PAN-LONDON PROTOCOL ON SEXUALLY ACTIVE UNDER-18s
While the media and the Government are expressing alarm at the figures for unwanted teenage pregnancy, some extremely counter-productive policies are being put in place in London.
The Child Protection Committee for London has issued a protocol on how professionals should deal with people aged under 18.
This says that every U-18 in London who is in a sexual relationship should, when they come to the attention of a 'professional', be subject to a full assessment process in order to determine whether that relationship is abusive, and whether the police or social services should be involved. Police, health, social services and education records should be checked, and information can be shared without consent because it is deemed a 'child protection' matter.
Apparently the Metropolitan Police are also saying that details of enquiries from professionals will be held as 'soft' intelligence, regardless of whether the relationship is abusive or not. See the Children Now article.
This has worrying long-term implications for those intending to work with children, where an enhanced police check would reveal soft data.
In the UK, the legal age of consent is 16. Interference in the private life of someone older than this is likely to breach the Human Rights Act because the law deems a person capable of making their own decision at 16. While some may argue that it is still an offence for somebody in a position of trust to have a sexual relationship with a person aged 16-18, that does not give the authorities the right actively to police relationships.
As for requiring an intrusive assessment of younger people, the last thing we currently need is for teenagers to be put off contacting professionals for counselling or contraceptive advice – and you can be sure that this will be the effect of the policy once young people realise what is happening.
If you live in London, contact your representative on the Assembly and bring this issue to their attention as quickly as possible.
You can find contact details for your local representative here
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