Parents have been banned from supervising their children in public playgrounds by Watford Borough Council, because they have not undergone criminal record checks.
I don’t know about you, but the more I read of this governments actions, the more my angry stomach knot tightens. This is a dangerous nanny state government, literally out of control and doing more damage every day.
Why should everybody be labelled as a potential paedophile and our lives dictated by the existence of a very small minority of extremely evil predators? This government is deliberately creating an atmosphere of fear and suspicion so that they can extend their hand of control over EVERY area of our lives!
Anyway, I am a loss for further words, so you decide:-
By Tom Whitehead, Home Affairs Editor – Telegraph
Only council-vetted “play rangers” are now allowed to monitor youngsters in two adventure areas in Watford while parents must watch from outside a perimeter fence.
The Watford Borough Council policy has been attacked as insulting and a disgrace by furious relatives who say they are being labelled as potential paedophiles.
It will further fuel concerns over a growing nanny state amid the deepening row over the Government’s new national anti-paedophile database.
That will see at least 11 million adults have to be vetted to work with children or vulnerable adults, including parents who give officials lifts to and from social or sports clubs.
Councillors in Watford claim they are only following Government guidelines and cannot allow adults to walk around playgrounds “unchecked”.
But parents branded the ban “a joke”.
The rules have been imposed at Harwoods and Harebreaks adventure recreation grounds.
Activities on the half acre sites include a skateboard half-pipe, a zip line, rope swings, den building, arts and crafts, plus a wide range of indoor and outdoor sports activities.
Play rangers currently patrol both parks – which are specifically for children aged five to 15 – and are fully qualified and have been cleared by the Criminal Records Bureau.
Parents already have to ‘register’ their child on arrival at the free playgrounds so staff have their contact details in the event of an accident.
But now only those who have been CRB vetted by the council can enter the sites, which are surrounded by six foot high steel and wooden fences.
Mother-of-five Marcella Bergin, 35, has been visiting with her three eldest children, Christy, 15, Seamus, 12, and Chloe, 11, for many years without any problems.
She said: “It’s like they are branding all parents potential paedophiles which is disgraceful – 99 per cent of people are great parents and certainly not child abusers.
“The whole thing is just a joke and I will certainly not be adhering to the new rules which frankly are crazy.”
Mo Mills, 62, a retired youth worker who has six grandchildren, added: “This is typical of the nanny state and I am furious – the council should hang their head in shame at this political correctness gone mad.”
Mum-of-eight Jenny Abbasi, 41, said: “I find it insulting that the council are essentially branding everyone paedophiles and telling us we cannot be trusted with our own kids – it’s a disgrace.”
Claude Knights, the founder of children’s charity Kidscape, said the council were “using a sledgehammer to crack nuts”.
“They are encouraging a climate where parents and children are rendered suspicious without any proof of wrong doing or guilt,” she said.
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Council ban parents from public playgrounds
If you have stumbled onto this blog and are not a Christian, get yourself a hot drink, pull up a comfy chair and then tuck into the following article written by one of the best in the business:- All Of Grace by Charles Spurgeon