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Why CRB checks do not ensure the safety of your child...

by Renegadeparent 26. February 2010 21:44

...and why schools are not the "safety net" that Ed Balls, the NASUWT, the NASW, the NSPCC and others would have you believe:

These little blue dots represent instances of child abuse, carried out in state-approved care settings (schools, nurseries, care homes, youth clubs etc.) by CRB-checked professionals. The list is growing by the day. Details here.

Ensure that you protect your child by saying NO to the government's attempts to make decisions about the education, safety and welfare of your children on your behalf.
Ensure that your children can protect themselves by saying NO to abusers, regardless of their age, position or status.
Ensure that you protect your family by saying NO to predatory experts and expert predators.

You are the expert in your child.

Your child, your responsibility, your decisions.

H/t you know who you are :)

Comments

2/26/2010 10:32:18 PM #

CRB checks only show the ones that have been caught already. There are many that are committing abuse that haven't and may never be caught... I have to say im a so shock by the amount :-(

buffybaskey

2/27/2010 12:12:44 AM #

For various reasons (mainly migration) I've been PNCd, CRBd and even ACRO'd and in all cases the result has been that in exchange for varying amounts of money I've been given an official looking document on fairly decent quality paper that more or less says the UK police have no record of me. Not that they know me and can vouch that I am the decent guy I claim to be (and that I am, not that I can prove it even with all these bloody certificates), just that as far as they know I haven't done anything. This might actually have some meaning if the clear up rate of the British police as a whole wasn't so comical but the reality is that the real meaning of those certificates could be anywhere in the spectrum from 'clean as a nun's mind' to 'not been caught yet'. However, governments being similar the world over the Australian authorities are just as happy to treat them as a kind of gold standard as those in the UK are. It's only a matter of time before it all goes horribly wrong and the excuses are trotted out: 'But... but... but they had the certificates and everything.'

Parents are the experts in their children indeed but, and I apologise for being so blunt about it, unless more take up that responsibility and take it seriously then more of the state's experts will be in their children instead.

Angry Exile

2/27/2010 9:15:15 AM #

And those are the ones that have been through the court system which require proof "beyond all reasonable doubt."

I agree with all 3 of you so nothing else to add.

Laura

2/27/2010 12:31:56 PM #

Yes, it is shocking indeed. I think the information trickles out day by day so we don't normally see how horrendous it is.

Perhaps we should each post a copy to our MPs, LAs, Councillors... etc.

Outraged of Swindon

2/27/2010 3:37:49 PM #

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2/28/2010 7:41:09 PM #

I looked through the list and I did not see one case in a youth club.

Justin

3/2/2010 4:52:41 PM #

I recently read that an individual who had used a false name had managed to gain employment with the National Association for Young People with Epilepsy. He was CRB checked, using his false name, and that came back clear. He turned out to be a drug dealer with a string of convictions under hsi real name.

There need to be much more robust pre employment check carried out on people working with vulnerable groups. Whilst an enhanced disclosure will show any convictions listed for an individual this can easily circumnavigated by using a false name or missing out a middle initial.

If other checks are carried out in conjunction with the enhanced disclosure like, credit checks, voters roll history, employment references, Passport and ID verification you begin to build a much better picture of the individuals character than just what the police national computer says.

staffvetting.com seek to ensure that robust vetting checks are conducted and these coupled with parental vigilance can make a massive difference.

Gary McGahon

3/2/2010 10:47:45 PM #

Thanks for the comments everyone...

Angry, I hope that parents start to wake up and take responsibility (whether they then delegate it out or not is a separate issue, of course).

Justin, I did not have the stomach to go through each of the cases for the details, but I shall add the several youth worker cases I know of to the forum thread that populates this map - I was under the impression I had already done this in recent months.

Gary - I can see the benefits of CRB and perhaps other checks on potential employees, as long as they are entirely proportionate and transparent - ie. a successful candidate knows in advance that these checks will be performed if her or she is selected for a post - and accepts this proviso. The limitations (and perhaps drawbacks) of comprehensive checks also need to be acknowledged, for employers and service users alike, whatever vulnerable group one has in mind. Eg. in the substance misuse field, a significant proportion of workers are ex-service users. The nature of their history might well throw up previous convictions, poor credit history etc... However their experience is often invaluable when assisting current drug users with whatever issues they may be facing. That is another post entirely, however.

RenegadeParent

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Libertarian and heretic. Parent, partner and entrepreneur. Embracing autonomous learning. Leading not following. Challenging the status quo.

I do agree with being kind, considerate and generous to others.

I don't agree with compulsion, coercion or unnecessary intervention in any aspect of life - that goes for education and childbirth too.

I value autonomy, personal responsibility and informed choice.

I really am all for the freedom - are you?