Code of Practice

The Disclosure Scotland Code of Practice applies to people who deal with disclosure information on prospective employees/volunteers in organisations, even if your organisation obtains checks via an umbrella body.

Following the code is a mandatory requirement or else you may be committing an offence.

The following are some of your legal obligations:

• The organisation must have a policy on the secure handling, retention and destruction of disclosure information. If you require support creating and finalising a policy, Scottish Disclosures can support you via info@scottish-disclosures.co.uk.
• Your business also has a legal Duty to Refer employees/volunteers that cause harm or risk of harm to a child or protected adult. It is best practises to have a procedure.
• Disclosure information must be stored securely and must not be retained within an individual's personnel file.
• Disclosure information must not be retained for longer than is relevant to the needs of the organisation.
• It is recommended the employer has a policy on the recruitment of individuals with convictions. If you require support creating and finalising such a policy, Scottish Disclosures can support you via info@scottish-disclosures.co.uk.