Comments on: Vetting scheme – my thoughts http://www.barryhutchison.com/2009/12/vetting-scheme-my-thoughts/ Children's author and all round top chap Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:02:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Barry http://www.barryhutchison.com/2009/12/vetting-scheme-my-thoughts/comment-page-1/#comment-658 Barry Mon, 21 Dec 2009 10:32:44 +0000 http://www.barryhutchison.com/?p=845#comment-658 We're definitely on the same page on this, Robin. It is indeed a worry that people could potentially think that anyone who has passed the vetting is automatically 'safe' and 100% trustworthy. And yes, I think you're probably right in that education + common sense + general awareness on behalf of teachers, parents and the children themselves is the only way to really minimize the risk of children being hurt or taken advantage of in some way. And as you said on Twitter, regardless of the outcome of all this, the debate about it is very interesting indeed. We’re definitely on the same page on this, Robin. It is indeed a worry that people could potentially think that anyone who has passed the vetting is automatically ‘safe’ and 100% trustworthy. And yes, I think you’re probably right in that education + common sense + general awareness on behalf of teachers, parents and the children themselves is the only way to really minimize the risk of children being hurt or taken advantage of in some way.

And as you said on Twitter, regardless of the outcome of all this, the debate about it is very interesting indeed.

]]> By: Robin http://www.barryhutchison.com/2009/12/vetting-scheme-my-thoughts/comment-page-1/#comment-657 Robin Sun, 20 Dec 2009 21:16:33 +0000 http://www.barryhutchison.com/?p=845#comment-657 I suspect we are both using the same hymn sheet on this. I agree with the vetting but it concerns me that it will be seen as the gold standard and therefore allow for a reduction in the education of risks. A five year old will not understand all the risks but they understand a number of risks. For a number of years they have known that hot things are not good for you. They can have a basic understanding of not going with a stranger. The definition of a stranger need reinforcing occasionally and as they grow so can their understanding of risks. Education will always offer the best protection and it will last a lifetime. That is true for all of us. I suspect we are both using the same hymn sheet on this.

I agree with the vetting but it concerns me that it will be seen as the gold standard and therefore allow for a reduction in the education of risks.

A five year old will not understand all the risks but they understand a number of risks. For a number of years they have known that hot things are not good for you. They can have a basic understanding of not going with a stranger. The definition of a stranger need reinforcing occasionally and as they grow so can their understanding of risks.

Education will always offer the best protection and it will last a lifetime. That is true for all of us.

]]> By: Barry http://www.barryhutchison.com/2009/12/vetting-scheme-my-thoughts/comment-page-1/#comment-656 Barry Sun, 20 Dec 2009 19:36:02 +0000 http://www.barryhutchison.com/?p=845#comment-656 Thanks for the comment, Robin. For the most part I couldn't agree more with what you've said. The only thing I would say is that asking a five-year-old to be responsible for their own safety is unrealistic. We, as adults, must do everything possible to reduce the risk of them coming into contact with anyone with malicious intentions. As you say, there's no way of eliminating that risk entirely - the vetting scheme would only catch those people with previous convictions - but at least that'll mean those people don't get the chance to freely work with children. Thanks for the comment, Robin. For the most part I couldn’t agree more with what you’ve said. The only thing I would say is that asking a five-year-old to be responsible for their own safety is unrealistic. We, as adults, must do everything possible to reduce the risk of them coming into contact with anyone with malicious intentions.

As you say, there’s no way of eliminating that risk entirely – the vetting scheme would only catch those people with previous convictions – but at least that’ll mean those people don’t get the chance to freely work with children.

]]> By: Robin http://www.barryhutchison.com/2009/12/vetting-scheme-my-thoughts/comment-page-1/#comment-655 Robin Sun, 20 Dec 2009 15:18:31 +0000 http://www.barryhutchison.com/?p=845#comment-655 I work for an ambulance service and have been vetted for that work. I have also visited schools both to say "hello" and to attend patients. My concern about the vetting process is that it shows very little. All it will show is if I have been convicted of an offence. I could be committing that offence and be a danger to the children in a school and still pass the vetting process. My concern is that the process will be seen as a panacea and remove some of the more practical obstacles that protect our children. An understanding of the risks. I have a friend who is a children's author, I have seen him working with children and I have seen, and responded, to posts to him from children. Some of the children have posted enough information for me to be able to find them (should I be inclined). They do this because they know no better. They trust the teacher, that introduced my friend, and they trust my friend, because he has been introduced by a teacher. They have never met me. And the fact that neither the teacher, my friend, or myself have been prosecuted does not mean we are not committing offences only that we have not been caught. Children are smarter that they get credit for. Teach them to look after themselves, let them understand that real monsters look and talk just like the rest of us. Some checks must be done and those convicted of some things must be kept away from our children but the best protection will only come from the children themselves. I work for an ambulance service and have been vetted for that work. I have also visited schools both to say “hello” and to attend patients.
My concern about the vetting process is that it shows very little. All it will show is if I have been convicted of an offence.
I could be committing that offence and be a danger to the children in a school and still pass the vetting process.
My concern is that the process will be seen as a panacea and remove some of the more practical obstacles that protect our children. An understanding of the risks.

I have a friend who is a children’s author, I have seen him working with children and I have seen, and responded, to posts to him from children.
Some of the children have posted enough information for me to be able to find them (should I be inclined). They do this because they know no better. They trust the teacher, that introduced my friend, and they trust my friend, because he has been introduced by a teacher. They have never met me.
And the fact that neither the teacher, my friend, or myself have been prosecuted does not mean we are not committing offences only that we have not been caught.
Children are smarter that they get credit for. Teach them to look after themselves, let them understand that real monsters look and talk just like the rest of us.

Some checks must be done and those convicted of some things must be kept away from our children but the best protection will only come from the children themselves.

]]> By: Tommy Donbavand http://www.barryhutchison.com/2009/12/vetting-scheme-my-thoughts/comment-page-1/#comment-637 Tommy Donbavand Thu, 17 Dec 2009 16:19:42 +0000 http://www.barryhutchison.com/?p=845#comment-637 I was the author in the toilet - actually, that sounds quite sleazy, so I'll explain what happened... On a family shopping trip to the supermarket, I nipped to the gents and, while standing there, a voice piped up, "Hello, Tommy Donbavand!" Beside me was a boy of around 7 or 8 who I didn't recognise at all - but (it turns out) was in one the classes I had worked with at a recent school event. He therefore believed he knew me well enough to chat to me in a public toilet. The potential consequences of a similar situation with a less trustworthy adult don't bear thinking about. I shall still be applying for the vetting scheme. It's in my own interests to have something to show the schools who book me. I was the author in the toilet – actually, that sounds quite sleazy, so I’ll explain what happened…

On a family shopping trip to the supermarket, I nipped to the gents and, while standing there, a voice piped up, “Hello, Tommy Donbavand!”

Beside me was a boy of around 7 or 8 who I didn’t recognise at all – but (it turns out) was in one the classes I had worked with at a recent school event. He therefore believed he knew me well enough to chat to me in a public toilet.

The potential consequences of a similar situation with a less trustworthy adult don’t bear thinking about.

I shall still be applying for the vetting scheme. It’s in my own interests to have something to show the schools who book me.

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