National Care Standards For Childcare Agencies

Annex A Glossary

Au pair

A single person aged between 17 and 27 who comes to the United Kingdom to study English and:

• lives for up to two years as a member of an English-speaking family; and
• helps in the home for up to five hours a day with at least two full days off a week, in return for a reasonable allowance and their own room.

Disclosure Scotland

A new Disclosure Bureau has been established within the Scottish Criminal Record Office for the purposes of issuing certificates under Part V of the Police Act 1997. This new service is known as Disclosure Scotland and is responsible for issuing three levels of certificates to be known as Basic disclosures, Standard disclosures and Enhanced disclosures. The aim of the new Disclosure Scotland service is to enhance public safety and to help employers and voluntary organisations in Scotland to make safer recruitment decisions.

Enhanced disclosures

Enhanced disclosures are the highest level of disclosures and are available for positions which involve a greater degree of contact with children or vulnerable adults. This type of disclosure is available for various appointments, including:

• those who apply for work that regularly involves caring for, training, supervision or being in sole charge of those aged 18 or under; and
• applicants for registration for childminding and day care.

Independent representative

A person independent of any aspect of the service or of any of the statutory agencies involved in purchasing or providing the service, who acts on behalf of, and in the interests of, the person using the service. An independent representative can be helpful if a person feels unable to represent him or herself.

Interpreter

A person who translates orally from one language into another.

Nanny

A nanny provides childcare in the child's home. A nanny can either live with the family or come in on a daily basis, either full or part time. A trained nanny can provide high quality professional childcare.

Parent

Includes guardian and any person who is liable to maintain or has parental responsibilities (within the meaning of section 1(3) of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995) (see Annex B) in relation to, or has care of a child or young person.

Service agreement

An agreement between the childcare agency and the service user about the terms of business, communication and childcare arrangements and how the agreement can be ended.

Volunteer

A childcarer or a person who works for a childcare agency but receives no payment in cash or in kind for delivering the service. However, they may receive out-of-pocket expenses.

'Whistle-blowing'

The disclosure by an employee (or professional) of confidential information which relates to some danger, fraud or other illegal or unethical conduct connected with the workplace, be it of the employer or of fellow employees. (Lord Barrie QC 1995).