Laws forcing the 11 million people who help out in schools and nurseries to undergo criminal record checks to prove they are not paedophiles are to be dropped following a massive outcry.In a major government U-turn, Ed Balls, the schools secretary, has bowed to public opinion and will announce tomorrow that the controversial vetting and barring scheme, due to be introduced next July, will be dramatically watered down.His decision follows a storm of protest over the summer, when it emerged that parents who take children to sports events or drive them around on behalf of scout groups would be among those subject to checks.Leading children's authors who visit schools, including Philip Pullman, also joined the protests after discovering they would be asked to prove that they had no record of paedophilia.
Laws forcing the 11 million people who help out in schools and nurseries to undergo criminal record checks to prove they are not paedophiles are to be dropped following a massive outcry.
In a major government U-turn, Ed Balls, the schools secretary, has bowed to public opinion and will announce tomorrow that the controversial vetting and barring scheme, due to be introduced next July, will be dramatically watered down.
His decision follows a storm of protest over the summer, when it emerged that parents who take children to sports events or drive them around on behalf of scout groups would be among those subject to checks.
Leading children's authors who visit schools, including Philip Pullman, also joined the protests after discovering they would be asked to prove that they had no record of paedophilia.
