Independent Safeguarding Authority - Criticisms 2009-2012

Criticisms 2009-2012

These changes to some extent brought an end to the more virulent press criticisms of the ISA. However, they also led to some deeper questioning of the thinking behind the original creation of the ISA. Specific accusations have been that the government had overseen so many changes and reviews, showing a lack of support for the organization, as the ISA had initially been created as a knee jerk reaction to the Soham murders. Philip Pullman remains one of the most vociferous critics accusing the government of using the Soham murders as a 'scare story' to scare the British public into accepting such intrusive database.

The most visible opposition to the ISA came from the large nurses union, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN). This included successful legal cases brought by the RCN in 2010. Several journalists and campaigning organizations continued to voice criticism, including 'Civitas' and 'the Manifesto Club' run by the journalist Josie Appleton. Criticisms or concerns commonly raised regarding the structure of the Independent Safeguarding Authority included: a person can be barred without a hearing, there is no minimum standard of evidence, there is no legal support available to those who are 'minded to bar', right of appeal is limited, there is only a single sanction of barring for 10 years (for anyone aged over 25) and the refusal of the Independent Safeguarding Authority to use the word 'sanction' to describe the barring process. These formed the basis of the RCN's cases. These organizations continued to question the basis upon which the Independent Safeguarding Authority was created, asking whether a bureaucratic solution to child protection issues is realistic or sensible. The ISA was accused by its most vociferous critics in broadsheets such as the Guardian of being 'unethical' and 'Orwellian'. Both the RCN and these campaigning groups ask whether it creates further problems by creating a 'climate of fear' amongst professionals, while simultaneously creating 'an illusion of security'. amongst the public in general. To this end they have pointed out that recent cases of paedophile offences in schools such as those committed by Vanessa George in Plymouth - 2010 were not and could not have been prevented by any form of database as in these cases and others like them the offender had no previous criminal or disciplinary record. This debate seems likely to continue especially as neither the pro or anti viewpoint regarding the expansion of such systems has been claimed by any political party or conventional political standpoint right or left.