Voice: Union welcomes 'whistle-blower hotline' pledge

Wednesday, 10 December 2008 12:00 AM

Voice the union for education professionals has welcomed the pledge by Chief Inspector Christine Gilbert to introduce a "whistle-blowers' hotline" for social workers and other frontline professionals to alert Ofsted to "serious concerns about practice".

Voice has called for an overhaul of training and procedures for all those working with children to ensure that concerns raised about children are followed through and to give protection for 'whistle-blowers' concerned about the handling of cases. The union has also has written to Lord Laming to raise its concerns.

General Secretary Philip Parkin said: "We would welcome such a hotline. Many professionals are not communicating with each other in a way that gives them confidence to be critical of others' practice, especially when that practice is at a senior level.

"The whole children's workforce - including teachers, support staff, childcarers and social workers - must be trained not only in safeguarding children, but in communicating with other professionals and questioning practice where necessary. Whistle-blowing should be everyone's duty rather than something undertaken by the brave or, as it's seen by many, the foolhardy."

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Contact: Voice Press Office (pressoffice@voicetheunion.org.uk), Senior Professional Officer (Childcare) Tricia Pritchard (triciapritchard@voicetheunion.org.uk) or General Secretary Philip Parkin (philipparkin@voicetheunion.org.uk) on 01332 372 337.

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