Teachers say website profits from insecurity

The NASUWT said it believed the developers of the site, peaceofminduk.net, produced by FT Multimedia, are putting teachers and carers in a difficult position while preying on parents' fears that their child might be supervised by an unsuitable person.

The website, due to launch on 21 November, will charge teachers and carers 12 to put them on a list saying they have a CRB certificate. It is claimed to 'help set parents' minds at ease while relieving teachers and supply staff from the embarrassment of being asked for proof of CRB certification'.

NASUWT general secretary Eamonn O'Kane has urged his union's members not to register with the site, which he called unnecessary and 'potentially divisive'. He said, 'Teachers may feel under pressure to pay the 12 fee to sign up if their colleagues have done so. They could also feel vulnerable to allegations from parents if they do not.'

He added, 'It is understandable that parents are concerned about the welfare and safety of their children, but it is the legal duty of the employer to check and determine who is a fit and proper person to teach.

Suggesting that parents make these checks themselves could fuel a climate of suspicion and distrust. It would, therefore, do anything but offer peace of mind.'

The website was developed after a parent, Marie Gildea, approached FTMultimedia with her concerns when her daughter started at secondary school. Mrs Gildea told Nursery World, 'The site is all about the needs of children and vulnerable adults and their safety.

'I do not think the site will make much profit, and 10 per cent of the profits will go to charity, so it is not a money-making scheme. A lot of teachers and carers in schools are not CRB checked and we want everyone on board to make schools safer.

'I was a carer and would have been happy to add my name to the site. If other carers and teachers have nothing to hide then they should be willing too.'