National Pyjama Day 2023

Garda Vetting

Garda Vetting is a legal requirement under the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 to 2016 for the vetting of persons carrying out relevant work with children or vulnerable persons.

The Garda vetting process must be completed before an employee commences work in the setting.

Garda Vetting

Before applying for Garda Vetting.

Garda Vetting is a legal requirement for all people working with children and vulnerable adults, under the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012-2016. The Garda Vetting process must be completed before an employee commences work in an Early Learning and Care or School Age Childcare setting.

Before applying for Garda Vetting

Members of Early Childhood Ireland can avail of Garda Vetting.  Each setting must:

  • Have Service Provider or Organisation membership of Early Childhood Ireland
  • Have a Garda National Vetting Bureau (GNVB) Affiliate Registration Number

Each applicant must:

  • Be over 16 years old. If 16-18 years, they must have submitted signed Parent/Guardian Consent Form along with Vetting Invitation Form (Under 18). The parent or guardian must supply their own email address and phone number on the form (not the child’s email address). This form must be completed by the parent/guardian and sent along with the identification form and the Vetting Invitation.

How to apply for a GNVB Affiliate Registration Number?

The GNVB number is part of the process to confirm good governance and compliance with the National Vetting Bureau (Children & Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012-2016 to ensure that only persons conducting relevant work or activities with children or vulnerable adults are legally vetted under the Act.

Please note that all members must have a GNVB Affiliate Registration Number even if you have been processing vetting with us in the past.

If you do not already have a Garda National Vetting Bureau (GNVB) Affiliate Registration Number you will need to:

  • Email GNVB.Registration@garda.ie requesting your GNVB Affiliate Registration Number. Please include your ECI membership number on the request. This process could take up to 3 weeks and must be completed for each individual setting.
  • The Garda National Vetting Bureau will send you a form to complete and return to them as soon as possible.  You will then receive your GNVB Affiliate Registration Number.
  • Please email a copy of both pages of this letter to cdaly@earlychildhoodireland.ie
  • Each setting must have their own unique GNVB Affiliate Registration Number

Early Childhood Ireland Online Vetting Process

Step 1

The Early Childhood Ireland member (Owner/Manager) asks the applicant to complete the NVB1 Vetting Invitation form. Please ensure that the applicant signs, dates and ticks the consent box. There is a special Vetting Invitation form for Under 18  and a Parent/Guardian Consent Form. The owner/manager obtains two forms of identification from the applicant– photo identification and proof of address. Acceptable Identification is listed on the NVB1 Vetting Invitation form.

NB: The NVB1 Form and copies of the identification should be kept in the employee’s personnel file along with their vetting disclosure, once it has been completed. This is an important step as the National Vetting Bureau may carry out an audit and request that copies of these documents be forwarded to them.

Step 2

Log onto our website with your ECI membership number and password. Click here which will open up a new window that mirrors the NVB1 form. Fill out the form using the information from the applicant’s NVB1 form. Please ensure you tick the consent boxes based on the information given in the applicant’s NVB1 form:

  • consent from the applicant who has signed the form and date consent was given
  •  proof of identity supplied by photo identification and proof of address

Some points to remember when filling in the online application:

  • Do not enter any extra spaces or special characters such as symbols, hyphens, apostrophes or full stops, especially around the email address, as the system is very sensitive. Hyphens and dots are permitted in the email address
  • Only the current address of the applicant should be entered, and eircodes should only be entered in the correct eircode box. This address can be an international address if that is where the applicant currently resides
  • Please ensure the city and county are entered for each applicant
  • Postcodes must be entered for Northern Ireland addresses or the application will not be accepted
  • Ensure spelling is correct, as this spelling will be on the completed Garda Vetting Disclosure
  • If there is no middle name, leave the box blank, do not write n/a

When you have finished entering the applicant’s information please click on the ‘I’m not a robot’ reCAPTCHA and then submit.
You should then see a ‘Thank you for submitting a Garda Vetting application’ screen. You will also receive an email notification with a reference number for the Garda Vetting application.
If you think you have made a mistake when inputting the form please let us know by emailing us at vetting2@earlychildhoodireland.ie and we will cancel the Garda Vetting application.
Then re-enter the applicants details correctly into the Garda Vetting online form.
Duplication on the National Vetting Bureau system could result in applications being delayed or rejected.

What happens next?

Early Childhood Ireland reviews the completed Online Vetting Application and submits it to the National Vetting Bureau (NVB). The NVB processes the application and forwards a vetting disclosure (completed Garda Vetting) to Early Childhood Ireland. Early Childhood Ireland reviews the vetting disclosure and provides a pdf copy of the disclosure to the Owner/Manager of the service via email.

We have developed guidance to support you to deal with negative disclosures on our Garda Vetting Policy section.

For further information, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions.

We have developed a short video to take you through the new Garda Vetting process:

Download the Forms

NVB1 Vetting Invitation form

Parent/Guardian Consent Form

Vetting Invitation form for Under 18

Forms in Irish

NVB1 Vetting Invitation Form (As Gaeilge)

Parent Guardian Consent Form (As Gaeilge)

Vetting Invitation form for under 18s (As Gaeilge)

Checklist

  • Has the applicant completed the NVB1 form and signed, dated and ticked the consent box?
  • Is the full current address of the vetting applicant on the Vetting Invitation form?
  • Are the NVB1 Form, and copies of the Identification, kept securely in the employee’s personnel file (along with their vetting disclosure when they receive it)?
  • Is the date of consent within the last 6 months on the vetting invitation?
  • Is an email address provided?
  • If the applicant is under 18 is there a Parent/Guardian Consent Form completed also and has their parent / guardian filled out the Under 18 NVB1 form?

Vetting Applicants under 18 years

If you have a vetting applicant who is 16-18 year old, then their parent or guardian are required to complete the Parent/Guardian Consent Form. The parent or guardian must supply their own email address and phone number on the Vetting Invitation form for Under 18 and not the child’s email address.

E-Vetting Frequently Asked Questions

  • How do I register for E-Vetting?
    You do not need to register for e-vetting, as a service provider / organisational member of Early Childhood Ireland you are automatically registered to avail of the service. You must have a Garda National Vetting Bureau (GNVB) Affiliate Registration Number however, so that you are registered on the National Vetting portal.
  • Where does the applicant put all their other addresses?
    A link will be emailed to the applicant, when they open this link they will then fill in the other information required by the National Vetting Bureau to complete the vetting process.