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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Vetting contact rule under review | Vetting contact rule under review |
| (about 13 hours later) | |
| The government is to look again at how a new vetting system for those working with children will operate. | The government is to look again at how a new vetting system for those working with children will operate. |
| England's Children's Secretary Ed Balls said it was "tremendously important" to define "frequent or intensive" contact correctly. | England's Children's Secretary Ed Balls said it was "tremendously important" to define "frequent or intensive" contact correctly. |
| He has asked the chairman of the new Independent Safeguarding Authority to review this and report by December. | He has asked the chairman of the new Independent Safeguarding Authority to review this and report by December. |
| The Tories said the plan was still too "vague" amid fears it could affect the running of sport and other clubs. | The Tories said the plan was still too "vague" amid fears it could affect the running of sport and other clubs. |
| Mr Balls stressed the rules would not apply where, for example, parents agreed to give friends' children "a lift to school or to Cubs". | Mr Balls stressed the rules would not apply where, for example, parents agreed to give friends' children "a lift to school or to Cubs". |
| "Nor will it cover instances where parents work with children at school or a youth club on 'an occasional or one-off basis'," he said in a letter to the chairman of the Commons children, schools and families committee, Barry Sheerman. | |
| Shadow Home Secretary Chris Grayling said: "All of this is so vague that in reality clubs and other organisations up and down the country will act to be on the safe side. | Shadow Home Secretary Chris Grayling said: "All of this is so vague that in reality clubs and other organisations up and down the country will act to be on the safe side. |
| Parents taking children to sports clubs regularly may be affected | Parents taking children to sports clubs regularly may be affected |
| "So they'll register all of the parents who are involved even loosely. So the result is we'll get this huge expensive and cumbersome bureaucracy as well as volunteers giving up." | "So they'll register all of the parents who are involved even loosely. So the result is we'll get this huge expensive and cumbersome bureaucracy as well as volunteers giving up." |
| Lib Dem home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne welcomed the review as the plans "were so disproportionate that they were going to put off masses of people from volunteering". | Lib Dem home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne welcomed the review as the plans "were so disproportionate that they were going to put off masses of people from volunteering". |
| Children's charity the NSPCC said new procedures were needed but called on the government to provide more detailed information about how the scheme would work. | Children's charity the NSPCC said new procedures were needed but called on the government to provide more detailed information about how the scheme would work. |
| Chief executive Andrew Flanagan said: "People want to make sure children are protected but need to fully understand and buy into any major new plan that helps to do so. | |
| "This review and improved information about how it works will hopefully allay confusion and misunderstandings about what the scheme is meant to do and lead to its successful introduction." | |
| 'Misleading' | |
| Mr Balls said the scheme had been introduced via legislation in parliament, following the Bichard inquiry into the murders of two schoolgirls in Soham. | Mr Balls said the scheme had been introduced via legislation in parliament, following the Bichard inquiry into the murders of two schoolgirls in Soham. |
| It requires those working with children or with vulnerable adults, either on a paid or voluntary basis, to be on a register of suitability which employers can check. | It requires those working with children or with vulnerable adults, either on a paid or voluntary basis, to be on a register of suitability which employers can check. |
| The system will be phased in from next month and will operate in England, Wales and Northern Ireland from next year. A different scheme is being introduced in Scotland. | The system will be phased in from next month and will operate in England, Wales and Northern Ireland from next year. A different scheme is being introduced in Scotland. |
| Mr Balls said there had generally been very strong support for the scheme during extensive consultation. | Mr Balls said there had generally been very strong support for the scheme during extensive consultation. |
| FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme | |
| "Recently, however, some concerns have been expressed about the precise interpretation of a particular aspect of the scheme; that is, the degree of contact with children which should trigger the requirement to register," he added. | "Recently, however, some concerns have been expressed about the precise interpretation of a particular aspect of the scheme; that is, the degree of contact with children which should trigger the requirement to register," he added. |
| There had been "some inaccurate and misleading reports". | There had been "some inaccurate and misleading reports". |
| But striking the right balance had been a difficult judgement, in particular how precisely the "frequent or intensive" principle should be applied to real life situations. | But striking the right balance had been a difficult judgement, in particular how precisely the "frequent or intensive" principle should be applied to real life situations. |
| Ministers had asked Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) chief Sir Roger Singleton "to check the government has drawn the line in the right place on this issue". | Ministers had asked Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) chief Sir Roger Singleton "to check the government has drawn the line in the right place on this issue". |
| Sir Roger said he would look carefully at the criticisms of the scheme. | Sir Roger said he would look carefully at the criticisms of the scheme. |
| But he said he did not want parents going about their "normal business" being inconvenienced by additional measures. | But he said he did not want parents going about their "normal business" being inconvenienced by additional measures. |
| Agencies | Agencies |
| Children's authors including Philip Pullman and Michael Morpurgo had complained the requirement was "insulting" and said they would stop visiting schools. | Children's authors including Philip Pullman and Michael Morpurgo had complained the requirement was "insulting" and said they would stop visiting schools. |
| But this is not the only apparent concern being raised. | But this is not the only apparent concern being raised. |
| Anne Fairweather, head of public policy at the Recruitment and Employment Confederation, said the vetting and barring scheme, once fully operational, would bring significant benefits. | Anne Fairweather, head of public policy at the Recruitment and Employment Confederation, said the vetting and barring scheme, once fully operational, would bring significant benefits. |
| "However, we have serious concerns about the way the scheme is being introduced. | "However, we have serious concerns about the way the scheme is being introduced. |
| "We are less than a month away and it is still not clear what information recruitment agencies should refer to the Independent Safeguarding Authority and when this should take place." | "We are less than a month away and it is still not clear what information recruitment agencies should refer to the Independent Safeguarding Authority and when this should take place." |