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It has to be said from the start that this is a sound and very practical guide. If every agency followed the advice in this booklet, there would be far fewer problems in childcare. After all, an unsuitable appointment is unhelpful not only to the agency and the children and young people it serves but also to the other staff and to the candidate as well. It is not a pleasant experience being a square peg, and it is better for all concerned if a bad fit can be recognised at the appointment stage.
The booklet was produced because of concern about paedophiles getting into the work, but its approach deals with all sorts of unsuitable people, and it is level-headed about the best ways of excluding abusers. There are no magic answers, but good sound practice as laid down here will go a long way to ensure that all reasonable precautions are taken.
Some of the most useful bits of the guide are in the appendices, where there are examples of the right way to ask questions and unacceptable questions, for example. Anyone involved in childcare will have come across interviewers who ask questions which make professional people cringe. It's not just a question of being politically correct, but of asking fair questions that help one to find out the information one needs to make the right appointment.
One small gripe is that the reference list makes no mention of the Support Force guidance published by the Department of Health, which was widely issued free of charge in England and Wales about three years ago. The Support Force guidance was much fuller and therefore bulkier, but covered much the same ground.
If you're reading this review in the UK, don't be put off by the book being Australian! For three good reasons. First, Meredith Kiraly researched the subject in several countries, including the United Kingdom, and its advice is as applicable in this country as any where else. Secondly, while it is acknowledged that there are cultural and legal differences between some countries, those visited by the author are close to that of the United Kingdom, and the messages, for example about paedophiles, are the same in the UK as in Australia. Thirdly, we have a poor track record in learning from other countries, and this guide gives us a chance to learn from others.
If £15.00 sounds a lot for 60 pages, it has to be
remembered that the cost is a lot less than the months of hassle and the grief
caused by a bad appointment. Every service should have a copy. See the Advert
for the Email address to order your copy.
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