All people undertaking regulated work with a protected group, children or adults, are required to become a member of the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme.

It is the responsibility of each club to ensure all persons (voluntary or paid) who work with vulnerable groups – children or adults at risk – are suitable to do so.

Getting started with PVGs

Who Needs a PVG?

Not everyone in your club requires a PVG, only those who have a role that that comes under the definition of ‘regulated work’. If you would like to know what that means, or want to know who in your club should apply for a PVG check, please click this link.

Completing a PVG online

The PVG administration and application process has changed, these changes are effective from Friday 2nd April 2021 The Protection of Vulnerable Groups Act was updated by the Scottish Parliament in late 2020 one of the changes in the legislation is the introduction of an online portal for the completion of PVGs.

The new online PVG application process, where applicants (volunteers/coaches) complete their PVG via an online portal is now being implemented across the sport sector; and applies to Mountaineering Scotland. This service allows applications to be submitted more efficiently and accurately and removes the old paper PVG forms. It is a quicker and simpler process for club CWPs/ID checkers who will now send a short template to Mountaineering Scotland to start the application process. Disclosure applicants (volunteers/coaches) will receive an email directly with a link to the online portal and can then enter their information online; where it is validated as they go, reducing the number of errors and applications returned (for example the system will not allow them to proceed without 5 years of address history). Once the transition to the online portal has been completed it is also expected that the new process will result in faster turnaround times for receiving completed PVG certificates.

PVG Resources

  • Online PVG application process document (.doc)  – this document gives an overview of the entire PVG process, the different steps in that process and the different actions required.
  • Online PVG application request form (.docx) – this is the form to fill in to request a PVG check for a volunteer/coach and includes guidance notes on how to complete the form for the safeguarding officer/ID checker.
  • Online PVG application guidance sheet for applicants (.docx)  – this is a short one page overview for volunteers/coaches (applicants) who will be completing a PVG.
  • Disclosure Scotland full guidance pack for applicants (PDF) – this is a full guidance pack produced by Disclosure Scotland and includes information about each section of the PVG and also includes screenshots and step by step instructions for the new online PVG portal that volunteers/coaches (applicants) will use to complete their PVG.
  • Removal of interest form (.doc) – is used to list coach/volunteers who have stopped their volunteering with the club and should be completed by Safeguarding Officer/ID checker.
  • Secondary Organisation Contract (.docx) – The Secondary Organisation Contract allows Mountaineering Scotland to process PVG applications requests for clubs and send them to Volunteer Scotland. The club must have a Secondary Organisation Contract in place with Mountaineering Scotland, which has been signed by the club CWP /ID checker. Clubs can identify more than one person to act as the club ID checker, each person must be noted and have signed the secondary organisation contract.
  • Code of Practice for use of disclosure information (PDF)  – The official code of practice both provides assurances for those under going checks and sets out standards for individuals entitled to access disclosure information to ensure it is used properly and fairly.

Find out more about the PVG scheme on the Disclosure Scotland website.