WORKING WITH CHILDREN MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS

The Commission for Children and Young People Act 1998 requires employees, contractors and volunteers applying for child-related employment to disclose whether they are 'prohibited persons'.

DECLARATION

  1. NSW Department of Education and Training Appendix 4 Declaration - required for ALL placements in NSW Department of Education Schools/Services

    Students undertaking a professional experience placement in NSW Department of Education and Training Schools/Services must complete and lodge an Appendix 4 Declaration form at the placement School/Service Office prior to commencing each placement. School/Service staff will need to sight at least one form of photo identification, so students must ensure they take sufficient identifying documentation with them when lodging this form. Please note: a new Declaration form needs to be completed for each professional experience placement students undertake as part of their Education studies.

  2. Working with Children Check (Volunteer/Student) Declaration is required for ALL placements in NON NSW Government Schools/Services (eg. Catholic/Independent schools)

    Students undertaking a professional experience placement in NON Government Schools/Service must complete and lodge a NSW WORKING WITH CHILDREN CHECK - Volunteer/Student Declaration form at the placement School/Service Office prior to commencing each placement. School/Service staff will need to sight at least one form of photo identification, so students must ensure they take sufficient identifying documentation with them when lodging this form.

    Please note: a new Declaration form needs to be completed for each professional experience placement students undertake as part of their Education studies.

DECLARATION AND EMPLOYMENT SCREENING CONSENT

(Internship - Primary and Secondary programs only)

In addition to completing and lodging an Appendix 4 Declaration OR Working with Children Check Volunteer/Student Declaration form (refer above), students in the fourth year of their Education program who are undertaking a 50 day Internship must provide the Professional Experience Unit Office with an Appendix 2 Declaration and Employment Screening Consent form at least 10 weeks prior to the commencement of Internship. When lodging this form, please ensure you bring sufficient identifying documents to meet the required 100 point Proof of Identity. For a listing of acceptable documentation, please view the Proof of Identity Checklist. The completed form authorises the NSW Department of Education and Training to conduct a National Criminal Record Check and a Working with Children Check. The above form and supporting proof of identity documentation can be lodged at scheduled Professional Experience Unit collection times which will be advised by Internship Course Coordinator/s. If you are unable to attend one of these collection times, forms can be lodged at one of the following Professional Experience Unit Offices:

  • Callaghan Campus PEU, Room HA80, Hunter Building
  • Central Coast Campus PEU office located in room HO 1.30, Humanities Building
  • Port Macquarie Campus – Administration Building (A Block)


CHILD PROTECTION LECTURE/CERTIFICATE

Before students can attend any school experiences, they must attend a Child Protection Lecture and be issued a Child Protection Certificate. Dates and times for Child Protection lectures are provided on the General Notices and Information page. NSW Department of Education and Training Child Protection booklets (Protecting and Supporting Children and Young People and Responding to Allegations against Employees in the Area of Child Protection) can be accessed online:

Protecting and Supporting Children and Young People https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/policies/student_serv/child_protection/protsupp/PD20020072.shtml

Responding to Allegations against Employees in the Area of Child Protection https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/policies/staff/child_protect/alleg_emp/respondwoutdisc.pdf

Students are advised to read these booklets carefully after they have attended the Child Protection lecture.

After the Child Protection lecture, students will be posted a Child Protection Certificate. The Child Protection Certificate must be produced when students attend any school experience.

Students who fail to attend the Child Protection lecture will be required to make arrangements to undertake a Mastery Test (80% pass rate) by emailing David.Palmer@newcastle.edu.au. They will then be forwarded a Child Protection Certificate.

CONFIDENTIALITY UNDERTAKING

Students must complete a Confidentiality Undertaking in the first year of their program. The Confidentiality Undertaking form is provided to students at Child Protection lectures.

CHILD PROTECTION OUTSIDE NEW SOUTH WALES

If students have permission to undertake professional experience outside of New South Wales, they need to get their own criminal record check and child protection documents from that State's Department of Education. This documentation must be shown to their placement school and copies sent to the Professional Experience Unit prior to starting the placement.