The VCA guide helps you navigate the requirements of the Act. It brings together a range of information and resources already published and complements the advice and guidelines produced by the Children’s Action Plan.
- Download the VCA Guide in full
- Quickdownload of the resources within the VCA Guide
- Child protection policies
- Safety checking
- Safety checking people in your service or school
- Safety checking steps
- Further information
Quick download of the resources within the VCA Guide
- Overview of the p.12 Planning Tool
- VCA Scope of the Standard Safety Checking Environment - p.16
- Relieving teachers - p.20
- Trainees on practicum - p.23
- What checks do I need to undertake for adults coming onto my school? - p.27
- Safety checking for new and existing employees - p.35
Child Protection Policies
From 1 July 2016 all schools and kura need to have a child protection policy in place.
Child protection policies encourage early identification and referral of suspected child abuse or neglect. They also help build a strong culture of child protection in your school or kura.
Key requirements of a child protection policy
- It needs to be written down and in use.
- Say how suspected neglect and abuse will be identified and reported.
- Be reviewed every 3 years.
- Available on school websites or on request.
Go to the Child Protection Policies in the VCA Guide
Safety Checking
All children’s workers need to be safety checked every 3 years. This includes both staff employed and staff engaged in your school or kura, whose work involves regular or overnight contact with children. They are classified as either core workers or non core workers.
Core workers
Core workers are either in sole charge or have primary responsibility or authority over the child or children in their care. Schools and kura are now unable to employ a core worker who has a specified criminal conviction unless they hold a Core Worker Exemption (CWE).
Go to Information on The Workforce Restriction and the Core Worker Exemption (on the Children's Action Plan website)
| Timeframes | Key requirements |
|---|---|
| From 1 July 2015 | Safety checking of all newcore workers (even if they are not new to the employer but are newly appointed to a children’s worker role) must be safety checked before they start in the role. |
| By 1 July 2018 | Safety checking of all existing core workers |
Non-core workers
Non-core workers have regular but limited child contact and are never alone with children.
| Timeframes | Key requirements |
|---|---|
| From 1 July 2016 | Safety checking of all new non-core workers before they are appointed to the role |
| By 1 July 2019 | Safety checking of all existing non- core workers |
Safety checking people in your service or school
What checks you need to do on people in your Service or school (in the VCA Guide)
Safety checking steps
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Go to the workforce restriction and the core worker exemption p 36 of the VCA guide
| Timeframes | Key requirements |
|---|---|
| From 1 July 2015 | Safety checking of all newcore workers (even if they are not new to the employer but are newly appointed to a children’s worker role) must be safety checked before they start in the role. |
| By 1 July 2018 | Safety checking of all existing core workers |
Go to Information on The Workforce Restriction and the Core Worker Exemption (on the Children's Action Plan website)
Non-core workers
Non-core workers have regular but limited child contact and are never alone with children.
| Timeframes | Key requirements |
|---|---|
| From 1 July 2016 | Safety checking of all new non-core workers before they are appointed to the role |
| By 1 July 2019 | Safety checking of all existing non- core workers |
Safety checking people in your service or school
- What checks you need to do on people in your Service or school (in the VCA Guide)
Safety checking steps
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