Morning:
6°c
School clubs are targets for paedophiles, says minister
Paul Waugh and Ellen Widdup15 Sep 2009
Paedophiles are constantly trying to exploit children in after-school and sports clubs, Schools Secretary Ed Balls claimed today as he defended the Government's vetting plans.
Mr Balls confirmed that he was ordering a review of the scheme to introduce new checks on adults who help out with youngsters' clubs. The Vetting and Barring scheme has come under fire because it could target 11 million adults who voluntarily work with children.
But Mr Balls said today that while he wanted the plans to be proportionate, he wanted to increase protection of those at risk. He revealed that he had to deal with hundreds of cases every month where paedophiles targeted after-school clubs.
"It's a sad fact that it happens all the time. I deal with tens and tens of these cases personally every week. Some people are very manipulative - I don't want them going near our kids," Mr Balls told GMTV.
"It's important that to ensure they have a happy childhood and we stop parents feeling that they are at risk, but not in a ridiculously burdensome way, I want to get the details right.
"As a dad I want to know if my kids are coming into contact with an adult, whether it's at school, the Brownies or the sports club, so that they are OK. I think we have a responsibility to make sure this is not somebody who in a dangerous and manipulative way is getting round the rules and covering up the fact to then groom kids."
The policeman who led the investigation into the Soham murders in 2002 today accused the Government of creating a state of paranoia.
Retired detective chief superintendent Chris Stevenson said "no amount of legislation, record keeping or checking" would protect children like Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, who were murdered by a school caretaker, and that the new rules were likely to confuse and worry parents.
Mr Stevenson said he was ordered to stop taking pictures of his grandson at a village football match. "I am now a suspected paedophile - along, I fear, with millions of other parents and grandparents," he said.
The Royal College of Nursing said today it had "serious concerns" about the scheme and claimed that it could lead to "ill founded allegations" against staff, leaving hospitals "in limbo".
Reader views (9)
If after-school clubs are so dangerous why is the government promoting them so hard?
- B. Lynn, London England, 16/09/2009 13:45
Report abuse
Paedophiles aim to exploit children. Yes, we know that, it's what they do.
- Paul, London, 16/09/2009 08:14
Report abuse
Balls for PM, we've already a loafer, let's replace him with a nutter, I want legislation for everything, I want to have to fill out 15 forms to buy a loaf of bread in case I might:
a) be robbing the supermarket
b) be a potential sex offender
c) be plotting an alien invasion
d) want to claim asylum after an aborted alien invasion from which I was left behind
e) need professional mental health advice
f) vote Labour, although this will also come under (e)
- Bob, Cheam, 15/09/2009 16:54
Report abuse
Does Mr Balls really "deal with tens and tens of these cases personally every week" - even assuming that tens and tens only means 20 - how much time does he spend on each case 1 hour, 2 hours? - even assuming 1 hour per case that is 20 hours min. out of a working week of, say, 80 hours per week - i.e 25% of his total working week - how then does he find the time to mess so much else up?
- Dave Spart, London, 15/09/2009 16:41
Report abuse
Picked the wrong argument there Balls lad. As a retired rugby coach, I could tell you of the hoops that I had to jump through before the RFU would let me anywhere near kids, and I am advised that soccer coaches are the same. Once again this pillock is after the headline, open mouth, put foot in, and use scare tactics to get my way. If, as he claims 'Paedophiles are constantly trying to exploit children in after-school clubs', most of which are held on school premises, then I would advise him to do his job properly. He is Secretary for Schools, and if his statement is true, then how do the paedophiles get into the schools to target the kids!!!!
- Alan, carlisle uk, 15/09/2009 16:39
Report abuse
Stop it Now Ed Balls.
We are not stupid so stop treating us as if we are.
This daft 'vet all and sundry' thing will not protect children from that small minority of indivduals who will abuse children and who will gain access to children by any means they can.
The vast amount of money which is going to be spent on yet another quango would be better spent on improving the quality of child abuse allegation investigation and on DIRECT front-line child protection ability.
After all it is very clear that, in many cases, children who have had child abuse concerns raised for them (especially within their domestic situation) are not being investigated with the will and the accuracy that they should be.
Then there are the number of IDENTIFIED being abused and neglected children who are not being enabled to access any effective child protection ability and who are being 'seen' to be being left to be enabled to be further violated by their IDENTIFIED abusers.
Better this new found vast amount of CHILD PROTECTION QUANGO MONEY is spent on DIRECT child protection in practice so that many more IDENTIFIED child abusers can be STOPPED from being enabled to just carry-on violating their IDENTIFIED victims. FULL STOP
- Darnthesafetynet, London W11, 15/09/2009 16:34
Report abuse
Well Mr.Balls I'd be more than happy for you to give up your job and spend your whole day protecting your own children, but please leave us to protect ours in a sensible way. This scheme is totally disproportionate and assumes everybody is a potential paedophile. I realise that Nu-Labour do not believe in innocent until proven guilty, but it is unfortunately the central pillar of our legal system.
- Mark, London, 15/09/2009 16:17
Report abuse
Mr Balls is without doubt the worse thing that could happen to sports clubs, We will now have children unable to get a lift from their best friends parents because they risk a £5000 fine if they are not police checked,We will now have kids walking home in the dark but I suppose Mr Balls considers that safer.Like the rest of the government they tinker with no real thought of the final outcome. I'll be glad when the whole of Browns circus has left town.
- Phil Hudson, Birmingham UK, 15/09/2009 16:09
Report abuse
Balls the parasite needs to return to skool.
HOW can you legislate to stop an unknown paedophile getting on a bus and sitting next to a child?
- Reuben Camara, Morecambe Compound, EUSSR, 15/09/2009 15:13
Report abuse
