Welcome for record check on volunteers
7:00pm Thursday 26th June 2008
Comments (12)CONTROVERSIAL plans to increase police checks for those in contact with children have been welcomed in Dorset despite claims the proposals are over-the-top.
A report suggest many adults are afraid to go near children and fear they are being labelled potential child abusers if asked to be the subject of Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks.
But campaigners who fought long and hard to have them introduced in the first place have hit back saying they are necessary to protect children and other vulnerable people.
The checks may be extended to cover those who host foreign students, a proposal likely to affect thousands of families in the area.
Report author Frank Furedi said: "Volunteers, once regarded as the pillars of the community, have been transformed into potential child abusers, barred from any contact with children until the database gives them the green light."
He suggests adults should be allowed to use their discretion and professional judgement to decide who should work with children.
But Margaret Morrissey, the Dorset-based spokeswoman for the National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations said: "It may be an inconvenience to be checked but if it stops one unsuitable person working with children then it will be worth it." And Claude Knights, Director of child protection charity Kidscape added: "Having CRB checks in place is hugely beneficial and has to be applauded. We need to know that anyone who is caring for children is as safe as they can be."
Carole Kilshawe, accommodation officer at the Southbourne School of English, welcomed the idea of increased checks in principle but said the cost - around £35 per person - may put off many host families.
"If they have to pay a lot of money for checks they may decide not to bother," she said. "It is always difficult to find enough host families and this could make it worse."
A spokesman for Bournemouth council said CRB checks are not undertaken unless necessary but added: "CRB checks are undertaken in order to provide confidence in the person's suitability to undertake a role involving vulnerable individuals.
"The protection of these groups is a prime objective of the council."
Your Say YourThisisdorset
hoppity, hamworthy says...
11:58pm Thu 26 Jun 08
2Much, New Forest says...
7:49am Fri 27 Jun 08
dibbles, Bournemouth says...
12:47pm Fri 27 Jun 08
2Much wrote:Wrong wrong wrong. My neighbour was recently convicted of running a brothel and now hosts 7 foreign students. Her working girls were all from abroad.These young people deserve to be protected too.
Yes it's a great idea..but the CRB only shows up the people who've been caught, and someone who has been caught, will be very unlikely to go for a job where they're check out.
Mark, Bournemouth says...
2:26pm Fri 27 Jun 08
HAL101 wrote:I quite agree, but unfortuantely the checks are not carried out sensibly.
These checks and regulation, if sensibly carried out, are essential for the safety of children. I can see people are worried about the details of the checks themselves, but surely not the principle of them? Checks must be made, but the details can be discussed and argued about, and should be. I wonder what the details are.
Firstly the CRB form includes a request for your bank account details, your mother's maiden name and other information irelevant to the check.
(The request for the banking information has now been struck out, but it remains on the form - why did it ever get there?)
Secondly in the case of local authorities there is no recognition of a CRB check made by another local authority, In other words for example a school bus driver who works across the region has to be checked by Hampshire County Council, Dorset County Council, Bournemouth Council and Poole Council. (It's the Council tax paying every time for this) How many times would anyone want to send very sensitive personal information to faceless bureaucrats to prove at least five times that they are not a danger to children.
A national CRB is the way forward and it is urgently needed, together with the question of why financial information was ever contemplated for inclusion in this process.
The final issue is to put all these checks in perspective, sadly most child abuse takes place in or near the home by adults the child knows, all the CRB checks on working people in the world will not therefore prevent most of the abuse.
fiona, Bournemouth says...
3:01pm Fri 27 Jun 08
If a sufficiently devious person is determined to seek out opportunities to work their evil, no one can guarantee that they will be stopped.
I fully support increased CRB checks, we need to make it as difficult as possible for predators to abuse their positions
PETE WOODLEY, says...
3:31pm Fri 27 Jun 08
Mark, Bournemouth says...
3:58pm Fri 27 Jun 08
PETE WOODLEY wrote:If it is the Lord I think you are referring to, were his encounters - whilst illegal at the time - now be quite within the law. E.G. NOT involving minors. Please correct me if I am wrong.
A certain Lord,many years ago made history with his behaviour,yet now reguarly appears on TV,people have short memories,especially if the offender moves in the right circles.
PETE WOODLEY, says...
4:09pm Fri 27 Jun 08
Mark wrote:partly correct,not sure if enough proof on minors as it would involve them giving evidence,but i wasa minors involved.
PETE WOODLEY wrote:If it is the Lord I think you are referring to, were his encounters - whilst illegal at the time - now be quite within the law. E.G. NOT involving minors. Please correct me if I am wrong.
A certain Lord,many years ago made history with his behaviour,yet now reguarly appears on TV,people have short memories,especially if the offender moves in the right circles.
HAL101, Bournemouth says...
4:24pm Fri 27 Jun 08
A national CRB is the way forward and it is urgently needed
put all these checks in perspective, sadly most child abuse takes place in or near the home by adults the child knows, all the CRB checks on working people in the world will not therefore prevent most of the abuse.
I fully support your points. Hopefully the first is being worked on by the relevant ministers.
2Much, New Forest says...
8:44am Sat 28 Jun 08
dibbles wrote:Wrong..3 times? oh darn it!!
2Much wrote:Wrong wrong wrong. My neighbour was recently convicted of running a brothel and now hosts 7 foreign students. Her working girls were all from abroad.These young people deserve to be protected too.
Yes it's a great idea..but the CRB only shows up the people who've been caught, and someone who has been caught, will be very unlikely to go for a job where they're check out.
katpuss22, Poole says...
2:22pm Mon 30 Jun 08
All the CRB checks in the world won't stop child abuse but it can sure prevent even more cases appearing in the news.
We have to protect children and vulnerable adults and if this is the way then so be it!
If paedophiles etc etc are put off volunteering or working at a child orientated place because they know they'll have to go through a CRB check then surely that is a good thing?
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HAL101, Bournemouth says...
8:17pm Thu 26 Jun 08
Checks must be made, but the details can be discussed and argued about, and should be.
I wonder what the details are.