Safety checking children’s workers

As Mycare is a non-government organisation/business it is not legally covered by the safety checking requirements of the Vulnerable Children Act 2014 (VCA).

However we take many steps to safety check and vet all of our workers. We advise parents of children who will be leaving workers unattended to take further steps to safety check workers.

The VCA guidelines suggest that all individuals who will be working with children have:

• Their identity confirmed
• Have a police/convictions check
• Provide their work history for the past 5 years
• Undergo an interview
• Provide a referee 

What is already covered by Mycare

Mycare covers a number of these aspects in our general safety check of all workers:

• Police/convictions check
• Identity confirmation

What you can do as an organiser/parent

We encourage organisers/parents to take further precautions and actions to safety check any workers that will be left unsupervised with a child or with sole responsibility for a child. 

1. Conduct your own interview with any potential workers to.
2. Gather character and professional information from a referee. It is advised to gather referee opinions verbally rather than in written form. It is also advised to obtain a referee that is not a close friend or family member of the worker.
3. Ask the worker to provide their work history from approximately the previous 5 years.

Interview question guidelines suggested by the Ministry for Vulnerable Children Oranga Tamariki:

• Have any complaints been made in regards to your professional practice and how did you respond?
• What are your reasons for leaving previous jobs?
• Have you ever had to deal with the following situations, including the process and outcome? If not, what would you do?
  • A child or young person disclosed abuse
  • A child or young person was cheeky
  • A child or young person hit you
  • You discovered two young individuals fighting or engaged in inappropriate sexual behaviour
  • You discovered a child or young person with stolen property
  • A child or young person invited you to become involved in inappropriate intimate behaviour
  • A child or young person threatened to make a false allegation of abuse.

• How do you believe children should be disciplined?
• How do you feel being left alone with sole responsibility for the child?
• What rewarding experiences have you had working with children?
• What do you think constitutes professional practice when working with children?
• Why do you think you get along with children? Why do you think children like you?

What kind of relationship do you hope to develop with this child and family?