School covid volunteers will not be DBS checked

[jomartin281271]

Schools minister told the media this morning that the volunteers they are recruiting to carry out the covid checks at school won't be DBS checked. So they're letting total amateurs who could have an unsavoury history carry out a test that in some rare cases has caused serious injury. Well done government. Another botched job that is doomed to fail.

I’m stepping away from this thread and I hope those who agree with me do the same
You and me both, Une. Plenty of posters here who do not know Safeguarding Law but insisting they do and more shockingly, a good amount who don’t even think safeguarding is necessary. I’m stunned tbh.

I have no doubt the school will follow the law. There is absolutely zero point getting worked up on the back of random mn posts.

There's a massive difference between being an amateur and therefore shit at your job and not having a dbs check. Yabu to conflate the two and a bit hysterical. They are not going to be working alone with children so a dbs it's needed.

@Judashascomeintosomemoney

I’m stepping away from this thread and I hope those who agree with me do the same You and me both, Une. Plenty of posters here who do not know Safeguarding Law but insisting they do and more shockingly, a good amount who don’t even think safeguarding is necessary. I’m stunned tbh.

I understand safeguarding perfectly well and have working experience of it. And I still think op is ott.

naturalyoghurtmuncher - its a legal requirement, not just your school being awkward. They need a section 128 check too. A governor is a holder of public office with specific duties regarding safeguarding. I agree it is hard to recruit governors but if a dbs check is putting them off its probably best they dont become one.

My son's secondary school will be paying for casual staff and DBSing them, or at least that've what they've said in the newsletter. They've asked people to sent in their CV.

@UneFoisAuChalet

Oh my god.

Has the world gone mad? You cannot let unchecked volunteers into schools. This isn’t mum helping out in the cake stand? That DBS checks ( I quote) ‘don’t mean anything?

I am simply in shock that any rational adult believes this is a good idea.

I’m stepping away from this thread and I hope those who agree with me do the same. Let the deluded, who don’t have a clue about how schools work (just because you visited on opening day don’t make you an expert!) argue amongst themselves.

I completely agree with you. I am absolutely astounded at the number of people on here who are unable to see (or perhaps don't want to see) how utterly dreadful and irresponsible this whole idea is on so many different levels. And just because the DBS isn't perfect doesn't mean it's useless. At the very least it weeds out convicted sex offenders.

@moondust001 which part of my understanding is wrong? I've carefully read the guidance on DBS checks as I have an out of school role that requires me to understand who needs one (similar to a DSL in school but in a voluntary capacity for a different organisation). So if I've made a mistake in who needs one please let me know as I'll need to update my guidance.

I’m a school governor, we always state when we are recruiting new governors it is subject to DBS check. I would be very wary of anyone who said they wanted to be a governor but didn’t want a DBS check.

Pre COVID governors also regularly went into schools and talked with pupils.

I've done plenty of voluntary work in our school without needing a DBS. Not sure how controlling crowds and lines up to a testing table is any more risky than controlling lines waiting to sit on Santa's knee, to use one of many examples I've done.

I think one thing that seems to have been overlooked is that schools have been told to not have volunteers in school due to the risk of them bringing covid into school. It seems utterly bonkers to bring in people from outside who may themselves potentially have covid. Plus, who in their right mind would be volunteering to test teenagers, potentially exposing themselves?? When you go for testing at a testing site, you do the test in your car and have absolutely no contact with anyone. This seems a bit different to testing hundreds of teenagers in the school hall.

I've come across numerous child abusers through a job I used to have, they all were DBS checked, all went on to abuse children.

If you're worried about abuse worry more about your family, friends and the teachers who will have time to establish a relationship with and groom your children.

These are secondary students bath, lining up for a medical procedure they may be averse to.

There is NOT an army of parent volunteers at secondary level.

@cansu

I think one thing that seems to have been overlooked is that schools have been told to not have volunteers in school due to the risk of them bringing covid into school. It seems utterly bonkers to bring in people from outside who may themselves potentially have covid. Plus, who in their right mind would be volunteering to test teenagers, potentially exposing themselves?? When you go for testing at a testing site, you do the test in your car and have absolutely no contact with anyone. This seems a bit different to testing hundreds of teenagers in the school hall.

It would be better if the government funded tents to do it outside in all weathers, like the walk through test centres are currently set up. Air flow dilutes the virus and reduces the risks.

More's the question - whose going to volunteer to test a load of potential Covid carriers?

I mean really?

I'll volunteer for lots of things. But not for that. For that they'd have to pay me. And even then I wouldn't be doing it.

Would any of you lot?

I think one thing that seems to have been overlooked is that schools have been told to not have volunteers in school due to the risk of them bringing covid into school. It seems utterly bonkers to bring in people from outside who may themselves potentially have covid.

This is an extremely important point.

I'm sorry about what happened to you. But you were presumably in a more vulnerable position and state of undress for the doctor to do that. These teens encounter adults every day outside school who aren't DBS checked, so in my view the risk of being groped at school is similar to the risk of being groped at the bus stop or the shopping centre. In fact its probably lower due to the number of witnesses and supervision in schools.

I clearly said I wasn't suggesting the same level of abuse could happen, just pointing out that abuse can happen in plain sight. As for the risk of being groped being the same as elsewhere does that mean we don't need any safeguarding? I mean kids can have all sorts of things happen in all sorts of places so why have any safeguarding. What a low level of safety for the nation's children.

The advertised posts state not if you’re ECV or have long term condition etc but this won’t be applied to volunteers. Unless they’re overwhelmed with them (unlikely at secondary).

@ancientgran

I'm sorry about what happened to you. But you were presumably in a more vulnerable position and state of undress for the doctor to do that. These teens encounter adults every day outside school who aren't DBS checked, so in my view the risk of being groped at school is similar to the risk of being groped at the bus stop or the shopping centre. In fact its probably lower due to the number of witnesses and supervision in schools.

I clearly said I wasn't suggesting the same level of abuse could happen, just pointing out that abuse can happen in plain sight. As for the risk of being groped being the same as elsewhere does that mean we don't need any safeguarding? I mean kids can have all sorts of things happen in all sorts of places so why have any safeguarding. What a low level of safety for the nation's children.

Earlier in the thread I posted the DBS guidelines for volunteers in covid related positions. Those guidelines clearly state a DBS isn't necessary straight away providing supervision measures are put in place. THAT is the safeguarding measure in this case, and perfectly adequate. Nobody is suggesting giving members of the public free run of the school premises without being accompanied by a member of staff.

I'm just been listening to the news on the radio. It doesn't sound to me as if the plan to test EVERY child (there were some weasel words about concentrating on areas where the rate of infections is high). Hmm

But that then takes away a member of school staff from what they should be doing. Which Nick Gibb said would . not. happen.

Earlier in the thread I posted the DBS guidelines for volunteers in covid related positions. Those guidelines clearly state a DBS isn't necessary straight away providing supervision measures are put in place. THAT is the safeguarding measure in this case, and perfectly adequate. Nobody is suggesting giving members of the public free run of the school premises without being accompanied by a member of staff. And I explained that an abuser can abuse in plain sight, they are quite a devious group of people. Would you seriously be happy if a known child abuser was in close contact with your child as long as there was someone else supervising?

Regardless, it is pointless supervising someone whose job you could just do. So visitors to school that need supervising are either there because they are specialists (such as the photocopier repair man) or because they have meetings with members of staff (parents etc). If you have people in to do a role regularly you DBS them so they can get on with it without needing constant supervision.

DDs school insisted all PTA members who might have any contact with a child (ie helping out at the Bingo evening) were DBS checked. Not a problem, we all agreed even though I thought it was OTT so I may well be raising this with the school out of interest.

There seems to be considerable excitement amongst the Year 11 girls that "the military are coming to school" ie, hunky older males. .

Whilst they will not be alone with children/pupils, they will probably gain a knowledge about the school, access etc, or find out information that could be used to cause harm. Or even overhear things such as who is in a house with a lone parent.

They are not going to be there for just an hour or two such as the photocopier repair person referred to above.