Most people recognise that child protection measures can go too far - some teachers are now fearful of putting a plaster on a child’s knee, and volunteers are resigning rather than undergo criminal records checks and child protection courses.
Can vetting and other safety procedures be reconciled with the spontaneous interactions with adults that children need to flourish, or do we need a fundamental rethink about our priorities? Is the problem bad regulations, paranoid adults, or the cultural climate? Is it too naïve to rely on trust? What impact do child protection measures have on people’s sense of themselves, and relationships to other adults and children? Looking to the future, what is the best way for a community to act to ensure children’s welfare?
 | Josie Appleton director, civil liberties group, Manifesto Club; author, Officious: Rise of the Busybody State |
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 | Camilla Cavendish leader writer and columnist, The Times |
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 | Dr Eileen Munro reader in social policy, LSE; expert in child protection |
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 | Esther Rantzen CBE president of ChildLine; NSPCC trustee |
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 | Shaun Kelly safeguarding manager, NCH, the children's charity |
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| Chair: | |
| Josie Appleton director, civil liberties group, Manifesto Club; author, Officious: Rise of the Busybody State | |
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