§ The Countess of Marasked Her Majesty's Government:
What advice they give to parents who are precluded from working with children because their children have been put on "at risk" registers as a result of evidence of Munchausen's syndrome by proxy, also known as fabricated or induced illness in children, even when their case has not been tested in the courts. [HL1995]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education and Skills (Baroness Ashton of Upholland)There are three ways by which an individual can be disqualified from working with children:
- By being made subject to a disqualification order imposed on certain offenders at conviction under Part 2 of the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000.
- By being made subject of a direction under Section 142 of the Education Act 2002 by the Secretary of State on grounds of being unsuitable to work with children.
- By being included on the list of persons considered to be unsuitable to work with children that is maintained under Section 1 of the Protection of Children Act 1999.
Parents do not fall into any of these three categories solely because their children have been placed on the child protection register. Those whose children have been placed on the child protection register are not automatically precluded from working with children as a consequence of that.
In addition the Disqualification from Caring for Children Regulations 2002 preclude a parent of a child with respect to whom a care order has been made from being a private foster parent, unless that person has disclosed that fact to the local authority and that authority gives its consent. Such a person cannot be employed in a children's home without the local authority's consent. We are currently reviewing the legislation and regulations in this area.