Friday, October 26, 2012

CRB checks: a distraction?

There is an argument for reducing the legal requirement for CRB checks.  It seems to me that the CRB requirement is a political response, not based on logic. It's almost as if the only reason for carrying out a check (apart from staying within the law) is to fend off accusations of negligence when either someone discovers that a person in contact with children (or vulnerable adults) has had a conviction, or an abuse has occurred, and the conviction comes out in later investigation.
Both of these are irrelevant as far as child protection is concerned: the first is for the organisation's self protection, the second is too late. What is important is to make sure that wherever possible interactions with children take place in an environment where abuse is impossible or unlikely, and any incidents have some chance of being witnessed.

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Mitch Benn's "Undeserving Poor"

Once upon a time
Back when I was twenty-two
Still figuring out what to do
I was signing on back then
Declared each penny that I earned
And at least I knew the rent was paid
My parents lived three hundred miles away
So I could hardly live with them
And I gave it all back
Every year I pay in tax
Many times all that the social gave to me
And I cough up every cent
Because I know it pays the rent
Of some dreaming kid who's who I used to be
And wasn't there supposed to be
A thing called social mobility
"Get on yer bike and look for work", wasn't that the way?
Well not now, not any more
Not for the undeserving poor
Wherever you come from that's where you'll stay
(from "The Now Show" 29 Jun 2012)