School leaders criticise new vetting and barring system

**Maggy** · 12-12-2009, 19:38

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/8406378.stm

Quote:

New rules on who can work with children are too bureaucratic and will not guarantee safety, say head teachers.
They have written to ministers calling for a rethink of the vetting and barring scheme which covers England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Volunteer helpers could be deterred, resulting in fewer work placements and language exchanges, they say.

Speaking as someone who has to provide even more info than ever for this 'new' system(I suspect I may have to get a new passport as well as a form of ID as my photo drivers licence is no longer enough) and the fact I have now done 4 CRBs in 6 years for the same employer(Hampshire LEA) as well as one for my job agency.This will now be the 2nd one for the same agency.

I also doubt whether this will be the one DEFINING check system and will have to go through the process yet again at some time in the next couple of years.

At Â£64 a pop someone is making a nice little wedge out of this.

Welshchris · 12-12-2009, 19:42

Maggy i know a guy who was retired after working for over 30 years as a school caretaker and in his retirement wanted to do some charity work with disadvantaged kids and when he enquired into it he was told "Questions maybe asked because he is single and homosexual".

This put him off not because he was ashamed of his background it was because he felt like he was discriminated against and im sure it will do the same for a lot of other people needlessly.

Flyboy · 13-12-2009, 17:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Welshchris

Maggy i know a guy who was retired after working for over 30 years as a school caretaker and in his retirement wanted to do some charity work with disadvantaged kids and when he enquired into it he was told "Questions maybe asked because he is single and homosexual".

This put him off not because he was ashamed of his background it was because he felt like he was discriminated against and im sure it will do the same for a lot of other people needlessly.

In which case he clearly came across someone who was very ignorant and probably quite bigoted. There is and will never be any questions, which will cause a rejection, based on someone's marital status, nor their sexuality. If any of these questions are asked it will be for statistical purposes.