Home

Parents and campaigners raise concern about the policing of Santas this Christmas

PRESS RELEASE: 15 December 2006

Parents and campaigners raise concern about the policing of Santas this Christmas

The recently passed Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act makes it a crime for adults who have not been vetted to work or volunteer with children.

The Manifesto Club is publishing a report today, ‘How the Child Protection Industry Stole Christmas’, which shows that many schools and churches are already vetting Santas and other Christmas volunteers.

- Shadow Minister for Children, Tim Loughton, was prevented from acting as a Christmas elf because he had not had a criminal records check.
- At one children’s Christmas party in Bristol, non-vetted volunteers had to wear different coloured t-shirts.
- Many schools and charities now ask for volunteer Santas to be CRB checked.
- Churches require all adults in mixed-age choirs to be vetted.
- Bell ringing towers must have two CRB checked ‘designated people’.

The report argues that this suspicious climate is killing the spirit of Christmas – and doing little to protect children.

- Some schools have banned parents taking photos at nativity plays - but officials could not cite a single case of a paedophile found with nativity photos.
- Expert on child sex offenders, Ray Wyre, argues: ‘We cannot allow our society to descend to the lowest common denominator, where we think of everything in terms of how a child molester might see it.’

Over 800 parents, volunteers and teachers have signed the Manifesto Club’s petition against the expansion of vetting.

Download the Christmas report here:
http://www.manifestoclub.com/files/CHRISTMASREPORT.pdf

Notes to editors:
1. The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act received Royal Assent on 8 November 2006, and will be implemented in 2008
2. The report, How the Child Protection Industry Stole Christmas, can be downloaded here: http://www.manifestoclub.com/files/CHRISTMASREPORT.pdf
3. The Manifesto Club is coordinating an online petition against the expansion of vetting, which has been signed by over 800 parents, volunteers and teachers, and individuals including Johnny Ball, Fay Weldon and Alan Sillitoe. See: http://www.petitiononline.com/MCVet/petition.html
4. The Case Against Vetting, a Manifesto Club report tracking the rise of vetting, was published on 16 October 2006. It can be accessed here: http://www.manifestoclub.com/files/THE%20CASE%20AGAINST%20VETTING.pdf
5. For press enquiries call James Panton on +44 (0)7811 955 739 / (0)7791 032 740 or email press@manifestoclub.com
6. The Manifesto Club is a new initiative that stands for a freer and more humane society: www.manifestoclub.com