I have lived in Cumbria for 7 years now and the problems of finding suitable child care in this rural community are tremendous.

We have a 6 and 9 year old, and of course we want to be able to either go to work or go out in the evening. We have used loads of different ways of trying to find child care from ringing the Cumbria Children's Informations service to using online sites such as www.missmolly.co.uk .

It is only recently that we have managed to find a group of babysitters that can look after our children.  We have local teenagers, who of courses are not so reliable to full time child carers who are supplimenting their income by working outside of their normal daytime hours. We found them on www.missmolly.co.uk, but the problem is that in these days of security with the disapperance of Madeleine McCann as just one example each and every parent has to be so careful.

When we have looked for new people to look after our children we have often been determined to find people who have a current CRB check or a current enhanced CRB check. It is a mistake to assume that the CRB check is infallible.

To get a CRB check as an individual you have to apply through an authorised agent. These agents are the first point of contact and as such they carry out the initial identity check on each applicant. This is not carried out in person either. Identity can be established by supplying various forms of ID. It doesn't take much imagination to realise how easy it would be for a candidate who would fail a CRB check because of child related convictions to coerce a friend or acquaintance who has devious intentions to apply for one. As a 'team' they could very easily apply for a CRB check in the name and identity of the person who has no convictions. The resultant 'false' check would be clean and allow bothe the convicted person and the 'clean' person to use the CRB check to access services and employment that would bring them into contact with children.

It is with great concern now that I hear of people who rely almost entirely on the integrity of the CRB check as a recommendation to the suitability of a person to look after their children. I hope all parents make the conscious effort to interview, assess qualifications and experience before they ever employ someone to look after their children.