13-09-2009, 12:24 AM
This one really got me worked up because the standard of proof has been lowered so that someone maybe denied employment without being found guilty of any crime.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/6174783/Independent-Safeguarding-Authority-Christian-teachers-or-charity-workers-could-be-targets-of-malicious-allegations.html
Independent Safeguarding Authority: Christian teachers or charity workers could be targets of malicious allegations
People with strong religious views could be banned from looking after children or charity work under the new vetting scheme because of malicious allegations made against them, it is feared.
By Martin Beckford
Published: 7:00AM BST 12 Sep 2009
The Independent Safeguarding Authority will be able to take into account anonymous claims made by members of the public or newspaper articles when assessing potential teachers or nurses, as well as their beliefs and lifestyle.
It is feared that Christians, who are already under pressure in many workplaces because of their beliefs on homosexuality and family life, could be made the targets of smear campaigns and see their careers ruined.
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Mike Judge, a spokesman for The Christian Institute, which supports worshippers who feel they have been discriminated against, said: “If people have an axe to grind with Christianity or Christians they could make malicious allegations against them.
“A lot of traditional Christian views are being regarded as beyond the pale. It’s not beyond the stretch of imagination that because they have a particular view about sexual activity they will be deemed not suitable to work with children.
“In an atmosphere where a nurse can be suspended for offering to pray for someone, I’m very concerned that this new approach is going to consider religious belief.”
Starting next summer, an estimated 11.3million people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will have to register with the ISA, the new vetting and barring body, if they want to work or volunteer with children, the elderly, ill or homeless.
Everyone from school governors and caretakers to dentists and nurses must have their backgrounds checked, along with authors who want to visit schools and parents who organise lifts to sports matches or Scout groups.
The agency’s staff will contact the Criminal Records Bureau to see if applicants have any convictions that should bar them from such jobs.
From next month, employers will be under a legal duty to tell the agency if they think a member of staff poses a risk to young or vulnerable people.
But official guidance discloses that unproven allegations and subjective opinions about an individual’s beliefs or personal life could also be used to end their careers in education, healthcare or sport, if there are concerns about their conduct.
ISA officials are also entitled to consider “information” received from former employers, professional bodies, members of the public or “stories in the press”.
If an applicant is suspected of harming a child, the case worker only needs to decide “whether it is ‘more likely than not’” that the alleged event occurred to consider barring them.
Even if they had been found not guilty of a crime in court, the guidance points out that the ISA’s standard of proof is lower and so “must still consider the case for itself”.
They are also told that “evidence not specifically relating to any particular event” can be considered relevant if it leads to the suspicion that an applicant may harm someone.
Case workers must then work out “risk factors linked to future harm” based on an individual’s interests, attitudes, relationships and lifestyle, under the ISA’s Structured Judgement Process.
These include, in addition to an obsession with sex or violence, “presence of severe emotional loneliness and/or the inability to manage/sustain emotionally intimate relationships with age-appropriate adults”.
Other supposed risk factors include “links with anti-social peers”, “presence of impulsive, chaotic, unstable lifestyle” or "using substances or sex to cope with stress".
If an applicant raises “definite concerns” in two or more areas the expectation is that they will be barred, although they have eight weeks in which to contest the decision.
The Home Office confirmed that case workers will be allowed to “undertake appropriate research” on “internet chatrooms or social networking websites” such as Facebook if they think they may contain relevant information on an applicant.
However a spokesman insisted the ISA would have to believe an applicant had harmed or may harm a child before they would start looking into his private life, and said only a small proportion would fall into this category while the rest would not raise any concerns.
He said: “All relevant factors would be assessed to establish if there might be a potential risk of harm. The ISA will rely on the information that is provided by the referring organisation or individual.
“Of course such factors are only assessed if the caseworker has established that ‘relevant conduct’ or risk of harm has taken place – stages one and two of the decision making process must be satisfied before any of the risk factors are assessed.”
As of October 12, education and health bodies, councils, employment agencies and professional bodies are legally required to tell the ISA if they have sacked someone for harming a child or vulnerable adult. They must also report someone if they are “concerned about the behaviour or conduct”.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/6174783/Independent-Safeguarding-Authority-Christian-teachers-or-charity-workers-could-be-targets-of-malicious-allegations.html
Independent Safeguarding Authority: Christian teachers or charity workers could be targets of malicious allegations
People with strong religious views could be banned from looking after children or charity work under the new vetting scheme because of malicious allegations made against them, it is feared.
By Martin Beckford
Published: 7:00AM BST 12 Sep 2009
The Independent Safeguarding Authority will be able to take into account anonymous claims made by members of the public or newspaper articles when assessing potential teachers or nurses, as well as their beliefs and lifestyle.
It is feared that Christians, who are already under pressure in many workplaces because of their beliefs on homosexuality and family life, could be made the targets of smear campaigns and see their careers ruined.
Related Articles
Mike Judge, a spokesman for The Christian Institute, which supports worshippers who feel they have been discriminated against, said: “If people have an axe to grind with Christianity or Christians they could make malicious allegations against them.
“A lot of traditional Christian views are being regarded as beyond the pale. It’s not beyond the stretch of imagination that because they have a particular view about sexual activity they will be deemed not suitable to work with children.
“In an atmosphere where a nurse can be suspended for offering to pray for someone, I’m very concerned that this new approach is going to consider religious belief.”
Starting next summer, an estimated 11.3million people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will have to register with the ISA, the new vetting and barring body, if they want to work or volunteer with children, the elderly, ill or homeless.
Everyone from school governors and caretakers to dentists and nurses must have their backgrounds checked, along with authors who want to visit schools and parents who organise lifts to sports matches or Scout groups.
The agency’s staff will contact the Criminal Records Bureau to see if applicants have any convictions that should bar them from such jobs.
From next month, employers will be under a legal duty to tell the agency if they think a member of staff poses a risk to young or vulnerable people.
But official guidance discloses that unproven allegations and subjective opinions about an individual’s beliefs or personal life could also be used to end their careers in education, healthcare or sport, if there are concerns about their conduct.
ISA officials are also entitled to consider “information” received from former employers, professional bodies, members of the public or “stories in the press”.
If an applicant is suspected of harming a child, the case worker only needs to decide “whether it is ‘more likely than not’” that the alleged event occurred to consider barring them.
Even if they had been found not guilty of a crime in court, the guidance points out that the ISA’s standard of proof is lower and so “must still consider the case for itself”.
They are also told that “evidence not specifically relating to any particular event” can be considered relevant if it leads to the suspicion that an applicant may harm someone.
Case workers must then work out “risk factors linked to future harm” based on an individual’s interests, attitudes, relationships and lifestyle, under the ISA’s Structured Judgement Process.
These include, in addition to an obsession with sex or violence, “presence of severe emotional loneliness and/or the inability to manage/sustain emotionally intimate relationships with age-appropriate adults”.
Other supposed risk factors include “links with anti-social peers”, “presence of impulsive, chaotic, unstable lifestyle” or "using substances or sex to cope with stress".
If an applicant raises “definite concerns” in two or more areas the expectation is that they will be barred, although they have eight weeks in which to contest the decision.
The Home Office confirmed that case workers will be allowed to “undertake appropriate research” on “internet chatrooms or social networking websites” such as Facebook if they think they may contain relevant information on an applicant.
However a spokesman insisted the ISA would have to believe an applicant had harmed or may harm a child before they would start looking into his private life, and said only a small proportion would fall into this category while the rest would not raise any concerns.
He said: “All relevant factors would be assessed to establish if there might be a potential risk of harm. The ISA will rely on the information that is provided by the referring organisation or individual.
“Of course such factors are only assessed if the caseworker has established that ‘relevant conduct’ or risk of harm has taken place – stages one and two of the decision making process must be satisfied before any of the risk factors are assessed.”
As of October 12, education and health bodies, councils, employment agencies and professional bodies are legally required to tell the ISA if they have sacked someone for harming a child or vulnerable adult. They must also report someone if they are “concerned about the behaviour or conduct”.
The worm has ate the apples core, beneath the skin lies curled.
Just so many a man lies sore, from the worm within the world.
Just so many a man lies sore, from the worm within the world.