YOUTH and CHILD PROTECTION.
Child protection must be foremost in our consideration. It is essential that we be aware of our responsibilities under State and Federal law.
District Child Protection Officer:
PP Dr. Felicity Wivell, Central Launceston
(H) 6334 1583 (B) 6331 1088District Certification & Police Checks Officers:
Paul and Judy Billett South Launceston
(H) 6331 4398 (M) 0419 393 264 pabillett@gmail.com judy.billett@gmail.comDistrict Youth Protection Officer and Police Checks
Raises awareness of risk management issues for youth programs and ensures that district, clubs, and all program volunteers comply with RI and district abuse and harassment policies. The first point of contact in the District should any Rotarian receive an allegation of abuse or harassment.
All Rotarians are encouraged to have a police Check.
Procedure for Club Police Checks (Details updated 22 July 2010)
Appoint a Club Protection Officer whose duties are
- Distribute the application forms with the Rotary addresses on it (downloaded here)
- Co-ordinate the collection of Police check forms
- Ensure all relevant identifying documents are attached
Three (3) copies of identifying documents (drivers licence, passport etc) are required
- Ensure the applicants signature has been witnessed
- Ensure all Criminal Record Application forms are signed (on the bottom of the second page) by a District Identifier
Kevin Shadbolt, Lew Pretorius, Terry Lobban or Paul Grubb
- Send the completed Criminal Record Application forms along with a club cheque for $5 each for each National Record Check to the address given on the second page
You can condense the last two steps by forwarding the completed forms, a club cheque for $5 each and a stamped addressed (to Criminal History services) envelope to the district identifiers, who will forward them on to the police.
There is no need to send application forms to the District Protection Officer
Completed checks will be received by the District Protection Officer, vetted, copied, recorded and sent individually to their owner. The club secretary will be notified of those members who have satisfactory checks
Police Checks need to be repeated every 3 years
The District Protection Officer will accept written proof of police checks performed for other organisations Please send copies of such proof
Police checks which have not been vetted (which means viewed) by the District Protection Officer cannot be accepted for the purposes of Rotary activities
If clubs would like to know the current number and date of members police checks please contact Felicity Wivell fwivell@bigpond.com
Insurance
From July 2006, Certification came into place. RI no longer covered YEP insurance against molestation; the existing cover was for $1million with an excess of $50,000 payable by the District which was at liability. At the 2006 National Conference of YEP, the 23 Districts participating in the YEP programme agreed to set up a fund to cover the excess. This amounted to $2,200 per annum from each participating District. The figure of $50,000 has now been reduced to $25,000.
Any Rotarian or Rotary volunteer, who is not policed checked, in the event of litigation, is not insured. This means that the District will not have claim to the National Insurance policy, and your Club will be liable for the $25,000 excess, not District 9830.
The police say that a police check is only good for 5 minutes! But, police checks are part of certification insurance.
The information is sent to PP Dr F Wivell, District Protection Officer. She is the only person privy to the forms. She will approve the record. She holds copies of all the police checks and will return the originals directly to their owners. She will then inform the club secretary of those members with satisfactory police checks.
People who choose not to have police checks are still entitled to remain a Rotarian, but must not have any direct contact with any person under the age of 18 years, GSE team members, the disabled, elderly or any other vulnerable people.
Completion
Clubs should remember the following procedures when completing forms;
It is suggested that prospective new members need to be police checked before joining your Club. However, if the Club prefers to carry out a police check after the new member is inducted, the new member must be made aware of the police check requirement for members. To be police checked before becoming a member saves any embarrassment and the cost of forming a new membership.
At least 1/3 of Club members are required to be checked to enable Clubs to cover their Youth Activities. 100% would be better!
The more partners checked, the better.
The District requires re-checks every three years.
The checks are National; existing Police checks are OK but you must send Felicity a copy and don't forget to tell her your Rotary Club.
Dr F Wivell
165 Elphin Road
LAUNCESTON 7250
• Police Forms can be downloaded here
• Any questions contact
District Certification & Police Checks Officers:
Paul and Judy Billett South Launceston
(H) 6331 4398 (M) 0419 393 264 pabillett@gmail.com judy.billett@gmail.com
Briefly, the reason for Police Checks is in order to remain part of a National insurance cover which is in place covering Rotarians and other police checked volunteers.
District 9830 Code of Practice for dealing with youth people
