Has this country gone to the dogs?

i will tell you a story and i would like to here you views.
We all read the news papers and listen to the news, we also know there are some strange people around that hurt our Kids. But do you know how much affect this is having our children's future.
Let me explain, I am a 46 year old male, happily married with 3 children of varied ages, I am also a youth worker for children aged between 7-12. I had a CRB check done by the police before I could start this work. Which i have to say is voluntary.
This I was happy to do as it is for the children's protection, but what has upset me is the rules we now have to follow.
IE If a child hurts themselves and start to cry, I can not comfort them.
If they get a cut I can not take them to the kitchen to clean their wounds ( I am a trained first aider)
I can not sit next to a child and read them a story unless other adults are there.
I can not play football with the boys because I am not trained.
I am just wondering what will the younger generation turn out like, if they are not allowed to grow up.
I am sorry if I have bored you but I needed to sound off and I would like to here you veiws

i think its quite mad, that you cant help a child that has fallen over! maybe its for there safty, i do not know, all i remember is when i fell over at school people got me up cleaned me up! we had storys read to us all of the time, why cant you read a story, and kick a ball about?!

sounds very odd, i know its for safty, but id be more worried if someome was trying to get the children alone, or showing other behaviour that was odd (i dont really have a example) but kicking a ball about would prob be the least of my worries....

I tend to agree with Knotty here. When I was at school there was a dinner lady who used to carry 'magic cream' with her and used to help patch up the owies. She was a dinner lady and volunteer playgound assistant in the afternoons and we loved her loads

There was also loads of teachers who would give you a hug, and besides that children can be very tactile.

I sympathise with you, you have been checked (which I do wholeheartedly agree with) and you are fine, but all these rules, oh dear!

As I said kids are tactile, what are you expected to do if a child runs up to you and throws his/her arms round you for a big hug? Kids do that, are you supposed to just push them away and make them feel thats wrong to do? The poor kid wouldn't have a clue why they've been pushed away and may be more reluctant to express themselves which can (not saying it will but CAN) lead to problems if they are not allowed to hug or express affection.

I agree that rules have to be in place to protect kids, but I sometime think things have gone too far, and gone past protection and come out the other end as isolation.

I fell over when i was at school and was looked after, but know they seem to do to much protection and do not give the kids a chance to work things out them selves.
I am not trained on how to play football with the kids, so the rules say i might hurt them.
I can not read to them because the rules again say how does any one know what I am reading or telling them.
I think it is all very sad and I just wonder what the world is coming to.

I know exactly what your saying mate. I ran a kids football team for about 6 or 7 years. I found it almost impossible by the time I was done simply because of all the laws in place. There was more courses and paperwork with regards to legal and social issues as there were relating to football. By the time I jacked it in I was so busy with paperwork of that nature than I had very little time to actually coach the footy. Total nightmare...

I went into a shoeshop with my daughter, she's 7. The assistant told us that they are now no longer allowed to touch the children to help measure their feet I'm not sure how true that is but you could see wasn't comfortable with it all.

Unfortunately, it's the nanny state gone mad - and by mad I mean stark raving bonkers! How on earth can children grow up normally with rules like this set in place? If you can't accept a hug from a child, or give a hug to a child, then that child will believe that affection is wrong. How will that child cope as an adult?

The psychologists and psychiatrists must be rubbing their hands with glee.........

Too true.
I'm a primary school teacher and it is almost impossible to stop kids doing this. I was in ne class for a morning last week and at lunch time , on route to the staff room, one girl form the class, launched hersaelf at me with a 'Missssssssssssssssssssssssss' from nowwhere and threw her arms round my waist (it was an infant class). What do you do? Thankfully there were lots of people around and I carried on walking (quickly) and having a chat until i could tactfully escape. I've also had older kids charge at me for a hug...
The laws, however are there for a reason and i look on it, not only as protection for the children but also for the adults dealing with the children. They are there to protect them too. We live in a 'sue them' culture and we really do need to be aware at all times of that. It is for your safety that you can't be on your own with a child and a no hugging rule is the same. I agree there is far too much paperwork these days BUT I do also agree with the tighter controls that are in place for child protection these days, we do need them. Not every person is a good person...even if they have a current CRB. Some children (of quite a young age) will also manipulate situations for financial gain...example...I knew of a child who was 'encouraged' to walk in front of cars...when someone was there to take a picture....
These rules are good rules.
You can still clean a child injury...just not on your own.
Reading to one child may be a no go...but reading to a few is a different story.
Playing football? Again for your safety...if you hurt one (you are bigger after all) you are in bother).
I think if you look at the rules in a different way, you can see why they are there and you can see their benefit.
Yes too much paperwork and yes...sometimes kids just hug...BUT that shouldn't be encouraged. We need to use common sense too.
Sorry,IMO child protection is VITAL if these laws stop one child being abused...then brilliant, I can live with the added hassle.:smt002

The thing is..in the past people would say to kids 'give me a hug' and they would wander round hugging these kids. That is problematic. The person asking for a hug...could be anyone, regardless of CRB check. On top of that, it can (and has) encouraged cliques and favourites and ultimatley can leave some kids feeling excluded. Quiet little Freddy in the corner for example that woulldn't approach an adult let alone hug them...
There is no culture of making children feel hugs are worng. The children sometimes do hug (as I said) BUT a good child care worker will deal with it tactfully and quickly, probably by needing to be elsewhere, or redirecting the childs attention. The main thing these rules stop is adults asking for hugs or just giving hugs...I think that is a good thing. You don't know who these people are.

Well done Ramble - you make an excellent point and a totally balanced view on the subject. I also, like others have mentioned had nice teachers/dinnerladies that would help me out or give me hug if need be, and I would hope that in reception or juniour schools they still have that magic cream!

However when I hit secondary school (catholic girls only) I took up football, my mother was always late and this teacher used to make me carry his books to his car for him. Whilst totally eying me up!!!

It was the most uncomfortable thing ever, and needless to say I quit the football team fast. Such a shame as I loved that sport.

I heard a rumour recently that he has sexually abused one of his pupils, I cannot confirm that, but it wouldn't suprise me at all. Lot of girs complained he was a pervert the time I was a student there.

Gaz I agree it is a shame, its a shame the country is starting to sue everyone, shame kids are starting to ruin teachers lives (or the other way round). But it is best to be safe than sorry