Recruitment police checks in Australia

Social workers in Australia provide support and assistance to individuals, families, and communities facing various challenges and difficulties, such as poverty, mental health issues, and family conflict. They help people to overcome these challenges, improve their quality of life, and achieve their goals. Social workers in Australia may work in various settings, such as hospitals, schools, community organisations and government agencies.

To become a social worker in Australia, you must complete a relevant tertiary education degree and meet the registration requirements set by the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW), which may include completing supervised practice hours and passing a national accreditation process. You also need to pass a police check for most social work employment positions in Australia.

A police check in Australia, also known as a nationally coordinated criminal history check (NCCHC), is a background check that provides information about an individual's disclosable criminal history. Decision makers use it to assess an applicant's suitability for a job or other activities that involve working within the community. The police check includes searching state and territory police databases to uncover criminal convictions, charges, and pending charges.

Given the nature of their work, social workers often interact with vulnerable populations or have access to confidential information about their clients. As such, it is important that social workers do not have disqualifying offences and can be deemed to perform their duties ethically and professionally.

A police check is one method that can be used to assess an individual's suitability for a role as a social worker. It provides information about an individual's disclosable criminal history, including convictions, charges, or pending charges. The police check helps to verify that the individual seeking to become a social worker does not have a history of criminal behaviour that may pose a risk to clients.

In addition to being a requirement for registration and accreditation with the AASW, some employers may also require their social workers to undergo regular police checks as part of their employment screening process. This helps the employer to ensure the ongoing suitability of their employees to work in positions of trust and to provide a safe environment for clients.

Overall, the purpose of a nationally coordinated criminal history check for social workers in Australia is to ensure the protection and safety of clients and to verify that social workers have a clean criminal record and are suitable to perform their duties ethically and professionally.

The ACIC coordinates police checks in Australia with input from accredited bodies and police agencies. Here are the steps to get a police check for social work in Australia:

You can apply for the police check through a police agency or an accredited body like Australian National Character Check (ANCC). This process is usually online and you must fill out a form with information. Moreover, for a NCCHC you will be asked to upload four identification documents, including:

• ✔ One commencement of ID document
• ✔ One primary use in the community document
• ✔ Two secondary use in the community documents
• ✔ A biometric link which links the applicant to the claimed identity (e.g. a selfie with the given instructions)

The background check application fee varies depending on the provider you're using.

After applying, the police agency or accredited body looks through your documents to confirm your identity. After that, they send your application details to the National Police Checking Service Support System (NSS)

The system runs a name-matching algorithm to find a potential criminal match based on the applicant's details. The system instantly returns a 'no disclosable court outcome (NDCO)' if it doesn't find one. If it does, it sends it to the appropriate police agency for manual review. Here, the police agency ensures that the criminal record belongs to the applicant. If that's the case, they then apply the spent conviction scheme to determine which criminal records are relevant before sending the final result to the requesting body.

Once the police agency or accredited body receives the result, they typically inform the applicant.

70% of police check results are returned immediately if the system finds no potential match. The other 30% are referred for manual review, which can sometimes take longer than 15 days.

Various providers set different rates. For instance, ANCC charges $52.90 + GST as the base cost for a police check.

Police checks do not have a set expiry as they are a point-in-time check. However, different organisations set acceptable timeframes based on operational requirements and risk or legislative assessment.

There may be specific requirements for social workers regarding police checks, depending on the employing organisation and the work they will be performing. It's best to check with your employer for any specific requirements, particularly if there are any legislative requirements.

ANCC is Australia's leading provider, providing fast and efficient background checks for different purposes, including social work employment. Our service is available to individuals and businesses through our platforms.

Are you a social worker looking to get a police check? ANCC's portal is a suitable platform to apply, track, and get your police check efficiently and affordably.

Are you a hiring manager in the social work sector? ANCC's business portal makes bulk background checks for employers easy. Approved organisations can order, manage and track multiple police checks in real-time, ensuring you make sound hiring decisions. Speak with our business team today.