This letter was published in the "Third Force News" on 20th November 2009.
"At a recent meeting between voluntary organisations and Government officials, the discussion focused on the Government's undertaking to pay the cost of disclosure checks for volunteers.
"It quickly became apparent that it was impossible to come up with a definition of a voluntary organisation that was adequate to include even all of those present and so we agreed that the only way forward was for the Government to picl up the disclosure bill for all volunteers, where they worked.
"The Government officials visibly blanched at the thought of what this would cost.
"Now the costs of the new PVG scheme have been announced, I'm alarmed to note that we are back with the "volunteers working for voluntary organisations" limits on those for whom the Government will pay.
"From our perspective of working with parent volunteers in schools, this is really bad news.
"The Government has recently passed legislation to increase parental involvement in their children's learning.
"Disclosure checks already act as a barrier to this - for example a paired reading scheme operating in a Glasgow school was cancelled once it was realised that the parent volunteers would need disclosure checks.
"But now that local authorities, who are already struggling with inadequate budgets, will be required to pay up to £59 per person to have parents get involved in the classroom, any ideas of improved parental involvement will become no more than an unrealisable aspiration.
"If we want to encourage volunteering, it is vital that support is given to all volunteers, wherever they work."
Judith Gillespie
Development Manager, Scottish Parent Teacher Council.
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