Under proposals laid out in the government's Freedoms Bill, only adults who work regularly with children will need to be checked. The government estimates that around 4.5 million people will face criminal record checks compared with nine million under the previous system.
Barnardo's described the move as "a victory for common sense". But Mark Williams-Thomas, a former police officer and child protection expert, said the changes put children at risk. "Offenders are very deviant, they're very calculated and they will seek out opportunities and they will go to where those checks don't exist."
Shaun Kelly, head of safeguarding at Action for Children, also expressed reservations about aspects of the change. He said: "Organisations that work with the most vulnerable children and young people need fast access to high-quality, accurate information."
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