Employment Screening

Working with Children

At the University of South Australia, we are committed to providing a safe environment for our staff and students. We are compliant with the Children and Young People (Safety) Act 2017, and the Child Safety (Prohibited Persons) Act 2016. The South Australian Child Protection legislation requires the University to screen staff who occupy specific positions. At the time of creating a new position, or identifying the need to fill an existing position, the local area manager must identify whether the position is a prescribed position as defined under the Child Safety (Prohibited Persons) Act 2016. If a position is prescribed, you will be required to undergo a working with children check and obtain a clearance prior to commencement in the role.

A working with children check may comprise:

• A child related employment screening conducted by the Department of Human Services (DHS) Screening Unit;
• A national police check;
• An interstate working with children check
• A statutory declaration;
• Teacher registration.

These screening requirements apply to all current and prospective employees, volunteers, agents, contractors and sub-contractors of the University and the cost of obtaining a working with children check must be met by the candidate.

Prescribed position

A number of our positions are prescribed. The Child Safety (Prohibited Persons) Act 2016 defines a prescribed position to mean a position in which a person works, or is likely to work, with children; or any other position, or a position of a class, prescribed by the regulations for the purposes of this definition.

The Children’s Protection Regulations 2010 include the following as prescribed functions:

• Regular contact with children or working in close proximity to children on a regular basis, unless the contact or work is directly supervised at all times; or
• Supervision or management of persons in positions requiring or involving regular contact with children or working in close proximity to children on a regular basis; or
• Access to records relating to children in connection with health services, child protection services, education services, disability services and court orders and proceedings.

Regular contact implies contact that has a constant or definite pattern, or which recurs at short uniform intervals or on several occasions during short periods of time, such as a week.

There are some circumstances that a person entering a prescribed position at the University may be exempt from requiring an assessment. These include volunteers who are under 18 years of age and registered teachers.

A volunteer who is under 18 years of age is defined as a person who undertakes work for an event or activity that only takes place on no more than 10 consecutive days or not more than one day a month;

All staff must hold the appropriate DHS screening assessment before they start work in a prescribed position. This includes secondments and acting roles.

Validity

If you have a current Working with Children Check (WWCC), please be sure to identify this on your application and a member of the People, Talent and Culture team will verify the WWCC at the time an employment offer is made. Subject to verification by a Requesting Officer via the Registered Persons Search, you must provide your surname, date of birth, and the date and reference number of the WWCC in order for the Requesting Officer to conduct the search and verify the clearance.

Any new application for a WWCC must be initiated by an approved University staff member and the application will be commenced on your behalf at the time of offer.

The expiry date of the WWCC will be entered into the University records system. The expiry date will be three (3) years from the date of issue of a Department of Human Services or interstate WWCC, National Police Check, interstate Working With Children Check, or Statutory Declaration; and the end date specified on a Teacher Registration.

Overseas applicant

International candidates who have resided outside of Australia are required to complete a Statutory Declaration in a form approved by the University for a defined period of time after which time, you will be required to obtain the relevant Criminal History Assessment.