Children's participation in child safeguarding: Supporting young people on work placements

Developing the Young Workforce is Scotland's youth employment strategy, helping young people build skills, confidence and experience through work placements, internships and vocational learning. These opportunities, whether arranged through schools informally, or part of structured programmes, such as Career Ready, Foundation Apprenticeships or the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, give young people valuable early experience of the workplace. 

Safeguarding isn't just about protecting children, it's also about involving them appropriately and understanding when protective measures, such as the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme, are relevant to their own activities and roles. For young people stepping into work placements, this often raises a question for them, their parents, carers and the organisations hosting them: do they need to be a member of the PVG scheme? 

When PVG scheme membership is required 

Most young people carrying out work placements will not need to join the PVG scheme. Membership is only required where all of the following apply: 

The young person is aged 16 or over, and they will have contact with children and/or protected adults, and they are leading on one of the activities involved, and this contact and activity are a necessary part of their role during the placement. 

This applies whether the placement has been arranged through school, independently by the young person, or as part of a longer-term programme such as Duke of Edinburgh's Award, Career Ready or Foundation Apprenticeships. 

If a young person is simply observing, shadowing, or supporting an activity rather than leading it, PVG scheme membership is unlikely to be required. Understanding this distinction helps placement providers, schools and families plan placements with confidence, while making sure appropriate safeguards remain in place where they're genuinely needed. 

Why PVG scheme membership matters 

The PVG scheme exists to help prevent individuals who are considered unsuitable from working or volunteering in regulated roles with children or protected adults. Where a young person's placement role does meet the criteria above, PVG membership forms a key part of keeping both the young person and the children or protected adults they work with safe. 

Guidance for schools, employers and families 

Disclosure Scotland provides detailed guidance to help work placement providers, schools and families understand when PVG scheme membership applies.