Dear All,

Towse has raised concerns, it's not *just* about police clearance.

As a youth worker (police cleared) - the Youth Service tells us never to
work alone with young people. This is standard practise. However, if you
HAVE to work alone with a young person (for example, they needed to talk to
your confidentially) you do it in the safest way possible - keeping the door
of the room you are in open, making other staff aware etc. We also operate a
strict 'no touch' policy. We don't hug distressed young people, we don't get
involved in play fighting, etc. Of course, in reality, this isn't always
feasible (try breaking up a fight without touching anyone!), but it
illustrates the policies in place in the Youth Service - that are designed
to protect both you and the young people you work with.

It is a shame that we have to think and work this way, but it is sadly
necessary. Quite how this transfers into museums i do not know! Teachers
don't work in pairs. Museum educators and the like cannot always be in pairs
either. My advice would be to use common sense - being alone with a large
group of young people shouldn't present too much of a problem. Being alone
with one or two young people is potentially leaving yourself open to
allegations. Unlikely, but possible so..  Likewise, bear in mind gender. A
male worker being alone with a young female is a definite no-no.

On the subject of police checks, i have been told (as Paul said earlier)
that if a volunteer or worker is coming in to do a one off session, then,
providing they are never left alone, it is unnecessary to get them police
cleared.

There are no 100% solutions that i can see that help in the museum sector,
but it is, sadly, something you all need to think about. SWMLAC's advice is
good. I'd be interested to hear if DfES has anything further to add -
schools would seem to have similar circumstances to museums, and even with
police clearance, working alone with young people is a real issue.

The way it's going, no-one is going to want to work with young people, and
young people are growing up in an atmosphere of distrust. But, of course, i
can see the reasons for the concerns/precautions.

I wonder if the new Connexions agency could offer any advice - presumably
their Personal Advisors will be working alone with young people?

Julie Ellis
Youth & Museums Development Officer
Surrey Museums Consultative Committee

> From: Sun Jester <[log in to unmask]>
> Reply-To: Sun Jester <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: Tue, 24 Sep 2002 17:25:39 +0100
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: CRB/Disclosure/Police Checks
>
> As a self employed professional I have to say that I quite resent the idea
> that I am somehow a liability and a danger to children and would need
> supervision anyway. That said, and I refer to my previous inputs to this,
> the fact that I have an enhanced disclosure should be sufficient. Perhaps
> more of an issue is the fact that in the current climate is it fair to ask
> anyone working with children or vulnerable people to work completely solo,
> for their own protection as well?
> Towse Harrison
> SUN JESTER
> CONSULTANTS FOR LIFELONG LEARNING
> HISTORICAL INTERPRETERS
> COMMUNITY ARTS WORKERS
> 12 Ascott Road, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP20 1HX
> Tel: 01296 423118
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: paul conneally <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Tuesday, September 24, 2002 4:31 PM
> Subject: Re: CRB/Disclosure/Police Checks
>
>
> MessageYes Peter its a problem if a museum is offering out workshops for
> children to be booked into over summer by parents/carers - it works when its
> during term time and the workshops are offered out to schools etc that bring
> with them staff who remain responsible and the persons in position of trust.
> Also works for outreach work done in schools by freelancers.
>
>
> Paul
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Jones, Peter
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Sent: Tuesday, September 24, 2002 2:57 PM
> Subject: CRB/Disclosure/Police Checks
>
>
> Paul Conneally's point about always having "checked staff" accompanying the
> freelancer / facilitator is a way that would answer many concerns about
> working with young people and vulnerable adults, especially with school /
> educational user groups.  A problem that arises here, and may elsewhere,
> would be that if I attended every workshop (for example summer young
> people's history / art / craft) I would be asked why I was employing
> freelancers in the first place. I know my budget could not afford both my
> and the freelancers salaries. This would also apply to any other member of
> staff that was asked to partner a facilitator. I have had to argue long and
> hard for the value and depth of knowledge / imagination that a diverse team
> of freelancers can bring to a museums service, and increasing the costs
> would not be the best of moves.
>
>
> Yours
>
> Peter Jones
> Interpretation & Liaison Officer
> St. Edmundsbury Museums Service
>
> [log in to unmask]
>
> Museums :
> http://www.stedmundsbury.gov.uk/manorhse.htm
>
> email: [log in to unmask]
>
> http://www.stedmundsbury.gov.uk/moyses.htm
>
> email: [log in to unmask]
>