Vetting will 'stop foreign exchanges'

Vetting laws to stop paedophiles working with children could put an end to school foreign exchange trips, teachers warned today.

Their concerns are the latest blow for the new Vetting and Barring Scheme, which began this month and will be compulsory for everyone working with children from November next year.Under the regulations, both parents in British host families will have to have background checks before they can receive pupils from abroad.

David Lyscom, chief of the Independent Schools Council, said the study of languages was "suffering enough" without ministers introducing an "extra barrier" to foreign trips.