Nursery World - Unions denounce delays in checks

Childcarers and teachers last week voiced 'deep concern' over the backlog in criminal records checks and called for reassurance from the Criminal Records Bureau. Delegates at the Professional Association of Teachers and Professional Association of Nursery Nurses annual conference in Telford, Shropshire, passed an emergency motion saying the union was 'deeply concerned by the delays in confirming or ratifying appointments' and asked that the CRB would 'reassure schools, nurseries and parents that it is resolving its difficulties'.

Delegates at the Professional Association of Teachers and Professional Association of Nursery Nurses annual conference in Telford, Shropshire, passed an emergency motion saying the union was 'deeply concerned by the delays in confirming or ratifying appointments' and asked that the CRB would 'reassure schools, nurseries and parents that it is resolving its difficulties'.

Proposing the motion, delegate Geraldine Everett said, 'We are particularly concerned by warnings that some day nurseries will have to close if they cannot get their staff cleared. Nursery workers are becoming disaffected as a result of the delay and many are finding alternative work outside childcare. They cannot afford to be unemployed for up to four months. These workers may be difficult to attract back into childcare, when there is already a staff shortage, if their temporary posts are better paid than their chosen vocation.'

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