Scholar warns law may let convicted sex offenders work in schools

Estonian legal scholar Kärt Pormeister says the Child Protection Act is too vague to prevent some people convicted of sexual offences from legally working in schools or kindergartens, ERR reports. The Justice and Social Affairs ministries say the law is clear enough and does not allow this.

The law bars people convicted of certain offences, including sexual crimes, killing or murder, from working with children. Employers must check the criminal records register once a year to ensure staff working with children have not been convicted of such offences.

Pormeister says the law does not name specific institutions and instead bars people from having direct contact with children through their work or professional activities. She argues that this wording could allow a person convicted of a sexual offence to work as a cleaner at a school or kindergarten, because the job itself does not involve working directly with children.

Anna-Liisa Uisk, head of the Justice Ministry’s development and criminal statistics unit, said employers must assess whether a worker comes into contact with children in each job. She said direct contact also includes situations where face-to-face encounters with children are possible, including incidental contact or opportunities to approach them.

Helen Meumers, the Social Ministry’s head of child protection policy, also said the law is sufficiently clear. She said the restriction applies even though the law does not list specific services, institutions or positions. Security guards and cleaners in schools have direct contact with children, she said, noting that cleaners may enter spaces where children expect privacy, such as toilets.

Tags: Estonia, child protection, criminal records