Think-tank Civitas has called on government to scrap the vetting and barring scheme, which is currently under review, calling it a 'paedophile test' which creates an atmosphere of suspicion that increases the risks to children and damages relations between generations.

In June, shortly after the coalition government gained power, Home Secretary Theresa May decided to halt and review the vetting and barring scheme which was due to come into force this year.

The results of the review are due to be published shortly. In anticipation, Civitas has released a report Licensed to Hug which insists that government must get rid of vetting and barring, calling it a costly distraction and damaging to adults and children.

“The logical consequence of demanding that some adults need to 'pass the paedophile test',” the report says, “is to set up an expectation that other adults, organising play dates or giving children lifts in their car, should have their motives similarly scrutinised.”

Instead of vetting and barring, Civitas says government should adopt a radical new approach which recognises that the healthy interaction between generations enriches children’s lives:

“Perhaps the worst thing about the current vetting procedure is that it doesn't guarantee that children will be safe with a particular adult,” says the report.  “All it tells us is that the adult has not been convicted of an offence in the past. Employers might even feel that they had fulfilled their obligations by paying for a CRB check and lower their guard.

“Rather than creating an atmosphere of fear and suspicion based on the assumption that the majority of adults have predatory attitudes towards children, we should encourage greater openness and more frequent contact between the generations.”