IPPN

The main elements of this circular are:
Thorough recruitment procedures must always be followed and are an essential element of Child Protection practice. Vetting does not take the place of recruitment procedures, but is to be used as part of those procedures.

All teachers being appointed to teaching positions of any duration must be vetted prior to commencing employment unless they have already been vetted during the same or previous calendar year. This requirement to be vetted now includes teachers who are changing employment to other schools. Teachers who are seeking employment (including substitute work) and those who are likely to be changing employment(s) should apply to the Teaching Council at least 3 months in advance so that their vetting can be arranged in a timely manner.

All persons being appointed to non-teaching positions of any duration must be vetted prior to commencing employment unless they have already been vetted through the same registered organisation during the same or previous calendar year. In such cases, the relevant registered organisation (e.g. diocesan office, management body etc.) will provide the school authority with either the original vetting outcome or a certified copy of same.

Every effort must be made to complete the vetting process in advance of appointments being made. However, if this is not possible (for reasons outside the control of the school authority) then the prospective employee must confirm acceptance in writing that his/her appointment is subject to the satisfactory outcome of the vetting process.

As an additional safeguard, the child protection related Statutory Declaration must be provided by all persons being appointed to teaching and non-teaching positions of any duration. A Statutory Declaration is regarded as valid if made in the same or previous calendar year. In addition, the associated undertaking (which is specific to the employing school authority) must be signed by all persons prior to commencing employment of any duration.  For administrative ease, the department’s payroll appointment forms will incorporate this undertaking. However, for any appointment (teaching or non-teaching) that does not require completion of a payroll appointment form, the Form of Undertaking must be completed. A Form of Undertaking is regarded as valid for other appointments to the same school authority if signed within the same or previous calendar year.

This circular introduces vetting requirements for other persons (such as volunteers, sports coaches etc.) that have or may have unsupervised access to children or vulnerable adults.
Principals are required to acknowledge on OLCS that they have seen the above documents as completed by the teacher.