Professor Marshall said adults were now afraid to interact with children

The children's commissioner told Holyrood's education committee that the measures were taking an "absolutely ridiculous" toll on adults.

Professor Kathleen Marshall urged MSPs to address the issue, which she said risks leaving children neglected.

The measures are contained in legislation drawn up in the wake of the Soham murders.

Under the Protection of Vulnerable Groups Bill, a single agency will be formed to support a new vetting and barring scheme.

The scheme aims to ensure that people who should not be around children or vulnerable adults cannot access them through work.

We've become so focused on protecting our children that we risk neglecting them Professor Marshall

Professor Marshall said: "Whether it's the child protection machinery, whether it's their perception of it, people feel that they can't do things to an absolutely ridiculous extent.

"It can be very inhibiting.

"I know that some people say it's a misconception, but if it is, it's a very pervasive misconception."

The commissioner said a youth worker had told her about a trip from a rural area with two teenagers which had to be cancelled.

"They were told that they couldn't afford it because they would have to have two adult workers to accompany these young people," she said.

"When they were questioned why they needed two, the answer was 'What happens if one of them drops dead?'

"You have to think what the risk is that we're addressing here."

'Backing off'

She added: "People feel the need to cover their backs all the time and it's small play forums, voluntary agencies, saying this has to be addressed.

"People are just backing off from interaction with children and young people."

Other examples cited were of workers who needed a mountaineering certificate to take a group of youngsters up Arthur's Seat, and a lifesaving certificate before being allowed to collect seashells with a group of children.

"As a society, we've become so focused on protecting our children that we risk neglecting them," she said.

"Not only are we increasingly regulating things through disclosure checks and widening them out and out and out and down and down and down, but even once we've got them we still don't trust them.