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AIBU?

School volunteering

30 replies

Me55ymummy · 11/10/2022 12:38

I volunteered for a school trip whilst there I discussed with the teachers about volunteering for reading etc.

I said I would be happy to help, the admin office then emailed a volunteering application form, my education, employee history, two referees and a section to fill in giving reasons why I want to volunteer… that’s before a DBS check… am I being unreasonable thinking this is asking too much?

I currently volunteer with a Brownie Pack and was only ever asked to fill in a DBS form.

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Am I being unreasonable?

50 votes. Final results.

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You are being unreasonable
52%
You are NOT being unreasonable
48%
Iamnotthe1 · 11/10/2022 13:37

Yes indeed. Aren't they automatically rated inadequate if they are deemed to be failing with regard to safeguarding? Not a risk that many schools would want to take, I'm sure.

Yes, a safeguarding fail is an automatic inadequate.

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MrsBennetsPoorNerves · 11/10/2022 13:37

AriettyHomily · 11/10/2022 13:35

DBS covers all of that, or at least the enhanced one does. I've just done mine.

Schools are supposed to follow safer recruitment procedures, which require more than just the DBS. So no, it doesn't cover it actually.

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Tw33 · 11/10/2022 13:47

I mean it's a good rated Catholic school and I have two children in infants. But maybe a bit lax reading this, I am alone-ish in the library with a lone child. TA's might bob in to get something.
I wouldn't imagine a parent would volunteer at their child's school with the intention to qbuse though, or maybe I'm being extremely naive.
I'm also a parent chaperone for my child's drama school & that was through the council and I did need an interview, etc thinking on!

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Thegreenballoon · 11/10/2022 13:49

Standard practice at my child’s school for anything more than a one off trip type helper. For a regular volunteer such as hearing readers you are basically regarded as a member of staff - informal interview, dbs, references, the lot plus you sign a contract too. Think about it - when you go into a class to hear readers you end up finding out which kids have SEN, you overhear kids being disciplined, you work 1:1 with a child (albeit always in view but not necessarily within hearing), sometimes the kids get friendly and try to hug you or tell you personal things…. Of course you should have to be properly vetted, it’s a sensitive and responsible job. Would you want someone working with your child who no one at school knew anything about beyond they had a child in school and they don’t have a criminal record?!

My church expects the same paperwork for anyone volunteering in Sunday school or crèche. Completely normal best practice - if it results in people being put off then so be it.

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MrsBennetsPoorNerves · 11/10/2022 13:53

Tw33 · 11/10/2022 13:47

I mean it's a good rated Catholic school and I have two children in infants. But maybe a bit lax reading this, I am alone-ish in the library with a lone child. TA's might bob in to get something.
I wouldn't imagine a parent would volunteer at their child's school with the intention to qbuse though, or maybe I'm being extremely naive.
I'm also a parent chaperone for my child's drama school & that was through the council and I did need an interview, etc thinking on!

If you're having unsupervised contact with a child, I think they're on pretty shaky ground not having followed the safer recruitment procedures.

And yes, of course, you would hope that parents who volunteer in schools are doing so with the right intentions, and I'm sure that the vast majority are, but "not imagining" that there might be other motives wouldn't be much of a defence for the school if something were to go wrong.

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