A Year of Transformation - Safeguarding Scotland Together
A look back at 2025 and the changes in Disclosure Scotland.
2025 was a year of bold change for Disclosure Scotland. As most of the Disclosure (Scotland) Act came into force on 1 April 2025, we stood at the heart of a transformation that will protect Scotland’s most vulnerable for generations to come.
This journey started long before April 2025, however. In 2021, we brought in changes to the barring process and in 2022, changes to offence lists, to strengthen safeguarding and focus on protecting the public, while balancing the need for people to move on from offending. In September 2024, as part of the Disclosure Act, we introduced new referral powers for local authorities and Integration Joint Boards – powers which enhance the safeguarding of vulnerable groups, particularly in the self-directed support environment, where there is no employer who can make a referral.
In November 2024, we introduced some innovative changes, including our online account service for customers.
Then came March 2025 - a milestone moment. We launched our first-ever national public information communications campaign, raising awareness of the new legal requirements for the PVG scheme. By the time the campaign ended in June, it had reached 3.8 million people, that’s 69% of Scotland’s population. That’s impact.
On 1 April 2025, the new PVG legal requirements came into force. And by 1 July 2025, offence provisions were in place, marking a historic step forward in safeguarding.
As 2025 comes to a close, we leave with a fully functional online service, a real achievement for Disclosure Scotland and a big step towards a better service and experience for our customers.
As we head into 2026, we look back with pride. Safeguarding of vulnerable groups, a fully functional online service, and the people of Scotland shaping a safer place to live and work more than ever before. This was not just a year of change - it was a year of commitment, collaboration, and progress.
Together, we’ve built something extraordinary. And this is only the beginning. See you next year.