Computers shouldn’t replace common sense in child protection procedures, says Richard Scorer
Is there too much vetting going on, or too little? Fears about inadequate checking of people working with children and vulnerable adults are rarely out of the media. In 2006, the issue was sex offenders in schools. In May and June 2007, fears were voiced after a BBC survey found that 68% of health trusts in the UK do not routinely run checks on staff who began work before the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) was set up in 2002.
Other commentators, however, complain of an “over vetted” society in which innocent activities such as dressing up as an elf at a children’s Christmas party are becoming impossible due to a toxic obsession about paedophilia out of all proportion to reality. Do we need more and better checking, or have we gone too far already?
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On any objective view, it is reasonable and necessary to vet those who work extensively with children and vulnerable adults. It is also obvious that the
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