has the world gone mad.. or is justified?

[cashman]

since around 96, my view has been "ignore em" prior to that i only had 2 instances of that kind of experiance, both bad, n made me feel very uncomfortable, if people don't like that attitude " Tough" i would hate fer any bloke to be in such an uncomfortable situation through trying to help, i certainly never will again.

[BERNADETTE]

That is such a shame Cashy when decent people feel that they can't help without being suspected of having an ulterior motive!! As for the CRB checks they mean nothing to me after Huntley got his dirty hands on those two innocent little girls!!

[polly]

CRB checks merely prove that someone has never been caught. They can never asses what is going in someone else's head. Unfortunately CRB checks are best we have got and the best we are going to get.
that said gut instinct goes a long way and should not be under rated

[BERNADETTE]

Well in that case gut instinct didn't work where evil Huntley was concerned!!! We need a much more radical way of making sure these monsters are kept away from the children.

[polly]

Originally Posted by BERNADETTE

Well in that case gut instinct didn't work where evil Huntley was concerned!!! We need a much more radical way of making sure these monsters are kept away from the children.

I don't think we can make that judgment based on the knowledge we have. The head of the school that Huntley was at may very well have had a gut feeling or not, but s/he would not have been able to go on any gut feeling if the CRB check came back clear

[emamum]

I though CRB's were put into place because of Huntley??

And i think i read somewhere that he did have a criminal record so wouldnt have got past the CRB check.... now EVERYONE who comes into contact with children... builders (if they are working on a school etc)partners and children of childminders etc.........

[BERNADETTE]

Originally Posted by polly

I don't think we can make that judgment based on the knowledge we have. The head of the school that Huntley was at may very well have had a gut feeling or not, but s/he would not have been able to go on any gut feeling if the CRB check came back clear

But he/she if their gut feeling was strong enough could have checked it out. Maybe then it would have become clear that he was using a different name!!!

[cherokee]

Last time I tried to help a young un little witch tried to pick my pocket ,

[blazey]

Originally Posted by emamum23

I though CRB's were put into place because of Huntley??

And i think i read somewhere that he did have a criminal record so wouldnt have got past the CRB check.... now EVERYONE who comes into contact with children... builders (if they are working on a school etc)partners and children of childminders etc.........

CRB's were introduced under the Police Act 1997 and were heavily criticised because of the Soham murders. They have become much more prominent since Ian Huntley though. I think they weren't seen as compulsory for ALL people working in schools til this point, just those working directly with the children.

I haven't helped a lost child since being at an age were I could be perceived as a full grown adult to the majority, probably last time I helped a lost child I would've been around 16. I don't think I would ignore a child who was blatantly lost, but normally I look around for a childs parents before approaching them, because I imagine parents would react with hostility if they saw an adult talking to their child.

I don't think it is a sad thing at all. As people have mentioned, there was at one point naive attitudes towards women until myra hindley knocked us to reality. Both genders are capable of evil things and everyone should be cautious around strangers. Being young in this era means I have lived entirely in this tense society, but thankfully I will have been taught what to do in all circumstances. 50 or so years ago I might have happily jumped into a car with a woman if I got lost, and it could have easily have been a woman like hindley. Today I am aware that men AND women are capable of molesting, kidnapping and killing children.

[Margaret Pilkington]

Blazey, you don't find this situation sad purely because of the life you have lived......as you say, you have been brought up in the time when it isn't unusual for folk to 'walk on by'........unlike a lot of us older members. We remember a time when people did what they could to help a fellow human being in trouble.......and they were hard times too, just after the war. This 'helping nature' was the glue that held society together and were what distinguished true communities....so while you know nothing different, you cannot be sad for what has gone because it wasn't in your era......but I am saddened because it WAS in my era.

[WillowTheWhisp]

In its report, Licensed to Hug, Civitas said that child protection regulations had "succeeded in poisoning the relationship between the generations".

This is truly sad. As a parent if I see a child in distress my instinct is to comfort them. In the past I've bathed sore knees or children who have fallen of bikes, helped children who were lost to find their Mum and generally just cuddled and comforted a child who was sad.
Now I have to admit that I think twice. Even as a Sunday School teacher an adult cannot be alone in the same room with just one child. The nursery leader at church can no longer change a nappy, they have to take the child back to the Mum (who may well be in the middle of teaching another class) to get changed. If they take a toddler to the toilet the toilet door must remain open! How dignified is that for the poor child? And all in the name of child protection. Yes, I know there have been some paedophiles in positions of trust such as scout leaders but 99.9% are not.

I have to have a CRB thingy by virtue of being a school governor.

[Studio25]

Originally Posted by emamum23

A few weeks ago Ty did a runner in town and was found by a teenage lad... the lad stopped a woman and asked her for help because he said he didnt want to take him to find a security guard by himself.... when i got tyler back i was too relieved to find him to think about the fact that it was a lad that had found him... the poor lad looked terrified!!

Luckily he was more bothered about a child being lost. BUT in the middle of a busy day in town he was the only person that stopped to help a very scared little boy who was in a state when i got to him!

Originally Posted by polly

...If we see a teenager with wearing a hoodie he is a potential problem till proven otherwise...

Well the kid who found Ty has done much to dispel that stereotype, and we'll never know who he is - but much respect to him.


I don't tend to worry about what people think- I've usually got my uniform on even when not working (free advertising) and I think it reassures people as it means you lose some anonymity that anyone with ulterior motives would crave.

My only recent experience was running to help a kid who was obviously about to fall out of the climbing frame at the park behind Great Harwood co-op. His mum was just walking to him, still talking over her shoulder to her mate, but sprinted when she saw me and shouldered me away. The idea of her child breaking a fall onto tarmac with his face didn't catalyse her into action, but seeing someone else trying to do her job speeded her up. At least he was OK. I'd do the same again.



My wife is glad her grandad died when he did. He spent much time on a bench at the playground because he liked the sound of children laughing and playing. Who doesn't? These days, he'd be vilified.