Amid the shock and outrage surrounding the recent sexual abuse case in Plymouth - where nursery worker Vanessa George was found to have abused children in her care - it's inevitable that questions will be asked about how we safeguard children from such abusers. If indeed we can. After all, George had passed all security checks, had no criminal record and was well-liked and trusted by parents and staff.
I spoke to Sir Roger Singleton, chairman of the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA), this week who said - while not commenting on any case in particular - that the sad reality of abnormal human behaviour means a minority of abuse cases are just too "anomalous" to predict.
While we must make every effort to ensure children are protected from harm, he said, our responses must be "measured and sensible".
Because, undoubtedly, the frenzy surrounding horrific abuse cases is likely to make some parents fearful of letting professionals care for their children.
But Sir Roger - who said the new Vetting and Barring Scheme will help, and encouraged any employer concerned about a member of their staff to contact the ISA - insists we must not lose perspective.
(Above: Chair of the ISA, Sir Roger Singleton)
Speaking yesterday, Sir Roger told me:
"While it is always right to look at individual cases to see if they could have been avoided, every now and then something strange and inexplicable will happen in human behaviour."
"Sadly, it is not possible to develop systems, rules and regulations that prevent cruel and bizarre events which noone could have predicted."
"We need to keep a balance between sensible proportionate regulation and futile attempts to forsee and control every possible eventuality."
"If we go over the top on the basis of very extreme examples of human behaviour we contribute towards diminishing the quality of normal, healthy interaction between parents, families and children. We need a very measured thoughtful response."
A full article about the Vetting and Barring Scheme will appear in the next issue of Community Care
Photo credit: Tom Parkes
Completely agree with Sir Roger. We mustn't overprotect children as it is counter productive. There will always be people like Vanessa George and co. Paedophiles have been known to spend years working their way into positions of authority just so they can be close to children and they may never have offended until then. We still dont understand paedophiles enough to predict their behaviour. As depressing as it is there are always going to be strange people who will suddenly do something that you just couldn't have protected against because they didn't have a record and seemed 'totally normal'. I work with victims of sexual abuse and most occur within the family, but wherever it happens, predictable or not the most important thing is that children are given good support and therapy because even v tiny children can be affected emotionally and physically by abuse. And that we dont let paranoia get the better of us. These cases are still very rare.
While I acknoweledge that most cases of sexual abuse may occur within the family, we need to consider different kinds of abuse in relation to childcare and disability.
Many people with autistic spectrum conditions have smaller levels of tolerance toward mass education. This fact has serious implications when the architects of the welfare reform bill state that every single parent's place is in 'work related activity' as defined in that bill.
As someone with dyspraxia -- a form of autism -- I am glad that I was not forced into the mass education system before the age of five.