Sexual abuse amidst a confused society?

Last night Ed Balls came on the television, blinking like a rabbit in a searchlight beam, to suggest that maybe the government hadn't quite got it right over the vetting and barring scheme. Of course, it wasn't much to do with Ed Balls, it was up to the new quango and its quartermaster to sort out. But I got the distinct feeling that Balls had sensed potential electoral trouble, so his antennae were in overdrive.

Now I read that there has been a case of sexual abuse in a Nottinghamshire children's nursery. The Rocking Horse Nursery in Plumtree has been closed after it was revealed three toddlers had "unexplained" injuries, including a broken leg. What is interesting is that a Child Abuse Investigation Unit spokesman has said, "This is a new line of inquiry from information given to detectives last week. Prior to this neither Nottinghamshire police nor Ofsted were aware of any alleged sexual offences having taken place at the nursery."

Not aware? No, there were not. But why on earth would they. Unless someone says something, nothing would be done. If a burglar robbed a person, but the victim decided to stay silent, how would the police find out? By telepathy? This is the whole flaw in the new Independent Safeguarding Authority's side. Only convicted sex offenders and those given a caution or who are "known" will be flagged up. But certainly not those who are unknown to the police. I assume all at this nursery have been vetted, all have had CRB checks. If something has occurred, then someone got through, didn't they?

Instead of this multi-million pound quango spending its day vetting and barring, the government should do two things. Set up a research unit into the actual manifestation of paedophilia. It is no good talking as if every day is going to start with a bad apple check, like a fruiterer diving into a box of apples. Either paedophilia is an illness or it is a depravity on the sexual proclivities scale. Those with the condition need to be monitored or cured. If it is a condition, then babies born today will have in their number a few paedophiles waiting to grow in adulthood. If it is obtained from nurture, let us find ways to stop the nurturing in the first place.

If it was left to the Sun newspaper, Ian Huntley would have been castrated, hanged, drawn and quartered in Soham town centre. Left to the government, he is in jail and we are lumbered with a quango. Noboby seems to want to find a cure to this problem. Maybe they are too frightened that if a cure to paedophilia is found, then that could be applied to other conditions that some find offensive.

The second thing the government should do is to give social services and education authorities better guidance in ascertaining who is vulnerable from potential abuse or who may become an abuser. Whilst I am distinctly against a nosey-parker society, I firmly believe we should not sit back if we see or hear unsavoury things happening. If there has been abuse in this nursery, you can bet that someone knew about it but felt they couldn't say anything. That feeling of inadequacy must not continue.

We can only really help children and vulnerable adults if we become more caring rather than more scaring.

Posted in: child protection,Ed Balls,Independent Safeguarding Authority