Child protection rules 'an ID card scheme'

NEW rules that come into force next month to protect children have been branded an "identity scheme by another name" by parents.

The Scottish Parent Teacher Council (SPTC) claims the laws, which insist on background checks before people can be around children, is simply a "paper chase and a box-ticking exercise".

They claim councils are insisting on unnecessary checks under the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Act, which could ban parents from helping their own children.

The group has written to children's minister Adam Ingram, asking him to act against such councils.

SPTC executive director Eileen Prior said: "We have raised concerns about misuse of disclosure checks since the original scheme started some years ago.

"Now the legislation is about to change and we know many local authorities intend to continue pushing parents through disclosure in the same way."

The say the check is no longer a one-off but a lifelong member scheme, with records held in perpetuity by the Scottish Government.

Mrs Prior added: "In effect, this becomes an identity card scheme. We believe the government has to act in order to stop local authorities from pursuing these policies.

• SPTC's examples of 'box ticking'

"Disclosures are designed to protect young people and vulnerable adults but, in some areas, have become a paper chase and a box-ticking exercise.We believe common sense has to prevail."

The PVG legislation comes into force at the end of November.

Ann Ballinger, general secretary of the Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association, said: "The act is full of good intentions, but people haven't though out what the general consequences will be. It is the unintentional effects of it that people are concerned about but ultimately we do have to protect our children."

A spokesman for the Scottish Government called the claims misleading and denied PVG was an identity card scheme.

He said: "Individuals who are concerned that they may be being asked for a disclosure inappropriately should report the matter to Disclosure Scotland for further investigation."