Monday 15 September 2008

Campaigning group says new anti-paedophile measure 'spreads mistrust' while doing little to protect vulnerable children.

Civil liberties campaigning group, the Manifesto Club, says that the new anti-paedophile 'Sarah's law' trial - which will allow parents to request police checks on neighbours and partners - will spread mistrust in communities and families.

Josie Appleton, Manifesto Club convenor and head of the Campaign Against Vetting, says:

* 'The government says that these laws will ease parents' concerns, but the opposite is the case. This measure encourages parents to suspect their partners and neighbours, those who are closest to them. This will do little to protect children, but will do much to damage the community and neighbourhood relations that are essential to children's welfare.'

The proposal to allow parents to police check their neighbours and partners was part of the government's Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006, which will come into force in autumn 2009.

James Panton, head of Manifesto Club campaigns, says:

* 'The problem with this 'Sarah's Law' trial is not just the risk of vigilantism - but the message that the majority of adults cannot be trusted with children until given official clearance. Vetting has spread extremely quickly into community life, into playgroups and local football clubs; this measure takes it into the heart of the family. This is a very worrying and corrosive development.'

The Manifesto Club has been campaigning against the expansion of vetting since October 2006. Our petition against vetting was signed by hundreds of parents, teachers, and volunteers, who are concerned about the negative effects of child protection laws. Our four reports to date have demonstrated that the new vetting procedures are an expensive and unaccountable bureaucratic response to a perceived threat, and that they will do little to protect vulnerable children.

Notes to editors:

1. For full details on the Manifesto Club 'Campaign Against Vetting' see http://www.manifestoclub.com/hubs/vetting

2. See Manifesto Club reports 'The Case Against Vetting', 'How the child protection industry stole Christmas', 'Hobby Clubs', and briefing documents on the page shown above.

3. For media enquiries contact the Manifesto Club on info@manifestoclub.com or +44 (0) 7792 795 462.