Our Safeguarding team have an important legal update for staff and volunteers working with children.
From 1 September 2026, the law about regulated activity with children is changing. The current rule about the supervision of paid staff and volunteers carrying out specific activities with children will be removed from the legal definition.
WHAT THIS MEANS
This means some people will be in regulated activity with children from 1 September 2026 when they were not before, because they were sufficiently supervised by someone else.
If you have staff or volunteers who do the following work often enough with children: delivering teaching, training, caring for or supervising them, then this may apply to them.
Examples include: youth work, sports coaching, arts tutoring, outdoor activities.
The change will apply if they do the work often enough (three times or more in 30 days), or overnight (between the hours of 2am and 6am). Where the frequency or overnight condition is met, this role is regulated activity regardless of any level of supervision (oversight) in place, and requires the barring list check (children’s workforce).
This can be applied for via a new enhanced DBS check, at no more than the same cost of £49.50 for paid workers, free for volunteers (as per the definition) plus your provider’s admin fee.
FIND OUT MORE
Further information about the legislative changes can be found on the UK Government’s website. In addition, guidance on the DBS website will be updated from 1 September 2026 to reflect these changes.
HOW WCVA CAN HELP YOU WITH SAFEGUARDING
- Free enquiry service offering one-to-one, confidential advice and information from our Safeguarding Team
- Free information, guidance and resources on safeguarding
- Presentations, information sessions and surgeries for your organisation or members
- A range of learning opportunities, including online modules, webinars and online training courses (we can consider face-to-face training in some circumstances)
- A Safeguarding Community of Practice to bring voluntary sector safeguarding practitioners together
If you have any questions about safeguarding, please get in touch with our Safeguarding Team by emailing safeguarding@wcva.cymru or contact us on 0300 111 0124. Email or call us to discuss your safeguarding learning needs.