Nursery World - Our lost sense of proportion

By Josie Appleton, convenor of the Manifesto Club, which campaigns against 'over-cautious' child protection measures The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act, which comes into force in 2008, will make it a crime for a mother to help out at her daughter's playgroup without being checked for criminal records. If the mother doesn't have clearance from the CRB, both she and the playgroup could get a 5,000 fine. The Act covers everybody who works or volunteers with children, from 16-year-olds teaching reading, to babysitters and violin teachers.

The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act, which comes into force in 2008, will make it a crime for a mother to help out at her daughter's playgroup without being checked for criminal records. If the mother doesn't have clearance from the CRB, both she and the playgroup could get a 5,000 fine. The Act covers everybody who works or volunteers with children, from 16-year-olds teaching reading, to babysitters and violin teachers.

For vetting you have to pay up to 30 and wait around six weeks. It creates an off-putting high-security and suspicious atmosphere around working with children.

I am co-ordinating an online petition against the expansion of vetting.

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