Equal opportunities means exactly that - to provide equal opportunity to all. If a man cannot perform the same duties as a woman, what message will that send out to adults, let alone to children? It is a sad fact that some men abuse children, but I understand that in around 5 to 10 per cent of cases the child abuse is by a woman.
While I agree men need to take precautions, there is no need to exclude a man from toileting or allowing a child to sit on his lap when working in an early years setting. The only positive way to actively prevent abuse is to be vigilant.
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