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 regulated roles. This strengthens protection for children and protected adults.

PVG Scheme membership allows Disclosure Scotland to continuously monitor individual 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 new information lead to an individual being placed under consideration for listing, Disclosure Scotland will notify the organisations they work with.

More information on the consideration for listing process (Disclosure Scotland).

Apply to join the PVG scheme

The PVG Scheme is quick and easy for staff and volunteers to use:

Apply to join the PVG scheme online.

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.

Who needs to join the PVG scheme

Only people who do regulated roles 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.

Visiting your child's school

Parents visiting a school do not need to apply. 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.

Parent councils

Please refer to the Regulated Roles Guidance for Parent Groups.

School trips

Anyone parent volunteer who is taking part in activities described in the legislation must be a PVG Scheme Member. Read the Regulated Roles Guidance for Parent Groups.

Events on school property

Parents who hire the school hall outside of school hours or who get involved in out of school hours activities should refer to the guidance on regulated roles.

The consideration here is the purpose of the event and who is it for.

For fundraising, please refer to the provisions in the guidance that relates to Committees.

Support from Volunteer Scotland

Volunteer Scotland Disclosure Services provide a service that is free for organisations who meet the criteria. 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. The service is closed Thursday. 

Disclosure Scotland guidance

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

• PVG scheme - Regulated roles guidance
• Guidance for parent run groups

Connect

The Scottish Parent Teacher Council group Connect has published a range of child safety and protection leaflets for Parent Councils.

Further information: the 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.