Child protection gone mad???

[starmum2000]

Just returned from a Scouts training event as I've recently taken over a Cub Scout Leader role. Technically,as a Cub Scout Leader, I can't give DS a lift to or from Cubs without another leader present !!!
Think I'll let him walk home in the dark on his own then, much safer...

[Minesatea]

As much as I love the guide and scout organisations I have to agree that they have gone a little OTT with the rules.

We have attended church parades with all of mine for years through beavers, rainbows upwards and always just turned up. Last night DD brought home a consent form from guides for me to fill in to let her attend church on Sunday!

[push-pull-mum]

There's a lot of child protection advice and legislation out there that gets on my nerves but actually I don't have problem with either of those.

Our church do not allow anyone to drive a child or teenager home on their own. This is for the protection of the adult as much as the child.

And, afterall, you may be quite happy to send your child to Guides but not want her to go to church. Being a Christian is no longer a requirement for joining.

Funnily enough - being a monarchist still is.

[xyzzy]

Our church do not allow anyone to drive a child or teenager home on their own.

Not even the child's own parents? How does that work?

[aliportico]

I find that a lot of it sounds sensible in theory but is a nightmare to actually put into practice. I am a helper at the Boys Brigade, and my girls go to Girls Brigade - as you say starmum, as a leader I can't give a child a lift home alone. However, several of the kids there I know socially outside of BB, and in social situations I *have* been alone with them in a car, etc. Is this okay? Is it a case of once a leader, always a leader, or am I being trusted not to molest them in my own time? Or are BB not bothered what happens as long as it's not on their watch? It's just not consistent.

Social media having been added into the mix has just made the whole thing worse. My teenage daughter is very good friends with a slightly older girl through GB. The older girl has just turned 18, and has been told that according to GB rules she should no longer be friends with my daughter on Facebook, or be texting her, or presumably even seeing her privately. I did ask if I now had to chaperone her when she came round for tea. Anyway, her mum and me are of similar minds on this one and have said that we are happy for things to stay as they are!

[Booklady]

Just returned from a Scouts training event as I've recently taken over a Cub Scout Leader role. Technically,as a Cub Scout Leader, I can't give DS a lift to or from Cubs without another leader present !!!
Think I'll let him walk home in the dark on his own then, much safer...

Not allowed to take your own child home in the car alone!! That is truly ridiculous! Did you question it and they still said this!!!????! Our Guide leader picked my DD up the other day because I was overseas with work and DH was running our other younger DD to another place - he couldn't be in two places at the same time! So she came and picked DD up on the way - I was fine with this. Surely there has to be a degreee of common sense applied here!! Or has the world gone completely mad!!!

[Marylou]

Surely there has to be a degreee of common sense applied here!!

Agreed. Sadly, the one thing common sense isn't any more is common.

[Marylou]

Just returned from a Scouts training event as I've recently taken over a Cub Scout Leader role. Technically,as a Cub Scout Leader, I can't give DS a lift to or from Cubs without another leader present !!!
Think I'll let him walk home in the dark on his own then, much safer...

The Scouting organization can't function without its parent helpers and leaders, so somehow I think what vestiges of common sense remain in our society are going to be allowed to prevail in this instance!

[push-pull-mum]

I think the ruling came about because it was difficult to draw a distinction between 'officially sanctioned' lifts and ad hob arrangement between helpers and families. There's a grey area, you see, because a scout or church group leader may be bringing a child as a favour to the parents but the parents are putting trust in the leader because of the church or scout connection. (Confused yet? I was.)

The way round it is that you collect your child as a private individual rather than as a 'leader.' My sister (a cub scout leader) actually changes out of her uniform before taking her daughter home.