Do you require to do a police check? Not everyone contacting children needs require to do police check to work with the children. Under the Act 2020 of Worker Screening, only those who are doing work that is children related and are not exempt under the Act, need to do a police check online. It is something that applies to both volunteer and paid workers. Additionally to the Act requirement, there are several organizations which have their own policies for child safety. Thus, you have to ensure that, you talk to the organization before you start to work with them.
Doing child related work
If you plan to do work that is child related, then you might be required to do a police check. If you are not sure whether you need a check or not, you can either:
- Search for type of work or service online to find out if it qualifies for a police check
- Use an online interactive tool to answer a series of questions to see if you qualify
If you are able to meet all the below conditions, you will be required to do a check:
- You happen to be an adult that is engaged in work that is within the Act meaning, which includes providing practical training, engaging in voluntary work and also paid employment.
- You work at or for one of the places, services, or bodies or in one of the activities which have been listed in the act.
- Your work is one that involves having direct contact with children or a child. Direct contact denotes face to face or physical contact or even written including using postal, online communication or oral.
- Contact that you have with the children is not direct occasionally and it is not incidental to the work that you do
- You happen not to be exempted from having to check under the Act
In case any of the below point apply to you, then you don’t require to go for a police check:
- If you happen to be exempted under the Act. Read the Act to know when you are exempted.
- If you happen to have a domestic or private arrangement for friends and family that is unpaid – unless you are a kinship care giver.
- You happen to be supervising a student who is doing practical training which has been organized by an institution of education.
- You are taking part in a certain activity with a child the way the child is to participate like players in the chess game
Minister of religion
Religious ministers’ child related work is defined more than any other broadly. When it comes to religious ministers, work doesn’t limit them to having direct contact with the children; any contact with the children is enough for them to have a police check. Like when the ministers are representing their congregation or attending schools, they have to have a check. The only moment when the minister of religion does not require to have a check is when they have occasional contact with children and don’t take part in their normal activities.