Nursery World - Safe enough with the people we need

Has the world gone mad? Can we really not have parents to help in our pre-schools ('In my view', 22 February)? What's happened to the idea that parents are the most important part of their child's pre-school education? Ofsted requires that a suitable person is in charge of every pre-school in the country. Part of this is a CRB check. Then there is the interview, the employment history, the references, the setting's policies and procedures and the training, including child protection. All this adds up to the fact that no unvetted person has unsupervised access to the children. Safeguards are already in place; we don't need another Act.

Ofsted requires that a suitable person is in charge of every pre-school in the country. Part of this is a CRB check. Then there is the interview, the employment history, the references, the setting's policies and procedures and the training, including child protection. All this adds up to the fact that no unvetted person has unsupervised access to the children. Safeguards are already in place; we don't need another Act.

What about the lady from the library, can she still come and read stories? What about the grandparent who plays the saxophone or the lady from the local farm with the ducklings? Or even the mum settling in her child?

Who is going to police the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act? How many pre-schools/ playgroups/nurseries are there in the country? The mind boggles. Yes, the world has gone mad!

* Penny Beven, supervisor, Tweseldown Playgroup, Fleet, Hants