy and procedures.
If we have a young person from our Company volunteering within another organisation as part of their Major Awards what should we do?
If their volunteering involves working with children/young people (those under 18) and/or vulnerable adults they must become a member of the PVG scheme following their 16th birthday with that organisation.
If you have a young person from your Company volunteering within the Company (e.g. with Anchors age group) as part of their Major Awards they do not require PVG membership for this role.
What about a young person coming into volunteer within my Company as part of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE)?
Young people aged 16+ who are coming into the organisation specifically to volunteer (e.g. as part of their voluntary service for DofE), and who are not already a member of the organisation, must be registered as a Young Leader/Youth Volunteer and have PVG membership for that role from the date of their 16th birthday.
What does this mean for visitors coming into our Company?
If you have a visitor coming in to the Company to give a presentation or lead an activity from a recognisable organisation (e.g. Guide Dogs for the Blind, or RNLI) their staff and/or volunteers are preforming a regulated role and they should have the correct PVG membership. You should ask for information about the organisation’s safeguarding policy and procedures to satisfy yourself. They will still be required to be under the supervision of registered leaders.
If someone is visiting the Company as a one-off (e.g. a member of the local community coming in to give a talk/presentation) then this would be incidental, not a regulated role and would not require PVG membership. However if an individual is coming into lead a series of sessions, this is no longer incidental, and they would need to be registered and have PVG membership for that role.
The Boys’ Brigade’s Disclosure Milestone
Why do I need to complete a five-year PVG membership renewal with Disclosure Scotland and a five-year Disclosure Check (Disclosure Milestone) with The Boys’ Brigade?
These are two different processes, for different purposes.
The PVG five-year membership renewal has been introduced by Disclosure Scotland is to ensure they can maintain accurate records of individuals undertaking any regulated roles. Historically, with the previous lifetime membership, many individuals did not inform Disclosure Scotland when they were leaving the scheme.
Volunteers are now expected to personally manage and maintain their PVG scheme membership through their Disclosure Scotland online account.
Disclosure Scotland will not be sharing new information about the individual (e.g. convictions/cautions) with organisations they undertake regulated roles with, unless they are considering barring them (known as “considering for listing”) from working with children and or vulnerable adults, or have barred them.
The five-year PVG recheck, known as the ‘Disclosure Milestone’, being introduced by The Boys’ Brigade is part of our commitment to prioritise the safety and wellbeing of children and young people in everything we do. It will ensure that all volunteer leaders continue to meet our safeguarding requirements and that our records remain accurate and up to date.
If Disclosure Scotland is going to notify organisations if they are considering barring someone, why does the BB need a separate rechecking process (‘Disclosure Milestone’) and what information might be important/relevant in this rechecking process?
There may be new information on a recheck that is relevant to The Boys’ Brigade’s ensuring the suitability of all BB leaders who volunteer in the organisation. For example a driving conviction may not lead to Disclosure Scotland considering barring, but would be relevant to the BB reviewing the individual’s suitability to be a volunteer leader.
Will my renewal of the PVG scheme and the BB Disclosure Milestone take place at the same time?
This is only likely to happen if you joined the PVG scheme recently, at the time you become a BB Volunteer. Disclosure Scotland will be contacting existing scheme members in the coming months to confirm their individual renewal dates, which are expected to be from 2031 onwards.
Leaders will be notified of their five-yearly BB Disclosure Milestone via email from Online Brigade Manager (OBM). These notifications will begin shortly, prioritising those who have been undertaking their BB role for five years or more. Full details of the process and guidance for completing will be included.
The PVG five-yearly renewal of membership is a different process to The Boys’ Brigade’s Disclosure Milestone.
How will I know when to complete the BB Disclosure Milestone?
Leaders will receive email notifications from Online Brigade Manager (OBM) in advance of their Disclosure Milestone. Notifications, and a series of reminders will be sent from six months before the Disclosure Milestone date. Leaders can initiate the recheck at any time during the six-month period.
What happens if I fail to complete my Disclosure Milestone by the date required?
If the reminders are ignored, notice will be given regarding withdrawal of your membership. You will no longer be able to undertake any roles in The Boys’ Brigade.
Is the Disclosure Milestone the same as the process to join the PVG Scheme (e.g. will I need to submit my ID again?)?
Yes, the requirements to undertake a disclosure recheck follows the same process completed to join the PVG scheme. ID documents need to be rechecked and verified. This is done locally by your Company Captain/Correspondent, or a Battalion Office Bearer (Secretary/President/Vice-President/Treasurer).
To initiate the disclosure re check, the PVG ID Checking Form will need to be completed on our website.
PVG membership renewal with Disclosure Scotland
Why do I need to complete a five-year PVG membership renewal with Disclosure Scotland and a five-year Disclosure Check (Disclosure Milestone) with The Boys’ Brigade?
These are two different processes, for different purposes.
The PVG five-year membership renewal has been introduced by Disclosure Scotland is to ensure they can maintain accurate records of individuals undertaking any regulated roles. Historically, with the previous lifetime membership, many individuals did not inform Disclosure Scotland when they were leaving the scheme.
Volunteers are now expected to personally manage and maintain their PVG scheme membership through their Disclosure Scotland online account.
Disclosure Scotland will not be sharing new information about the individual (e.g. convictions/cautions) with organisations they undertake regulated roles with, unless they are considering barring them (known as “considering for listing”) from working with children and or vulnerable adults, or have barred them.
The five-year PVG re-check, known as the ‘Disclosure Milestone’, being introduced by The Boys’ Brigade is part of our commitment to prioritise the safety and wellbeing of children and young people in everything we do. It will ensure that all volunteer leaders continue to meet our safeguarding requirements and that our records remain accurate and up to date.
Will my renewal of the PVG scheme and the BB Disclosure Milestone take place at the same time?
This is only likely to happen if you joined the PVG scheme recently, at the time you become a BB Volunteer. Disclosure Scotland will be contacting existing scheme members in the coming months to confirm their individual renewal dates, which are expected to be from 2031 onwards.
Leaders will be notified of their five-yearly BB Disclosure Milestone via email from Online Brigade Manager (OBM). These notifications will begin shortly, prioritising those who have been undertaking their BB role for five years or more. Full details of the process and guidance for completing will be included.
The PVG five-yearly renewal of membership is a different process to The Boys’ Brigade’s Disclosure Milestone.
How will I know when I need to renew my PVG scheme membership?
Disclosure Scotland has stated that they will notify individuals when their PVG membership is due for renewal. These reminders will be sent at least three months before your renewal date. If you are unsure how to manage your PVG membership, we would recommend you contact Disclosure Scotland for support.
What happens if I do not renew my membership of the PVG scheme?
Disclosure Scotland has confirmed that membership will lapse if not renewed, and you will be required to stop undertaking any regulated roles. If this happens you will not be able to volunteer in The Boys’ Brigade until you rejoin the PVG membership scheme. Disclosure Scotland will notify interested parties, such as The Boys’ Brigade if your PVG membership lapses.
Disclosure Scotland will inform PVG scheme members at least three months before a membership renewal is due to allow sufficient time for renewal.
What happens if I leave my BB role, and have no other roles that require a PVG? Do I need to tell Disclosure Scotland?
Yes, if you no longer need PVG scheme membership, you can choose to leave the scheme. You are required to inform Disclosure Scotland. This ensures their records about you are accurate. They will contact The Boys’ Brigade to ensure you have stopped your regulated role.
Details on how to leave can be found here.
The Boys’ Brigade also updates Disclosure Scotland when an individual has left their role.