to think that insisting that parents who drive your kids to swimming during the school day are CRB checked is a bit OTT?

[LadyBiscuit]

My friend is a teacher in a small independent (ca. 300 kids) junior school so the pupils are 7-11. They don't have enough transport to take all the kids to the pool for swimming lessons so parents help out by driving. One parent has said that they will not allow their DC to travel in a car with an adult unless they are CRB checked. AIBU to think this is a wee bit hysterical? Each parent takes 3 or 5 children (depending on size of car) from the school direct to the pool where they meet the teacher. None of the children sit in the front, only in the back seats. How are the children going to be at risk of anything other than poor driving?!

It is a little bit OTT, but I can see why to some extent. It wouldn't be the time spent driving as such that would bother me, but the fact that it would be a weekly event and seen as a school event, then you are sending the message to your child that this is a trusted person and allowing a stranger (even though it is a parent, the child won't necessarily know them) to build up a relationship. You would not want a supply teacher to work without a CRB check.

If the school can't sort out transport, then they do need to accept parent's concerns even if many would see it as OTT. Unfortunately grooming is a real issue and as rare as it is, CRB checks are there for a reason.

How are your children at any more at risk of being groomed if they travel in a car with a parent and a load of other kids than they would be on a playdate? It's only the parents of the kids in the class that do the driving. This has always been the case - the school doesn't have enough minibuses to take all the children in the class at once

They wouldn't be, but I would choose to take my child to someone's house and it is an informal arrangement, this is a formal arrangement during school hours with an adult I wouldn't necessarily choose to take my child in their car. I am, not saying this is my view necessarily, just that the parent who would prefer a CRB check to be done, has probably got their own reasons and they should be respected.

Under the new vetting and barring scheme coming in July 2010 anyone transporting children in a situation arranged by the school will have to be registered but if it's an informal arrangment between parents then the don't.

Having said that I do worry that people put too much store by thinking CRBs mean someone is 'safe'.

We used to take a public bus to the swimming pool when I was a kid. Think is is a bit of a cheek for an independent school to be asking parents favours like driving the kids anywhere.

CRB checks are not all they are cracked up to be. If someone commits a crime after they have been CRB'd - it is not revoked.

I think the parent is BU. If they are concerned about grooming - make sure the same kids go with diffrent people each week.

the don't = they don't

Why don't the school hire a coach like state schools do? I agree with QA about the grooming but there is obviously a certain amount of arse covering involved as CRBs are a bit crap really. Ian Huntley would have passed and he had been accused of rape of a child several times.

In a state school this would be required as standard if the parents were going to be alone with children in any setting.

I agree that CRB checks are not fool proof, but they do offer a basic check and certain;y better than nothing. The school would be slated if it turned out they had allowed someone with a criminal record relating to crimes against children to drive them weekly unsupervised.

I would be more bothered about the insurance , car seats & state on the vehicle than CRBs

"I would be more bothered about the insurance , car seats & state on the vehicle than CRBs"

Me too, I wouldn't allow DS to be transported by another parent during school hours. Have no problems with a coach or teachers car though.

Agree with nymphadora and happymummyofone to some extent but also agree with questionsanswered too.
The answer is to hire a minibus or coach. They have to have seat belts if they carry children and I think the driver has to pass checks too.

My kids are at a state school where parents transport groups of children in their own cars to nearby school trips,sports events etcBut I wonder what will happen after JUly ?

I do 'footsteps' (crossing the road training for Year 2s) - we walk out holding hands with two children, all in sight of the other volunteers and cross the road carefully etc. At no point are we away from anyone/the public highway/more than 200 yards from school - and we have to be CRB checked. Suspect it's because we are authorised and 'insured' by the county council. I don't really mind but it causes delays and I think it does put some people off - not because they are criminals but because they find it intrusive.

Our school tried this and I said my DD couldn't travel in other parents cars for two reasons :

the lack of car insurance if they are driving school kids round during school hours on school business as when I checked this out my insurance company said standard cover didn't allow for this.

you can't guarantee the state of other people's cars - they have to prove they have a CRB to accompany the kids, but not provide proof that they have a valid licence or their car is road worthy .

Flaime-Insurance DOES cover you for this as long as you are not employed by the school.We have to sign a form to say your car is in roadworthy condition and you have a full licence.