Closed petition Teachers and Childcare Professionals to have access to parental/carer's background/home life

Closed on 10 January 2015

As a teacher part of my job is the safeguarding and protection of children within my class. However as a teacher I have limited knowledge to the background/home life of the children within my class. I am unaware of any mental health issues, custodial sentences, cautions/ convictions and substance abuse that parent(s)/carer(s) have. I feel that as a professional this information would be exceptionally useful to me to possibly spot children from a home where abuse is taking place. I find it absolutely shocking that all other professionals involved in child protection/safeguarding cases are privy to this information bar teachers. As teachers we are the ones who are with children the most and yet, know the least! My petition is therefore for teachers and childcare professionals across the UK to have access to the parental/carer's background and/or home life which could potentially save lives and help to put an end to the child abuse that plagues this country!