Background checks on people working primarily with children
Parents and guardians must give consent to their child's employer to conduct a background check.
Students will require a background check if they are working primarily with young children.
In NSW it is mandatory for an employer to request a background check on preferred applicants for paid child-related employment. This check must be undertaken with the consent of the applicant, and before they start work. If your child is working in some areas, eg running parties for children, or coaching sport, a background check must be undertaken.
Child-related employment is employment:
- in the work settings listed below; and
- that primarily involves contact with children; and
- that involves direct contact with children; and
- where that contact is not directly supervised by a person having the capacity to direct the employee in the course of the employment.
All four criteria must be satisfied for the position to be child-related employment.
Work Settings include:
- pre-schools, kindergartens, child care settings
- babysitter arranged by a commercial agency
- schools or other educational institutions (not universities)
- In clubs, associations, movements, societies, institutions or other bodies (including bodies of a cultural, recreational or sporting nature) having a significant child membership or involvement
- In entertainment venues where the clientele is primarily children
- At overnight camps for children
The list above is not exhaustive, but includes some settings where school or TAFE students may commonly be working.
The full list of requirements can be found at the site of the NSW Commission for Children and Young People:
http://www.kids.nsw.gov.au/director/check/employerguidelines/child-related.cfm#1_1
Also at that site can be found the relevant documents for employers to request a check, and for potential employees (or their parents/carers) to sign consenting to a background check. It includes a step-by-step guide for employers.