Police Vetting

Rationale

God expects adults to be role models and the carers and protectors of children.  He is clear that only those who maintain the highest standards are fit to lead and work with children.  To this end, the school aims to protect children from those who may wilfully hurt them and ensure that those with whom children will have close association are those who have maintained a high standard of behaviour.

Operating Intention

1. To maintain an environment in which school children have reasonable protection from individuals who may cause them harm or distress.

2. To comply with legislation on employment of staff in schools.

Operating Guidelines

1. Teachers and those with Limited Authority to teach are vetted every three years as part of the renewal of their registration with the Teaching Council of Aotearoa.

2. Support staff must be police vetted by the school as part of the appointment process. Appointment is subject to a clear vetting report from the Police. They must then be police vetted every three years.

3. Every contractor (and their employees), who work at the school during school hours is expected to be police vetted every three years. It is the responsibility of the school to action.

4.  It is school policy for volunteers at this school to be vetted if they are in a situation that requires them to be left alone with children for more than thirty minutes. This includes parents who accompany students on overnight camps.

5. The school will ensure that strict confidentiality is observed (s78 CB [3]). The only staff member who will read the police vet is the Principal (the “requestor”). The Principal will ensure that the subject of the police vet receives a copy of his/her police vetting and asks the subject to validate the information in the vet if there is anything incorrect or adverse. The subject must be given a reasonable opportunity to validate the information before the Principal can take adverse action.

Vetting Procedures

Support Staff

1. Information on support staff positions that is sent to candidates will include information about the requirements of police vetting. Candidates will have to acknowledge that they received and understood these requirements.

2. When the decision has been made to employ a person they will be asked to complete the details found on the Police Vetting form. The school will complete all details online via the NZ Police Vetting Website.

3. Staff will be unable to commence work until there is a clear report from the vetting.

4. ONLY the “requestor” – the Principal – will open the returned information.

5. If the vetting is “clear” the Principal will note the vetting in the Personal File of the staff member and take no further action until the three years is up.

6. If the vetting indicates something amiss the principal will give a copy of the police vetting to the applicant who will be asked to validate the information. That is, provide proof that the information is wrong. The person will be given a reasonable period of time to do this. Two weeks is considered a reasonable time. The applicant should be in regular contact with the principal to indicate progress is being made.  If the applicant cannot disprove the police vetting, the Principal will inform the candidate that their appointment has been put aside in favour of the next applicant.

Contractors

1. Contractors will be informed that they and any employee who will be working at the school during school hours will be required to be police vetted and that the cost shall be borne by the contractor.

2. The contractor and employees shall complete the details on the form. Contractors who refuse to complete this shall either not be used on school business during school hours or not be used at all at the Principal’s discretion. Employees who refuse will not be used at the school. The contractor will ensure this procedure is followed.

3. The school shall complete their part of the form and send the form to the Police with the contractor’s cheque – if payment is required.

4. ONLY the “requestor” – the Principal – will open the returned information.

5. If the vetting is “clear” the Principal will advise the contractor accordingly and that person will inform his/her employees.

6. If the vetting is adverse the principal will give a copy of the police vet to the person who has “failed” the vetting (not necessarily to the contractor as the employer) and ask him / her to validate the information. The person will be given a reasonable period of time to do this, say, two weeks. The person should be in regular contact with the principal to indicate progress is being made.

7. If that person cannot disprove the police vetting, the Principal will then inform that person, and his / her employer, that he / she cannot work at the school. No details need be given to the employers.

8. Contractors will need to complete the Health and Safety Contract before they begin work.

Volunteers

1. Volunteers, where necessary, will be vetted. They will be vetted if they are in a situation that requires them to be left alone with children for more than thirty minutes - a period of “vulnerability” or a “window of opportunity”.

2. Very clear, simple information sheets will be sent to all volunteers so they understand the need and process of police vetting. These sheets will detail what would be deemed unacceptable offences so those individuals who erred in youth with minor offences will not be unnecessarily alarmed.

3. ONLY the requestor – the Principal – will open the returned information.

4. If the vetting is “clear” the Principal will take no further action until the three years is up.

5. If the vetting indicates something is amiss the principal will inform the volunteer and discuss that person’s options: either to provide proof that the information is wrong or to withdraw from their school activity. If the volunteer opts to prove the information is wrong, the volunteer may have a reasonable period of time to do this, say, two weeks.

6. If that person cannot disprove the police vetting, the Principal will refuse the individual access to the school and its programme.