Working As Intended…

New rules on who can work with children are too bureaucratic and will not guarantee safety , say school leaders.

So, what else is new?

Volunteer helpers could be deterred, resulting in fewer work placements and language exchanges, they say.

In other words, the public must learn that everything flows from the beneficence of the State, and not from other citizens.

Hmm, sounds like a familiar strategy to me…

The school leaders say there will be a reduction in the support of parent volunteers in schools, for example for school plays and fund raising, as a result.

They also foresee difficulty in obtaining emergency support staff such as plumbers, heating engineers and midday meals supervisors.

And they say there are bureaucratic hurdles to senior school pupils helping out in junior schools - as they do for example with reading or with maths and science clubs.

They warn: "Concern has also been expressed by colleagues that there could be a sense of false security engendered by the completion of checks."

All true. Though they seem to consider this a bug, when it is, in fact, a feature…

What does BigGov have to say about these concerns?

But a spokesman for the Department for Children, Schools and Families said: "Ensuring we have a system that is robust but proportionate is crucially important, and that is why these concerns are being considered by Sir Roger as part of his check of the system.
"We know that as part of his work he has had representations directly from the head teacher unions and the Independent Schools Council, which represents the independent sector organisations that have signed the letter.

"We are sure their views will be considered in forming his recommendations, which are due to be published shortly."

Allow me to translate that bit of soothing bureaucratic doublespeak: ‘”Shut up”, they explained…’