The £64 'Are You A Paedophile?' Question...

Ray

Meanwhile, this Government's army of sexual health advisors (each in possession of their 'I Am Not A Paedophile' CRB clearances) are free to wonder in and out of schools handing out condoms to eleven year-olds.

Paul L

This new measure is clearly completely pointless. As far as I know (as in up to July last year) it was still possible for me to volunteer to assist at my son and daughter's school (mainly for trips and IT sessions)without the need for a CRB check precisely because there were teachers present at all times. There was no concern about me establishing good relationships with the kids - indeed the teachers loved having a male presence as I could connect really well with particular pupils as I represented a change of perspective and variety and wasnt 'on message' about various issues. Without volunteers these trips, which are part of the curriculum (to mosques, museums, art galleries and the like) wouldnt go ahead. I'm not sure if I would have continued if I had had to be 'cleared' by an anonymous jobsworth - indeed the idea that the Govt saying I'm not a paedophile is enough to raise suspicions.

I wonder if these parent volunteers are next on the list?

John Billot

Well, when everyone has a Certificate we'll all be safer won't we?

Daniel Lionsden

It's nonse sense.

Clare Krishan

Criminal background check is as American as Apple Pie - since the sex abuse crisis here, all our catechists (volunteers who teach Catholic children who do not attend private parochial school where they would have received education in the faith during the school day) have to have one of these, usually the Church picks up the tab for the fee, and its transferable, so I just made a copy for a second Parish I teach at. Renewable every five years I believe. No adult person may enter a parochial school without first signing in at security.

TomTom

This was what Germans called a "Persilschein" to prove one was not a Nazi.....because as we know...it was policy that ALL Germans were Nazis in the same way ALL Britons are pederasts....unless officially absolved with a Certificate

Major Plonquer

Dear Sir,

I am not a paedophile. I have never been a paedophile. I have no ambitions whatsoever to become a paedophile. And if all they pay is £64 then I'll never be a paedophile.

But if they up the quantum a hundred or two I'll be willing to give it a go.

Beefeater

I assume that the perpetrators of the Sheffield schools leaflet advocating regular orgasm were certified non-paedophiles. Nanny state? Yes, we all know Nanny. And we've all been very, very naughty.

David

"handing out condoms to eleven year-olds."

If they are going to be having sex, better they can have it safely.

Ian Walker

Much media frothing at this - in fact, the new system will be much better. At the moment, you need a CRB check for every place where you work or volunteer with children. I have one as a rugby coach, fair enough.

But my wife, who is a teacher (CRB check) is also a trampoline coach (CRB check) and a volunteer with the NAS (CRB check). Three checks, all paid for by organisations that could do something better with the money.

Individual registration makes much more sense. I'm sure that in practice, organisations will fund the applications just as they currently do the CRB checks. It's not beyond the wit of man to come up with an amicable sharing of the costs where someone works in two or more places.

As for the authors who visit schools, the chap on BBC Breakfast (sorry, didn't catch the name) was right when he spoke about how a popular author would be inundated with contact from children following a visit, including emails and online chat - and there was an opportunity for someone with malicious intent to exploit it.

As with the CRB check before it, the purpose is not to "prove you're not a paedophile", it's to deter paedophiles from applying for this sort of position. Everyone feels a bit creeped out about it the first time they apply (especially men), but once you realise what it's really for, it's quite comforting. As a parent, I'm certainly glad it's there.

Steve.W

I'm with the authors, who are effectively on strike, on this. A quote from one of them, Philip Pullman, -

"This reinforces the culture of suspicion, fear and mistrust that underlies a great deal of present-day society. It teaches children that they should regard every adult as a potential murderer or rapist."

While another, Anne Fine said it was - "governmental idiocy”.

So the losers here? It has to be the children.

maringa

My concern about checks like CRB and vetting certificates is that I simply do not believe that it possible to do that many tests at that cost effectively.

They are therefore likely, at best, to be little better than useless and dangerous if they encourage teachers, parents and children to drop the primary defence mechanism which is their own common sense and social antennae.

Terra firma

David - "If they are going to be having sex, better they can have it safely."

What? Eleven year-olds?

Wrinklybutnice

I note that parents who are going to be host families for foreign exchange students will also have to have these checks, although they won't be required to pay the £64. I wonder what will happen if either parent should fail the check : what intervention will be required from Social Services in relation to their own children ?