Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 11
11
Deferred
Department has robust three-tier safeguarding framework for cadets, including DBS checks and training.
Conclusion
The Department also described in its letter the cadet safeguarding arrangements that it has in place. Each of the armed forces is responsible for safeguarding its cadets, but they adhere to the same basic safeguarding principles set out in the Department’s Cadet Safeguarding Framework. All adult volunteers and cadet-facing RFCA employees must have the correct disclosure and barring service (DBS) check and undergo safeguarding training. The Department explained that it uses a three-tier approach to provide assurance that these safeguarding arrangements are working, which combines activities at individual unit level with management oversight and independent review.16
Government Response Summary
The Government refers to recommendation 2a. PAC recommendation which is the same as the one given for ID 4029.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
2a. PAC recommendation: The Department should develop a plan by June 2026 (one year after the publication of the SDR) for increasing the number of Cadets which sets out how it will: • ensure that young people from different backgrounds and all parts of the UK can join; • address barriers to expansion such as the number of adult volunteers; and • maintain robust safeguarding arrangements for the enlarged Cadet forces. 2.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: June 2026 2.2 The development of a programme plan for the growth in Cadet numbers is well underway. This process is being taken forward through regular meetings of the Heads of the individual Cadet Forces. A Director level Senior Responsible Officer has been appointed, and governance arrangements are evolving in light of Defence Reform. 2.3 Work is in train within the department, based on the current laydown of the Cadet forces across the UK, to determine the key target areas for growth, taking into account demographic changes and indices of deprivation. 2.4 A priority for the programme is to attract and retain sufficient numbers of suitable adult volunteers to deliver the Cadet experience. Early work includes the launch of an attitude survey of current volunteers to help in determining appropriate actions to improve the volunteer ‘proposition’. 2.5 Work is being taken forward with Cadet safeguarding hubs to assess the need for increased capacity to manage the impact of Cadet growth (noting that a proportion of incidents