Re: Esther Rantzen: Fear of paedophiles is harming children

AndyW wrote:
"mert1639" <mert1639@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:gcjper$47k$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Do you often stick your head in the ground? Or perhaps we should try to tackle all forms of abuse.

I am all for the tackling of abuse but not in the way that it is currently done. Currently the system is set up to tackle the popular stereotypes and not the reality. The majority of abuse occurs by family or friends but there is nothing done there because we prefer the myth of the dirty old man hanging round the school gates or the middle aged batchelor scoutmaster; the prospect of a brother or friend abusing our kids is too horrifying to imagine and so we prefer the external bad man.

The current system was introduced through hysteria and is driven forward and expanded through more hysteria and, just like all the other hysterical panics we have had, it does simply does not address the real problem.

I am checked from 7 different sources because of my work with kids and all the CRB/DS has done, from my perspective, is to raise suspicion instead of allaying it.

I totally disagree. A clear check is a green light that totally "allays suspicion". No need for a lot of wasted time checking references - he's "cleared".

I (and I suspect you) was/were checked much more thoroughly *prior* to the introduction of CRB checking. People *cared* about who was nominated as referees - it did need to be someone who knew me personally and someone who knew me professionally. Now, the job is already mine before the references are taken up and, if and when they take up references (and it is now often not done) the pawprint of the next door neighbour's dog and a person I shared a coffee with in 1928.

I and many of my colleague loathe the checks and, while it does catch some unsuitable people,

Impossible to tell how many are put off by knowing that they will be checked. Of course those who have moved here from overseas have no such worries.

I find that it puts off many more who are otherwise suitable but have some things in their past that they do not want others to find out.

Who are these "others" that will find out? Who is going to be there employer? In my case it is mostly the LA or a National Organisation - and there would be zero chance of anyone locally getting any details of what my check revealed - unless I told them.

I know of one canoe coach who resigned because he had some shoplifting and an assault conviction from his younger days that he is acutely embaraased about and would show up on his enhanced search. The convictions are not a bar to being cleared but it was enough to stop him from continuing as a (very very good) slalom and white water coach.

As above - just who is going to be the employer? If a LA - they deal with thousands of checks a year. Many containing far worse things than that. They don't blab to anyone.

My friend cannot get cleared as he has a indecent exposure caution. He is suitable, qualified and charismatic and is an excellent rugby coach. The only problem is that he got caught on a post-rugby game streak over a 2 decades ago and I didn't.


What's this "getting cleared"? A blank CRB check isn't a requirement for any job - it is down to individual employer's HR department to judge whether someone is suitable, or not.

--
Sue
.

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