[SCA-AE] RE: background checks for youth

[Aoife]

If I may be so bold as to present an opinion and a few facts:

Thus far (admittedly it's early, but the topic perked our list right up :), the Children's officers in the kingdom have come out unanimously in support of this move. Most of them thus far have said something like "What took you so long?"

Clearly the officers I have rostered thus far aren't running for the hills. Instead, they're cheering. Most of them already have clearances and are not concerned about the 5 minutes of paperwork the impending implementation will cause. The most anxiety thus far created  amongst those officers is generated by the parents who WILL NOT parent their own children at events. There is some hope that this will be the large blinking neon sign those parents need to pay closer attention to their offspring.

In fact one past officer and parent wrote, just this morning:
" I think that this idea should be implemented ASAP and not stalled in some group somewhere.  I hate to think that if they had listened ten years ago, what we might have prevented." 

You can, I am sure, see where we are going. Our collective hearts were broken to find that bad things had happened to kids we know, within this kingdom, by persons from outside the kingdom. No policy we passed (since Pennsic autocrats have, in the past, declined to recognise Aethelmearc youth policy as Pennsic youth policy) could have effected that outcome. Particularly at Pennsic, the largest WAR in the Known World, our own kids and the visiting kids we have grown to love have had to live with the basic facts: The SCA is a great place, but does attract people with a poor grasp on reality. That lack-of-reality might include criminal activity. 

The SCA we lived in 20 years ago was no better or worse, crime-wise, than the SCA we now live in, except that we have now recognized that fact and have made the move to secure some small measure of safety for our children. 

Having said that, I must recognise that this is a step in the right direction, but that it mostly caters to our liability. it only effects kid's activities and the time (or kids)outside those activities are largely unaffected. And my liability in dealing with YOUR kids makes me very anxious. Nothing we do will prevent tragedies except the vigilance of the parents. Every child molester is not convicted. Not many child molesters want to be responsible for running organized, supervised kids activities. 

These clearances will only show *convictions* for child abuse or sexual assault for children's officers who apply. They will not show anything else. No one will find out about your credit or your parking tickets--nor will anyone find out about anyone's past child abuse convictions, should you have any, except in the case of a repeat and current crime that attracts press attention. It would be illegal to disclose this information outside of the purpose of the office, without the subject's consent. What *would* happen if something was found? The officer would fail to warrant. End of story. That's embarassing, but that very situation is why those sort of folks for the most part won't apply. They don't want to be found out.

So, is your child safe at SCA events? By and large, YES. Thankfully it is very rare for one of these people to pop up in the SCA. But it's not impossible, as we sadly already know. 

As a parent, what do you do? Keep an eye opn your kids. Check in frequently. Get involved. Be vocal. Assist in setting up an activity you can help supervise---something you like to do, that kids like to do. Show that you are very involved with your kids. Raise your voice that kid's activities in your group happen in the open, and not in some tucked-away classroom down the dark hall. Make sure Aethelmearc children's policy is followed (2 adults, or the activity must be cancelled). Make sure that those who dislike children at events do not have the last say in how those kids are dealt with at events. 

It is possible, easy, and extremely convenient to structure kid's activites so that parents can supervise their children AND can have a rewarding SCA life--look at me, for example. I have done that (with the odd wobblelhere and there). And I'm a double Peer and a Kingdom Officer. It requires only a little bit of thought on the part of the parent and the event staff. Please ask me how privately, if you are interested.

The answer here is MORE kids activities, not less. More officers, not less. Service opportunities are here, folks!  Get 'em while they're hot. I am happy to write letters of reccomendation for folks who help regularly. Step right up! 

There is a terrific opportunity for all of you to delegate an hour of time at an event, along side that Chancellor of Youth with his/her clearances. To stand up and say "I'm a good person, I care about the kids, and I'd like to be (or occaisionally help) a children's officer." These are the best ways to protect our kids--by surrounding them with a nucleus of people they can trust. 

If you wish to do that, to make a difference, please email me. We'll talk.

Aoife

Dame Aoife Finn of Ynos Mon
Kingdom Chancelor of Youth 
children at aethelmearc.org