Nursery World - Tighter police checks urged

Organisations representing the early years sector and school staff across the UK have called for the Government to tighten up its system of checks on all people working or applying to work with children. The calls followed the two life sentences given to school caretaker Ian Huntley for murdering ten-year-old Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman at his home in Soham in August 2002.

The calls followed the two life sentences given to school caretaker Ian Huntley for murdering ten-year-old Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman at his home in Soham in August 2002.

Following the revelation that Mr Huntley had numerous allegations of underage sex made against him yet was able to be employed as a primary school caretaker, home secretary David Blunkett announced an independent inquiry into how the police handled information about Mr Huntley's past.

North East Lincolnshire Area Child Protection Committee has also been asked to commission a serious case review to look at how agencies in the area carried out their duties to protect children. Mr Blunkett said, 'While I hope the existence of the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) will mean that there could be no repeat of events such as these, I want to be absolutely sure.'

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