Author Archives: workerchecks

Anybody applying for a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check will be required to provide 4 documents to prove their identity, no matter which service they use. But we are often asked  -What if my identity documents are in different names? – Can I still compete a police check ?

The requirements for a National Police Check are coordinated by the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) and must be followed properly. The rules are in place to protect the identity of individuals and to prevent cases of fraud. If there are issues with your ID documents, you may be required to obtain new ones. One main cause of problems with identity documents is the names displayed. All details including names, must be accurate and consistent throughout.

What If My Documents Are In Different Names?

When you apply for a police check online, you must provide 4 identity documents to complete your application. All 4 of these documents must be in your primary name. However, sometimes your name may be different on documents. This could be from taking your partner’s name after marriage, or having your name changed for other reasons.

In this case, you will be required to provide an official marriage certificate, or a change of name certificate. This will verify that the names on the documents match to the same person, i.e. you.

You should ensure that you have access to the required certificates if your documents are in different names, as you will not be able to continue with the police check application until all the requirements are met.

It’s important to note that alternative spellings of your name, or any misspellings, punctuation or spaces can all affect your application and result in difficulties processing your police check.

Do I Need To Provide All My Names?

As part of an Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check , it is mandatory for you to provide some personal information to verify and confirm your identity. This information includes your legal names, as well as any previous names. For instance, if you are married and have taken your partner’s name, you will need to provide your maiden name. If you have had your name changed legally for any other reason, you will need to provide your previous names.

All names must be spelt correctly and consistently. If Worker Checks or the alternative NPC provider you have used believes any of the information you have given to be inaccurate, you will be contacted to discuss the problem.

What If I Have Had My Name Changed?

Many people change their name for different purposes, usually for personal reasons. Anybody can change their name officially by lodging a legal name change application, provided that it is not for fraudulent purposes. Following a successful application, you will receive a certificate documenting your name change.

If you have had your name changed and are applying for a National Police Check, you will need to provide a copy of the name change certificate to demonstrate that the different names in your ID documents belong to you.

How Do I Get a Name Change Certificate?

You will usually obtain a change of name certificate when you apply for a name to be changed legally. If for whatever reason you do not have access to the certificate, you should contact the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages. Each state and territory in Australia is responsible for the provision of certificates, so you should contact the relevant agency.

What If I Am Married?

If you are married in Australia and have taken the surname of your spouse, the names on your documents may still show your maiden name. When applying for a police check online with documents in different names due to marriage, you must provide an official marriage certificate.This proves your name change by marriage and will verify and protect your identity.

How Do I Get A Marriage Certificate?

If you have lost or misplaced your official marriage certificate, you can request a replacement certificate from the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages. You will need to apply through the website of the relevant state or territory in Australia.

What Is The Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages?

The Births, Deaths and Marriages Registry is a government agency which allows people to do the following:

• Register a birth, death or marriage
• Apply for a certificate
• Change names
• Search family history
• Register adoptions
• Register changes of sex or gender

Please note that the individual state and territory governments in Australia are responsible for the provision of certificates. You will need to contact the relevant authority. For more information, visit the Australian government website.

What If My Name Is Spelt Wrong?

An Australian Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check is an official document. For this reason, the contents of the National Police Certificate, including all personal information and identity documents must be fully correct.

It’s very important that you spend time checking your application carefully before you submit your online police check . You should check for any inconsistencies, typing errors and spelling mistakes throughout the form.

Any differences, no matter how minor can cause problems with your police check. This will cause delays and it cannot be determined how long you must wait for your national police clearance. Inconsistencies with formatting, spacing, hyphens, different spellings and more will be problematic. Please enter your information carefully.

What If An Alternative Spelling Of My Name Has Been Used?

If you receive your Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check and an alternative spelling of your name is printed, you must contact Worker Checks, or the relevant NPC provider as soon as possible. The identity requirements for a National Police Check are strict and in line with Australian government, and must be followed correctly at all times.

What Documents Do I Need?

Anybody who applies for an Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check needs to provide 4 ID documents. These include the following:

• 1 x Commencement Document
• 1 x Primary Document
• 2 x Secondary Documents

For a full list of suitable documents for each of the 4 categories mentioned above, visit the Police Check  Identity Frequently Asked Questions page on the Worker Checks website.

Why Do I Need To Provide a Selfie?

As well as the personal information and identity documents, you are also required to upload a selfie when completing your police check online.

The selfie is a method used to compare your appearance to the photograph in your identity document. This is another form of identity verification which is in place to verify and protect your identity, and to stop any other individual from claiming your details as their own.

The process for the selfie is as follows:

• Take a photo of yourself holding one form of photo ID, such as your passport or driver’s licence
• The photo is compared against the photo of you in your ID document, and cross checked electronically using automated tools
• The automated system will also recognise if the photo ID document has been altered in any way

What If I’ve Made a Mistake In My Application?

Once your police check has been submitted, you will need to wait for police clearance following a background check using the identity information you supplied. If you realise you have made a mistake in your application, or you believe there could be a mistake, you must contact the relevant agency you used to apply through immediately.

No matter how small the mistake, it is important to alert the relevant NPC provider to have it rectified. The sooner you get in touch, the sooner the mistake can be amended, and your application will be able to progress.

What Can I Do If I Don’t Have The Right Documents?

If you need to obtain a National Police Check, you have to supply the right documents as required in the application. Whichever provider you use, the documents and information required are exactly the same, as the requirements are set out by Australian government.

If you find that you do not have the right documents, you may need to apply for new documents from the relevant agencies. If you have the right documents but they have expired, you will need to obtain updated documents, as expired documents will not be accepted as part of your police check, with the exception of a passport expired under 2 years ago.

For problems relating to your name or names on documents, there may be an option to have them changed to the correct name. Contact us for any queries or concerns you have about documents and we will advise you the best possible way to move forward with your check.

Why Was My Document Not Accepted?

There are many reasons why a document you have given as part of your police check online may not be accepted. In these cases, the relevant agency will contact you directly using the email address or phone number you provided in your application. You will be informed of the problem, and advised and assisted in how to move forward with your Police Clearance. In some cases, there may be alternative documents which will be accepted.

One reason as to why a document will be rejected is because of issues with your name. If the document displays an abbreviation or alternative spelling of your name, this will be flagged as an inconsistency. Another possible reason for rejection is that the name on the document or any other personal information such as date of birth, may be displayed wrongly.

Other reasons for an unaccepted document can include the following:

• It is not written in English
• It is not an accepted form of ID
• It is expired/no longer valid or it has been cancelled
• It has been provided in the wrong category (each of the 3 categories – commencement, primary and secondary must have the correct type of document)

Why Do You Need My Documents?

All organisations and providers of Australian police checks must follow the strict application process for identity information. Each provider, including Worker Checks Pty Ltd, has a legal obligation to request and access your identity documents in order to verify your identity.

Every applicant must follow the same process and provide the right documents, or they will be unable to get a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check.

In certain situations, you may have special circumstances which warrant special provisions to be made if you cannot provide the required documents. If you believe you have a genuine reason or inability as to why you are unable to produce the documents, you should contact our customer service team for advice.

Please note, special circumstances are rare and will be reviewed carefully for accuracy. Lost, stolen or expired documents will not be accepted as valid reasons for special provisions.

Who Do I Contact For More Help?

For those who have applied for a National Police Check with Worker Checks, contact our customer service team via phone, email or using the online contact form.

For details, visit the Contact Us page.

Never has the Importance of Police Checks for employment screening been more prevalent. Employment screening during the recruitment process can be a lengthy task. Choosing who to hire and feeling comfortable about who you can trust is a big decision. For many companies, policies and procedures are in place to help streamline the recruitment process, and to find the best candidate for the job. Obtaining a criminal background check on potential new employees can help companies to make the right decision, and ensure that the likelihood of the candidate posing a threat is minimal.

Many employers use the police checking service as part of their risk assessment process. To eliminate risk or threat to any party, a police check can be issued as an important requirement for pre-employment screening.

The Importance of Police Checks For Employment Screening

A National Police Check plays a crucial role in the recruitment process for many employers and organisations. Essentially, an applicant for a job is usually a complete stranger to the employer. By requesting a police check, the identity of the applicant can be verified and confirmed. Any important police history information which may be relevant to the position will be disclosed in the form of a National Police Certificate. This allows the employer to make an informed decision before hiring the candidate.

While police checks are not necessary for all industries, as an employer or company you should be aware of whether or not a police check is suitable for the job in question, and whether adding national police clearance as a mandatory requirement will benefit the business in any way.

What Is a Police Check?

Firstly, it’s important to understand what a police check is. A National Police Check, also referred to as a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check, is a legal document in Australia coordinated by the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, and the accredited body serving as a NPC provider. It is a ‘point in time’ check which declares the police history of an individual after giving their consent, including previous convictions and any other information held in police records.

What Information Will a Police Check Include?

A National Police Check is obtained from using the personal details such as name, date of birth and gender to search police databases across Australia. The search will reveal criminal history kept on police records, if there is any. This information will then be released on a National Police Certificate following Spent Legislation policies and other considerations determined by each police agency individually.

The results of a criminal history check will show one of two results, either:

• No Disclosable Court Outcomes (NDCO) or
• Disclosable Court Outcomes (DCO)

What Are Disclosable Court Outcomes?

A Disclosable Court Outcomes result may include information relating to the following:

• Charges
• Convictions/sentences
• Penalties
• Court appearances
• Traffic offences
• Court orders
• Findings of guilt without conviction

Why Is a Police Check Important?

A police check is of great importance when it comes to employment screening. The main factor of importance is safety and security, but there are several other aspects as to why a police check is crucial for choosing the right candidate. There are also many benefits for an employer or company who require that a background check be performed when hiring new employees.

Protection and Security

The most important purpose behind a National Police Check for pre-employment screening is the most obvious one – for protection and safety. Hiring people you know are safe and trustworthy creates a safer working environment. The check serves to protect the employer, existing employees, clients, consumers, and vulnerable groups. As well as protecting people, a police check can help to protect company assets and private information, as well as prevent cases of fraud or other crimes of an economic nature.

After viewing the information disclosed in a National Police Certificate, the employer or recruiter can make an informed decision based on the police information available.

Safety

Safety should be a top priority for pre-employment screening. In some industries, the safety of all involved could be jeopardised by a missed opportunity to view an individual’s police history information.

The level of risk involved is dependent upon the job. In cases where the applicant seeks to work with children or vulnerable people, a more thorough check will be required.

Identity Verification

Another primary purpose of a Police Check Australia is to verify that the person applying for a position is really who they say they are. The police check requires identity documents and personal information from the applicant to validate their identity, as well as a photo ID and selfie for cross referencing. This process not only prevents the individual from others stealing their information and becoming a victim of fraud, but it assures the employer or company that the applicant’s information is accurate and true.

A National Criminal History Check can also confirm the education and employment history of an applicant which in turn helps to speed up the hiring process and verify the accuracy of the information provided.

Faster Hiring Procedure

By requesting a police check from individuals applying for an employment position, the hiring process can be much quicker. As an employer, rather than looking into the background of a candidate yourself or trying to gather information to confirm their application, a police check carried out by an accredited NPC provider will give you the important information you need to know. This saves time and ensures complete identity verification.

Professional Standards

Police checks offer a high standard of procedure for recruitment. Acquiring a criminal history check shows that the employer takes matters seriously when it comes to hiring staff, and screening is a professional way to find candidates who are both suitable and eligible for the position.

Reputation Protection

A reputable company name is important for growth, client satisfaction and trust. Adding Australian police checks to the requirements of a job application shows due diligence on behalf of the company. It is a proactive measure to avoid jeopardizing both the business and its people. Prioritising pre-employment screening shows care and concern toward all parties involved with the job and builds a strong reputation.

Reduce Time Wasting

Requesting a police check before the new employee starts work will prevent time being wasted further down the line. Any training should not be given until the new employee has successfully received national police clearance and eligibility for the role has been confirmed.

The applicant must be proven to be safe for work within the company and to minimise any threat to fellow employees, or any person or people the applicant will have access to within the job. This cuts out any time being wasted on training and preparing a new employee who has not yet been confirmed as suitable and safe for work, as the process would have to start over if the police clearance was unsuccessful.

Working With Children and Vulnerable People

When you apply for a police check online, you will be asked whether you are going to be working with children or vulnerable people. It is highly important that the police agencies know this information so that the correct legislation and spent conviction regimes are applied when conducting the check. Certain prior convictions or charges may be highly relevant to the job that the applicant is applying for, and this will determine if the information, if any, will be released in the results.

Working with children or vulnerable people will have an impact on the information presented in the document, as working with these groups poses a greater risk and a full assessment must be carried out. In some cases, the applicant may need another type of police check called a Working With Children Check.

What Is a Risk Assessment?

Police checks are obtained as part of a risk assessment for new employees. Each company will have its own measures and protocol in place for dealing with new members of staff for health and safety reasons. The level of risk involved is dependent on the position. Most pre-employment screening is conducted to ensure a safe environment for the most vulnerable groups in the community, including children, elderly people and people who have a disability.

A risk assessment is performed as an integral part of health and safety in the workplace. Different organisations and employers have their own safety procedures to follow, but all are designed to reduce the chance of injury, harm, fraud and other economic crimes, and many other risks which threaten the company and its people.

Does Every Employee Need a Police Check?

Depending on the industry and the organisation, not every new employee will require a National Police Check. Police checks are compulsory for many industries that work with the public and in care settings. Industries which regularly require a criminal background check are as follows:

• Community services
• Healthcare
• Medical care
• Childcare
• Education
• Government
• Defence
• Banking and finance
• GIG Economy Workers

How Does An Employee Obtain a Police Check?

To obtain a National Police Check for employment purposes, the employee can apply for a police check online using an accredited provider such as Worker Checks Pty Ltd. Many organisations use a preferred provider, so it is a good idea to check with your potential employer which service provider they would like you to use for your police check.

The process is easy if you read through the information thoroughly to ensure you have the correct identity documents and personal information that is needed.

The process can be completed in as little as 5 minutes, and involves entering your details such as name, gender, date and place of birth. Next you’ll need to provide 4 documents to verify your identity, as well as a selfie of yourself holding one format of photo identification.

What Rights Does The Employee Have?

Any candidate applying for a job is not legally required to volunteer information relating to their police history. If asked for information about their criminal background, they are not obligated to answer. However, the candidate is required to disclose criminal information held on their record if the job requirements specify that a police check is needed, usually in jobs working with children or vulnerable persons.

It can be useful for employers to provide an explanation as to why certain convictions and criminal history is relevant to a particular job. The requirement of a police check should be clearly stated in the job advertisement to give the candidate the opportunity to decide whether they would like to continue with their application.

I Am An Employer And I Want To Know More About Police Checks For Employee Screening. Who Do I Contact?

If you are an employer and wish to add a National Police Check to your job entry requirements, contact Worker Checks Pty Ltd for information about registering as an employer. You can also find more information on the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission website about how to get a check for your employees.

If you’ve been asked to apply for a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check as part of a job application process, you might be wondering whether it’s  possible to clear your criminal record. And, thanks to spent convictions legislation in place in regions across Australia, it is.

See below for information on how spent convictions legislation works and how it varies between different States and Territories.

Plus, find out more about how the national police checking (NPC) process works if you have spent convictions, how to dispute NPC results if your spent convictions show up on your certificate, and how long a certificate with unspent convictions is valid.

What types of convictions are in my Criminal Record?

There is spent convictions legislation in place in all Australian States and Territories. Simply put, this exists to automatically clear the criminal records of former offenders, meaning wiped or ‘spent’ convictions will not show up on their Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check certificates.

There are, however, certain terms and conditions to bear in mind as well as variations in the application of this legislation in different states.

For starters, convictions will become spent after different waiting periods in different areas of Australia. In addition, some convictions can never become spent, and there are circumstances under which even spent convictions will be disclosed in a check certificate.

How Long Before a Conviction Becomes Spent?

Generally speaking, a conviction becomes spent after 10 years if it was given when the offending person was an adult, or five years if the offender was a child at the point of conviction. However, these rules may vary depending on the region in which a person received their conviction.

In New South Wales (NSW), for example, a child’s conviction will be considered spent after just three years. Plus, some convictions in the region may be wiped early as the result of good behaviour. So, it is advised that you meet the conditions of your conviction if you want to apply for a police check NSW and receive a national police certificate with no listed convictions.

What Criminal Offences Will Never Become Spent?

In most States and Territories across Australia, sexual offences can never become spent, no matter how many years have passed since the date of conviction. As such, any sexual offences committed will always show up on an offender’s NPC certificate. In some instances, this is also the case when the offender was a minor at the time of conviction.

Additionally, convictions in Western Australia will not become spent automatically. Rather, those with convictions on their criminal record must apply for a spent conviction on the Western Australia government website.

Keep this in mind if you are applying for WA police clearance. If you fail to apply for a spent conviction in time, it may still be listed on your national police certificate.

Under What Circumstances Will My Spent Convictions Be Disclosed in an NPC?

Even if your convictions become spent, there are some instances in which they might still be disclosed on a national police certificate.

You may notice that, during the NPC application process, you are asked to provide information on the purpose of your national police check. If the reason you need a police certificate is any of the following, older convictions may still appear:

• Working with children.
• Working with the elderly.
• Working with disabled or otherwise vulnerable people.
• Working in immigration.
• Working as a commercial driver.
• Employment in a hospital.

To find out if older convictions are likely to be disclosed on your police certificate, refer to the police check legislation for your State or Territory.

What Information Does a Police Check Certificate Typically Include?

The primary purpose of a police check certificate is for employers to ascertain whether you have any convictions on your criminal record, particularly those that would make hiring you a risk either to the company or the people it serves. As such, every certificate will come back either with ‘disclosable outcomes’ or ‘no disclosable outcomes.’

Disclosable outcomes are the convictions that are listed on the certificate. If you have been charged for a crime but have not yet appeared in court, that charge may be included as well.

If your certificate has no disclosable outcomes, that most likely means you have no recorded convictions, or your convictions have become spent. Or, it could mean that any convictions found during your criminal record check were not considered relevant to the position you applied for.

Will Interstate Convictions Be Included on My National Police Certificate?

Yes, your national police certificate will list any relevant convictions from all States and Territories throughout Australia. Even when you apply for a regional (or state based) police check, police databases from all regions will be searched. In doing so, the information you provide can be matched with person of interest records across the country.

So, if a person were convicted of a crime in Brisbane, that conviction would still show up on their national police certificate if they applied for SA police check.

How Accurate Are National Police Checks?

As long as you enter the correct details upon application, the outcomes listed on your national police certificate should be accurate. However, even small mistakes in the spelling or spacing of the information you provide could result in an inaccurate search.

It is in your best interests to provide the right information when completing an NPC online application. That way, you can be sure you won’t receive a certificate that lists convictions that are not attributable to you.

If we have reason to believe that the information you provided is incorrect, we will contact you as soon as possible. We may be able to amend any mistakes for you before the police checking process begins. However, please note that we do reserve the right to reject applications that contain inadequate information.

What Personal Information Do I Have to Provide for My NPC Application?

For the first step of your police check online application, you will be asked to enter your name, contact details such as your email address and phone number, and information related to the purpose of your police check.

Then, after you pay your fees through the secure online platform, you will be prompted to provide the following additional details:

• Your gender.
• Your date of birth.
• Five years of address history.

Will My National Police Check Certificate Show Spent Convictions If My Identifying Documents Are in Different Names?

As well as your personal information, you also need to provide four types of identifying documentation. If you have recently changed your name and not had time to update your IDs, you will be required to include an official marriage certificate or change of name document in your application, too. This will help to prove the link between your former name and current name.

So, if you have convictions that only became spent following your legal name change, you don’t have to worry about those convictions showing up on your police clearance certificate. Any changes to your convictions will be acknowledged, whether or not you’ve had time to update your documents.

What Happens When I Submit My National Police Check Application If I Have Spent Convictions?

Once you have entered your details, uploaded your identifying documents, and paid your fees, you should be just about ready to submit your application. The process that follows is the same regardless of whether you have spent convictions, unspent convictions, or no convictions at all.

As soon as we receive an application, we check that the information provided is accurate before submitting it to the National Police Checking Service. There, they will search national and all regional criminal databases to see if there’s a match between the information you provided and persons of interest known to the authorities.

Before your results are returned to Worker Checks, they will be sent to a police agency. There, it will be determined what convictions (if any) will be included in your application. So, if you have spent convictions, this is the point at which that they will be struck from your certificate. The only exception is if your spent convictions are found to be relevant to the purpose of your application.

Will It Take Longer to Process a National Police Check If I Have Spent Convictions?

In most cases, it takes just one hour for an applicant to receive their certificate. However, in some instances, the process can be delayed for up to 15 days. This happens when the National Police Checking Service selects an application for further review.

It is not possible to predict whether your application will be selected for review because it can happen whether you have spent convictions or not.

Can I Dispute the Disclosable Outcomes on My National Police Certificate If I Have Spent Convictions?

If your national police certificate is returned to you with disclosable outcomes but you believe your convictions have become spent, it is possible to dispute your results. However, please bear in mind that if your certificate shows your spent convictions, there will most likely be a reason why.

Remember that there are certain exceptions to spent convictions legislation. These state that if your spent convictions are relevant to the purpose of your NPC application, they may still be included on your certificate.

Say, for example, that an applicant needs an NPC certificate for employment in a school. If that applicant has prior convictions for offences against children, it is highly likely those convictions will be disclosed, regardless of how long it has been since the offence occurred.

Still, if you would like to dispute your results, you should contact us as soon as possible. We will be able to liaise with the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission on your behalf.

Will I Need to Get a New National Criminal History Check If My Convictions Become Spent?

Any police check is a ‘point in time’ check. As such, the certificate you receive will be valid at the time of issue. It will only be considered invalid when the organisation that requested it asks you to renew or if the status of any of your conviction’s changes.

Therefore, you will be required to apply for a new national police certificate when your convictions become spent. It is likely to be of more benefit to you to produce a certificate with fewer or no disclosable outcomes.

Can I Still Get Hired If My Check Certificate Shows Unspent Convictions?

Having no disclosable outcomes is the desired result for most people who apply for a police check in Australia. However, having unspent convictions listed on your certificate does not necessarily mean you won’t get hired.

It’s worth bearing in mind, though, that not all organisations will ask you to complete a national police check. Those that do will quite likely have a good reason for not wanting to take on applicants with a criminal history. This is especially true of offenders whose convictions are considered to make them a higher risk to the people the organisation serves.

Are There Any Other Ways to Clean My Criminal Record in Australia?

No, the only way to clear your criminal record in the different States and Territories across Australia is for your convictions to become spent.

That being said, spent convictions legislation is applied slightly differently in the different regions of Australia. So, it’s worth reading up on the way spent convictions work where you are. The outcomes disclosed on an applicant’s NPC certificate may vary depending on whether they apply for a police check Vic, one in Queensland, or elsewhere in the country.

Police checks (Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Checks) are a common procedure in Australia for employment purposes. Many recruiters request a mandatory police check from candidates as part of the job entry process. This is mainly to verify the identity of the candidate, and to disclose important information regarding their police history which may affect their suitability for the role they apply for.

Australian police checks strengthen the employment screening process to protect the most vulnerable people in the community. By accessing the details of a person’s police background through a criminal record check, the organisation or employer can make an informed choice as to whether they post a threat to vulnerable persons. All applicants must be thoroughly assessed and approved for work in this sector.

Who Is Classified As A Vulnerable Person?

A vulnerable person refers to:

• Minors under the age of 18, i.e. a child or children
• A person over the age of 18 who is or may not be able to take care of themselves. This includes an inability to protect themselves against harm or exploitation.

In general terms, there are three groups of people in the community who are categorised as vulnerable persons. This includes children, the elderly and people with a disability. A National Police Check can be used for pre-employment screening for individuals working or seeking to work with any of these groups. There are also other types of checks which provide a more thorough screening for each group, such as Working With Children Checks and NDIS Worker Screening Checks.

What Makes A Person Vulnerable?

A person is classified as vulnerable if they are not completely capable of taking care of themselves, whether for physical or mental purposes. It could be for reasons of age, disability, physical or mental illness, trauma, or any other matter that makes a person less able to protect and care for themselves.

What Is The Vulnerable Sector?

The sector of industry which works with vulnerable people includes any type of setting where a level of care is provided. This includes the aged care sector, childcare and care for people with a disability.

People working in this sector are employed to support and care for the mental and physical wellbeing of people who cannot fully care for themselves.

Positions working with the vulnerable can include:

• Roles within Information and Technology services which handle sensitive information belonging to vulnerable people or where the employee has access to personal information
• Voluntary positions working in various community service industries such as mental health services, women’s services, homeless support, youth support, addiction support etc.
• Health professions such as doctor and nurse roles
• Carers, residential support workers and community support workers
• Any child-related employment, including health, education, child welfare, entertainment and religious sectors

What Requirements Are Needed To Work With The Vulnerable?

The main requirement needed for undertaking work with vulnerable groups is a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check.This not only determines that the person does not have any prior convictions, but confirms that the person is who they claim to be.

An individual cannot partake in work, whether employed or voluntary, with vulnerable people without obtaining national Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check.

Who Cannot Work With The Vulnerable?

Following the disclosure of a person’s criminal record check on a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check, the information will be assessed.

Having a criminal record does not definitely exclude you from working with vulnerable people. However, this is highly dependent upon the offences committed, and the role which you apply for. Each case is assessed individually by police authorities and many aspects are taken into consideration during the review. For example, this could include how long ago the offence happened, the nature of the offence, how relevant it is to the role, and the type and level of contact that the applicant will have with the vulnerable person.

Some prior convictions which include serious crimes will immediately prevent the person from working with vulnerable people. This typically includes murder, assault, sex crimes and cruelty to children.

It is the responsibility of the police agencies across Australia to ensure the disclosure of important criminal history on a National Police Certificate so that employers are made aware before hiring any individual.

Why Is A Police Check Important?

A police check is crucial for industries working with vulnerable groups whether children, the elderly or disabled persons. This is because the organisation must know who they are hiring and carry out a full risk assessment based on the individual’s background check. Mandatory police clearance strengthens the screening process to prioritise the safety and protection of those with a vulnerability.

A Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check is highly common for pre-employment processes. Putting and keeping the vulnerable in safe hands is a top priority for police check requirements. Only fully screened and approved individuals should be given access to work with vulnerable people to ensure the best possible level of service and protection to those who need it.

The background check will reveal any prior offences committed by the employee/potential employee which will be reviewed to determine if these prior crimes could put vulnerable people in their care at risk.

Caring for vulnerable people is a serious profession, and a police check is vital for this industry.

What Protective Measures Are In Place?

When a person applies for a job working with vulnerable people, they are required to submit a police check for safety measures. Every National Police Check requires 4 identity documents and some personal information including names, date and place of birth, and 5 year residential address history. The document requirement is in place to better confirm and validate the person’s identity while checking for consistency in the person’s information.

When applying for a police check online, the applicant will be asked to confirm whether they are going to be working with children or vulnerable people. This gives the police agencies a better understanding of the importance of the criminal background check, and allows the application to be assessed correctly using the right protocol.

The authorities will then use spent convictions legislation and other relevant policies to determine the potential level of risk from the individual. The screening will review any patterns in behaviour, one-off offences, or crimes which could be linked to or have an impact on vulnerable persons.

There are other types of checks which are targeted to specific industries within the vulnerable care sector, including Working with Children Checks and NDIS Worker Checks for those working with people who are living with a disability.

Working With Children Checks

The Working With Children Check in Australia is another type of police check for screening people who work or seek to work with children, including volunteers. While each Australian state and territory has its own measures in place, Working with Children Checks are mandatory across Australia to ensure safe environments for children.

People who may require a this type of check include anybody applying for child-related work, such as the following:

• Accommodation services
• Child protection
• Child-minding
• Coaching, clubs and sports
• Education
• Child health
• Child transport services
• Religious organisations

NDIS Worker Screening Checks

An NDIS Worker Screening Check is the assessment of an individual who works with, or applies to work with people with disability. This is different to a National Police Check in that it is more thorough, and is targeted directly to those who seek to work in disability services.

The assessment clarifies if the individual could be harmful to the disabled persons, or pose any sort of risk to them. This will prevent unsuitable candidates from being employed in certain roles that work closely with people with disability.

More information on NDIS Worker Screening Checks can be found on the website of the NDIS Commission.

Working With Vulnerable People Registration

The Working with Vulnerable People Registration is another type of check for individuals working with vulnerable groups. This is an assessment which is ongoing to ensure the eligibility of the individual employed or volunteering in a vulnerable persons environment.

Unlike the National Police Check which is a point in time check, the Working with Vulnerable People Registration is ongoing, performing regular reviews of a person’s criminal history or any other police related information. Whether or not you need this type of check is dependent on the legislation of different states and territories in Australia.

Spent Convictions Scheme

The general aim behind spent convictions legislation is to stop individuals from being judged by certain older, previous convictions by limiting the disclosure of such offences following a period of good behaviour. This is the case where convictions are less serious, or were committed a long time ago when the individual was a youth.

Under Commonwealth law, the spent convictions scheme is usually passed after a 10 year period if the offender has continued with good behaviour and has not reoffended in this time.

In many cases, individuals with spent convictions who apply for jobs working with vulnerable groups will have their full police history disclosed, no matter how long ago the offence took place.

How Long Is A Police Check Valid For?

A National Police Check is valid at the date of issue, which means the certificate only reports on offences up to this date. This is called a point in time check. While a national police certificate does not officially expire, organisations and employers must decide how often they require an updated check, and whether it is satisfactory to accept an old check.

How To Get A Check

A National Police Check can be obtained by applying for a police check online with an ACIC accredited NPC provider such as Worker Checks.

Some organisations will have their own protocol for obtaining a police check and will use particular providers. You should check this when applying for a job, but it is usually referenced in the job advertisement.

Your organisation or potential employer should inform you of any other types of police check you may need, such as checks for working in the childcare or disability sector. Organisations often use police checks as part of their own investigation into candidates, but some roles are required by law to include certain types of checks, such as Working with Children Checks and NDIS Worker Screening Checks.

How Police Checks Protect The Vulnerable

Police checks work as a proactive measure to prevent danger or harm coming to the people in society who are more vulnerable. By conducting a police check during the employment process before an individual begins working in the industry, the employer or organisation is informed of important information which may affect the decision as to whether the person applying for the role poses a risk.

People working with the vulnerable populations must be of good character, and not have any prior convictions or charges which could jeopardize the safety of the person or people under their care.

All organisations in the vulnerable care industry must ensure proper protocol is followed and measures are taken to keep those most at risk in the safest environment.

Police checks are common practice for many industries across Australia, with thousands of citizens applying for national police clearance every year.

The National Police Checking Service will always endeavour to complete and return a police check application as soon as possible, but in some cases the process is delayed. There are multiple reasons as to why this may be. Here is everything you need to know about delayed police checks in Australia.

What Is The Process For A Police Check?

The process for a police check is quite simple. In this case, a police check refers to a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check, which is also called a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check.

The applicant can apply manually, or complete a police check online with a registered provider such as Worker Checks, who will handle the process for you once you submit your application.

After submitting your application, the process is as follows:

• Your application will be reviewed for accuracy and consistency with the information you have provided, as well as identity documents provided
• If all is well, you are required to give your consent to have your information passed on to the National Police Checking Service, who will search the national database for matches to Persons of Interest
• If your information matches with an existing Persons of Interest record, the Police History Information records will be searched next. This step clarifies which information, if any, will be disclosed in your police check.
• The results of the police check are returned to the NPC provider handling your application and they will be made accessible to you in a document called a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check
  

Where Does My Information Go?

The information provided on your application for a police check online is first assessed by the accredited NPC provider you have chosen to use, such as Worker Checks. Once the provider is satisfied with the information received, it is given to the National Police Checking Service for further review. This service is used by police agencies across all states and territories of Australia.

How Long Does A Police Check Take?

Different providers of police checks have different timeframes for results. Generally, the process is completed within 1 hour. This applies to most applicants with a 70% success rate. The remaining 30% are delayed for various reasons, most commonly for further review. A delay could mean waiting up to 15 business days for the results of your criminal record check to be returned.

For this reason, you should complete an online police check as soon as possible should you require one.

Why Is My Check Taking So Long?

Police checks are performed by computer systems which run your name and details through police databases in search of a match. This generates an automatic pairing with police history records. This can be a speedy process for many applications, but for others it can be more complex. If the computer is unable to generate a result with certainty, your application may require manual processing.

Manual processing is when your application must be checked and assessed manually, by police authorities. This can be a timely process, and will add more time onto the process.

If a match is found on the database, or your name and details match another person of interest, it will be flagged for further review. A true match must be confirmed, and the computer system is not always able to confirm this conclusively, so people are needed to investigate the matter by hand.