In the case of a positive disclosure, a decision must be made as to whether it is appropriate for the volunteer to start (or continue) in their chosen role, or in rare circumstance, to have any further involvement with SSAFA. 

All decisions are supported by a risk assessment. The risk assessment includes information held on the returned disclosure certificate, the volunteer’s views (unless this may put another individual at risk) and other relevant information held by SSAFA e.g. references.

This risk assessment is presented to SSAFA’s Volunteer Vetting Panel (see Volunteer Vetting Panel Terms of Reference) who make the decision about a volunteer’s suitability for the role and other appointments, if relevant. 

The decision of the vetting panel can be: 

1. Volunteer continues in the role applied for, or is active in.

2. volunteer continues in the role applied for, or is active in, with mitigations (with or without a review period).

3. volunteer cannot continue in the role applied for, is active in but can volunteer in an alternative role.

4. volunteer cannot undertake in any SSAFA volunteer role.

This is a confidential and sensitive process requiring a respectful, fair, prompt and professional approach. The volunteer should have one point of contact in relation to their positive check and be notified as soon as possible after SSAFA is made aware of the disclosure result.

Volunteers must be reminded of this process and should be made aware that they are free to opt out at any point, albeit discontinuing their consideration for the role.  

England, Wales and Northern Ireland 

• DBS certificate results are returned to [email protected] inbox by SSAFA’s DBS provider Agenda Screening Services. Only an indication of clear or positive is given at this stage.
• Volunteer Experience Team Leader (VETL) screens the inbox for results and identifies positive checks.

Scotland 

• The named person at SSAFA for Volunteer Scotland (Volunteer Experience Team Lead) receives Notification that a check has been completed, along with a reference number to access the certificate online. This, together with the candidates D.O.B is required to log in and access the certificate.
• VE team will record a summary of what may have been declared, including collate Certificate Number, date of issue and PVG Membership Number and outcome.
• The named person will then provide this to the VDM / VM by placing details in the positive vetting folder. 

Republic of Ireland 

• The Republic of Ireland Branch receive vetting certificates directly from the National Vetting Bureau.
• The Branch notify VETL via [email protected] about a positive check, forwarding a scan or photograph of the certificate by encrypted email and deletes the certificate and email.

Other Overseas Police Checks 

• Volunteers receive receipt of their checks and must share the original checks with Branch Secretary/Service Committee Chair.
• Branch Secretary/Service Committee Chair forward a photograph or scan of the certificate via encrypted email to VETL via [email protected] and deletes the certificate and email.

Sharing Information with the relevant Volunteer Manager 

The relevant volunteer manager will be: 

• Volunteer Development Manager
• Specialist Services Manager

• VETL receives notice of positive disclosure via [email protected]
• VETL uses the volunteer database to identify the role related to the check and establishes the volunteer’s location.
• VETL contacts the appropriate manager by email marked “CONFIDENTIAL; Positive vetting result”.
• This email must be sent by VETL within 1 working day of receipt of the positive disclosure, and as soon as possible in circumstances where a volunteer is active in a role which requires a vetting check. This will allow the volunteer manager to consider any immediate actions to reduce potential risk.
• Where a volunteer is involved in multiple roles requiring a vetting check, the VETL should notify all relevant managers.
• Where a volunteer is also involved in roles which do not require a check only the manager associated with the role requiring a check should be notified.
• The email from the VETL should include the following information:
  • Volunteer name.
  • Volunteer database ID.
  • Name of branch / division / service committee / service related to the role applied for.
  • Role for which the check is associated.
  • All other volunteer roles that the volunteer is active in/taking a break from/being recruited for.
  • Disclosure certificate issue date.
  • Disclosure certificate number (if DBS /Access NI Disclosure Scotland).
• VETL sets up a new folder labelled as the volunteer’s name in the Volunteer Vetting Sharepoint Site. In this folder VETL uploads:
  • Copies of references held by SSAFA.
  • Any copies of certificate (then delete from inbox).
  • Information (if any) about self-disclosure (then delete from inbox).
  • In a situation where the VETL is unable to respond to positive vetting notifications, the HoVE will cover the [email protected] inbox and this task.
  • Volunteer managers responsible for receiving notifications must put in place alternative points of contact for the VETL in the event of absence. 

• Where possible, ensure the volunteer has one point of contact in relation to this process, to reduce potential variation in outcome and maintain confidentiality. This should be Volunteer Development Manager or Specialist Services Manager.
• Volunteer Development Manager or Services Manager contacts the volunteer via their personal email account or by telephone within 3 working days of notification by the VETL. This communication should acknowledge the check result, explain this process and the option not to participate, signpost to vetting guidance, organise a face to face or video interview. If the volunteer has not yet received their disclosure certificate, please ask them to contact the volunteer manager to discuss, when they have received it. Note: it can take approximately 2 weeks for the certificate to arrive in some circumstances.
• Interviews should be organised as soon as the volunteer can manage to avoid a drawn out process for the volunteer.
• If the volunteer has not responded to the invite for a meeting or is not contactable by phone, a reminder email is sent by the volunteer development manager or specialist services manager  to the volunteer applicant after 7 days. The email must copy in [email protected] for information. The email must advise the volunteer that if they wish to continue their application / role a conversation about what has been returned on their certificate is required.
• If the applicant has not responded within 14 days of the original invitation, a further email is sent to advise that SSAFA will assume that they are no longer wishing to continue their application or to continue in their role, and that if there has been no contact for a further two weeks SSAFA will discontinue their application and temporarily remove them from their role. In the case of active volunteers, local Branch or SC Chairs must be contacted to keep them up to date and to ask about any recent volunteer engagement over the 14 day period and if there has been contact, to check contact details.
• Four weeks after the initial contact – volunteer manager sends an email to the volunteer copying [email protected] and Head of Volunteer Experience explaining the decision to withdraw their opportunity to volunteer. A copy of this email should be sent to the Branch Chair, Service Committee Chair or equivalent if relevant and stored in their Positive Vetting Folder.
• The interview can be organised as a face to face meeting in an appropriate, safe and confidential space (not in the volunteer’s home) or as a video call.
• Volunteer development manager or specialist services manager may request from the volunteer a scan or photograph of the full original certificate to be viewed prior to interview. 

• The volunteer manager should locate and read SSAFA Volunteer Vetting Assessment to prepare for the interview.

  The Interview 

• Ask questions to enable completion of the SSAFA Volunteer Vetting Assessment, asking the volunteer to talk through the offence and the circumstances.
• The Volunteer Development Manager or Specialist Services Manager must see the original certificate or screen share of Disclosure Scotland Certificate in person or by video call and be assured all details are noted for consideration.
• If this is not possible for volunteers using Disclosure Scotland online certification then advise they request a hard copy of their certificate from Disclosure Scotland to share with volunteer manager either in person or by video call.
• The volunteer manager should complete the SSAFA Volunteer Vetting Assessment form which contains a risk assessment template.
• Completed assessment forms alongside any electronic copies of original certificates be uploaded to the Volunteer Vetting Sharepoint site for access by the vetting panel.
• Once the form has been completed, destroy any paper notes taken as part of the interview process. 

• Volunteer Manager emails Head of Volunteer or Volunteer Development Team Manager and Principal Safeguarding Officer to arrange a vetting panel. See terms of reference for the vetting panel for more about attendees. 
• The volunteer manager who completed the interview and risk assessment must attend the panel. 
• The panel should be convened as soon as possible and within 7 working days of the interview. 
• Panel members will have access to the volunteer manager’s assessment form, copy of disclosure certificate and any other relevant documents via the Volunteer Vetting SharePoint Site. The Volunteer Development Manager or Specialist Services Manager should share the link to the folder with Safeguarding colleagues. 
• To enable decision making, the panel will consider the degree of risk relative to the role applied for and considering risk posed to beneficiaries, employees, the public, SSAFA and/or the volunteer themselves.
• If the volunteer is to continue in their role, the Volunteer Development Manager or Specialist Services Manager updates the volunteer about the decision as soon as possible and within 2 working days. 
• If the volunteer is to be offered an alternative role, the person with decision making authority may choose who communicates the decision to the volunteer. It may be the volunteer manager. 
• If the decision is to end all volunteering activity i.e. to revoke SSAFA membership the process in the Volunteer Tenure Policy – Appendix 3 SSAFA Policies & ISO Library is applied.
• Once the decision has been made, in non-NDP areas, the Volunteer Development Manager or Specialist services manager will inform the VETL Team copying in Head of Volunteering asking them to update the volunteer’s records and update systems access as appropriate. 
• The Volunteer Development Manager or Specialist Services Manager informs the Branch or Service Committee Chair where relevant of the decision. Details of the positive check must only be shared where this is required to reduce risk for example, where there are mitigations involving the additional supervision. 

Throughout this process information will be handled and stored in line with SSAFA’s Information Management and Retention Policy | Policy Library | SSAFA Policies & ISO Library Information Management and Retention Policy.