Northern Ireland will tighten vetting around restorative justice work from Tuesday 17 February 2026. A new Statutory Rule updates the 2008 Disclosure Regulations so anyone seeking to act as a Department of Justice–accredited restorative justice practitioner will need an enhanced AccessNI check. The regulation was sealed on 3 February by Justice Minister Naomi Long. (justice-ni.gov.uk)

In practice, the rule inserts a fresh prescribed purpose into regulation 9 of the 2008 Regulations, giving AccessNI the legal hook to issue an enhanced criminal record certificate for restorative justice roles. It sits alongside the Department’s new Practice Standards and Accreditation Framework, introduced last autumn to ensure delivery is “coherent, consistent and equitable” across Northern Ireland. (justice-ni.gov.uk)

Regulation 9B is also adjusted so enhanced certificates for this purpose can include suitability information-essentially checks of the adults’ barred list where vulnerable adults may be in scope. That mirrors how earlier amendments worked when new safeguarding roles were added, such as the 2023 change for adult placement carers. (legislation.gov.uk)

There is a second change aimed at host households under the Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme. In defined circumstances, an enhanced check will now be available for household members under 16 living in a home that is hosting Ukrainian arrivals. Current UK guidance focuses on checks for those aged 16 and over; Northern Ireland’s move creates a route to screen younger household members where safeguarding needs justify it. This is about eligibility, not an automatic requirement. (gov.uk)

The timing aligns with a wider push to expand adult restorative justice. In a progress report published on 9 January 2026, the Department confirmed work to embed restorative approaches in the formal adult system, building on October’s accreditation framework launch. Both moves are designed to give victims and participants confidence in standards and safety. (justice-ni.gov.uk)

For community organisations and independent practitioners, the message is straightforward: refresh recruitment packs and countersignatory processes so the enhanced check-now explicitly tied to restorative justice-can be requested without delay. The Department’s accreditation pathway already expects practitioners to hold Enhanced AccessNI clearance before they receive criminal justice referrals, so this legal tidy‑up should simplify compliance. (consultations.nidirect.gov.uk)

For host families and councils, the core expectation remains that those aged 16 and over in sponsor households undergo the appropriate level of check. Authorities will continue to make case‑by‑case decisions. The change simply provides a legal route, where risk warrants, to extend an enhanced check to a younger household member in a Homes for Ukraine setting. (gov.uk)

Providers operating across the North of England and Northern Ireland should note that AccessNI is a separate system from DBS, even though both sit under Part V of the Police Act 1997. The Department of Justice sets the detailed rules for Northern Ireland, so vetting policies should be aligned to the jurisdiction where services are delivered. (justice-ni.gov.uk)

Statutory Rule 2026 No. 13 comes into operation on Tuesday 17 February 2026. Community restorative justice providers, councils and host families should plan around that date and speak to their AccessNI countersignatories to ensure recruitment and safeguarding paperwork is up to date.