David Whewell has written to the Ministry of Justice to say that currentlegislation is too weak and youth workers should be explicitly bannedfrom having sexual relationships with any young person under 18 withwhom they work.
Section 21 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 currently only bars a limitednumber of professionals considered in a position of trust from enteringinto sexual relationships with young people aged 16 and 17.
Whewell said that a number of heads of youth services have soughtclarification on the law after learning that youth workers had begunrelationships with young people.
He said: "The way the law stands, a Connexions personal adviser whoenters into a sexual relationship with a young person on a residentialbreak could face criminal charges. But if a youth worker on the sametrip had a sexual relationship with a young person, they cannot beprosecuted."
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
