Regulated activity with vulnerable groups

There are certain types of activities with children or vulnerable adults that fall under regulated activity’ as defined by the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups (Northern Ireland) Order 2007. The information below gives examples of these activities, as well as examples of activities that are not regulated activity.

Examples of regulated activity with children

Examples of activities with children that are regulated activity (not the full list) include:

  • teaching and training (for example teachers, football coaches)
  • care and supervision (for example probation officers, childminders)
  • advice or guidance (for example careers advisors, Childline advisors)
  • health care (for example doctors, nurses)
  • personal care (for example assisting with dressing or washing)
  • transportation (for example school bus drivers, ambulance drivers)

You may also be in regulated activity if you work or volunteer in certain places, including:

  • schools
  • childcare premises (for example nurseries, playgroups)
  • children’s homes
  • children’s hospitals
  • children’s detention centres

Regulated activity with adults

There are six categories of activity which are regulated activity with vulnerable adults. They are:

  • providing health care
  • providing personal care
  • providing social work
  • helping with general household matters
  • helping with the conduct of a person’s own affairs
  • conveying

Activity that isn't regulated

Family or personal arrangements, such as looking after a friend’s children for the day, is not regulated activity.

Other activities or situations which are not defined as regulated activity include:

  • work with 16 and 17 year olds in a workplace
  • work at mixed age sports and leisure facilities
  • work with children or vulnerable adults by chance (for example if an adult brings their child to an aerobics class)
  • visiting a friend or relative in a children’s home or residential care or nursing home
  • work in a shop or leisure facility where children or vulnerable adults might be customers (for example ice cream vans, fairgrounds, holiday camps)
  • visiting from overseas with a group - working or caring only for that group

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