The children's minister promoted the use of volunteers in children's protection last week, but his statement has come under fire from a collection of social care experts who say a volunteer should not take the place of a qualified social worker.

As published by The Guardian, a number of professionals signed a short article explaining their alarm after Tim Loughton promoted utilising volunteers in child protection work as "an additional resource that, at a time when we are well stretched, makes a lot of sense to explore.''

The article, written by Evelyn Kerrigan Lebloch who lectures in social work at London Metropolitan University and Peter Beresford who chairs Shaping Our Lives, said the idea of using more volunteers focuses on the cost savings instead of the safety of children.

"The potential for subjecting these volunteers to risk, both physical and emotional, is significant," the wrote. "But more concerning is that volunteers may place vulnerable children at greater risk of harm, however good their intentions, merely by their inexperience and lack of accountability."

The group recognises the contribution that volunteers make to children's services, but have said they need a greater number of qualified social workers to help vulnerable children.

"At a time when child protection is the subject of a government review, and the country is reeling from the impact of the banking crisis, for the minister to call on 'retired City bankers or ex-insurance brokers' to become extra 'eyes and ears' in keeping children safe is premature, crass and an insult to the profession of social work," they conclude.