Vulnerable Sector Check Policy

 In accordance with the policy of the Ministry of Education, all adults (employees, volunteers, and placement students over the age of 18 years) who have direct contact with the children under the Centre care will be required to provide a current Vulnerable Sector Check (VSC) conducted by a Police Force prior to interacting with the children. If the Check has not yet been completed and there is a need to hire the staff, start the placement or otherwise start interacting with children at the Centre (including people under the age of 18 who are not required to provide a VSC), these individuals are not to be left alone with the children and will be fully supervised until the VSC is completed and on file and it is required that the VSC be applied for as soon as reasonably possible. The length of time required to obtain a Vulnerable Sector Check needs to be justifiable. Vulnerable Sector Checks are to be original hard-copy or digital format. For the purposes of fulfilling these requirements, we may accept a True copy of a Vulnerable Sector Check ( A true copy of a police record check is a photocopy of the original police record check that is signed and dated by the licensee to confirm that the original document was reviewed), instead of the original except that; if more than six months but less than five years have passed since the day the check was performed, the volunteer or student must also provide an Offense Declaration that addresses the period since that day. An Offence Declaration is also obtained as soon as reasonable possible at any time an individual is convicted of an offence under the Criminal Code of Canada. Vulnerable Sector Checks will be kept in locked staff files and will be updated every five (5) years. For each of the 4 years between updated Vulnerable Sector Checks, individuals will sign a Criminal Offense Declaration or Attestation Form no later than 15 days after the annual anniversary date of the most recent offence declaration or attestation.