Private security regulator removes recognition of awarding body

On 14 July, the SIA notified the BIIAB it would terminate the agreement under which the regulator approved the BIIAB as an awarding organisation for certain SIA licence-linked qualifications.

This means that, with immediate effect, the BIIAB should not register any new learners for any of its SIA licence-linked training. In addition, the BIIAB must not issue any new licence-linked qualifications with effect from 10 August.

The SIA has moved to terminate the awarding organisation recognition agreement with the BIIAB due to “serious and persistent” material breaches of the latter’s obligations within the recognition agreement, which are not capable of being remedied.

This unprecedented action follows a series of unannounced inspections conducted by the SIA at Training Centres as part of Operation RESOLUTE. Those inspections uncovered “serious concerns”.

The news also follows Ofqual’s decision to issue a Direction under Section 151 (3) of the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009 preventing the BIIAB from taking on new learners for SIA licence-linked door supervisor and security guarding training courses.

Visible safeguard

Tim Archer, the SIA’s executive director of licensing and standards, explained: “Licensing is a visible safeguard that protects the public and requires licence holders to be appropriately qualified. It’s critical for public safety that front line security operatives obtain their SIA licence through legitimately earned qualifications delivered by training providers that meet our rigorous standards.”

Archer added: “The public and businesses that buy security services rely on the SIA licence to show operatives have been vetted and that they’ve have completed the required training for the role.”

In addition, Archer noted: “Through Operation RESOLUTE, we will continue to act swiftly in dealing with non-compliance, root out malpractice in Training Centres and ensure the public maintains its trust in security licensing, which must be protected from those who seek to exploit it.”

The SIA has carried out intelligence-led unannounced inspections that uncovered serious examples of training malpractice among providers registered with BIIAB.  

The SIA is working jointly with Ofqual to tackle training malpractice and ensure that the appropriate monitoring, auditing and quality assurance over qualification systems expected of awarding organisations are met. On 9 July, the SIA removed the BIIAB from its course finder tool for door supervisor and security guarding qualifications. This action came after Ofqual issued a Direction notice to the BIIAB citing serious concerns regarding its arrangements for ensuring the validity of qualifications and compliance.  

Ofqual has written to the BIIAB highlighting its obligations to protect the interests of learners on these qualifications following the SIA’s termination of recognition as an awarding organisation. The exams and assessment regulator will be monitoring the BIIAB to ensure it complies with these obligations.

Clear guidance 

Amanda Swann, executive director for delivery at Ofqual, commented: “We want to demonstrate clearly that regulators are working together to tackle malpractice, protect the interests of learners and look after the safety and security of the general public. This case reflects how Ofqual has improved its intelligence-gathering and sharpened its enforcement tools.”

Swann continued: “We have published clear guidance on awarding organisations’ responsibilities. Those that do not take these matters seriously will be held to account.”

Over the last 18 months under Operation RESOLUTE, the SIA has increased its unannounced inspections and targeted poor standards, training malpractice and fraud in the commercial training sector that provides training for qualifications for an SIA licence.

While most providers who deliver SIA licence-linked training meet the high standards the SIA and Ofqual set, poor standards and training malpractice are not acceptable, damage public and employer trust in the licence and risk overall public safety.