Criminal Reference Check with Vulnerable Sector Screen Policy

 

Campus Child Care Co-operative of Guelph Inc. requires that all employees, students and volunteers must obtain a vulnerable sector screening check which includes a criminal reference check prior to commencing employment and interacting with the children.  The Executive Director or Supervisor must see the original document, and will keep a copy in the individual’s file.

Under the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014 (CCEY), all  individuals in full-time or part-time employment, volunteer positions and student placements will be required to complete an annual Criminal Offence Declaration (COD) and updates to the Vulnerable Sector Screening (VSS) every five years.  The Criminal Offence Declaration (COD) is to be signed by all individuals and submitted to the Executive Director/Supervisor annually no later than 15 days after the anniversary date of the previous VSS or COD.   A false declaration may be grounds for dismissal. 

  • The Vulnerable Sector Screening must be conducted by a police force.  Third party companies conducting criminal reference checks are not permitted.  Any payment required will be the responsibility of the applicant.  To be acceptable, a Criminal Reference Check with Vulnerable Sector Screen must be dated no earlier than three months prior to the date it is submitted to CCCCG by the applicant (current within 90 days).

Exclusion of Applicants

Campus Child Care Co-operative of Guelph understands its obligation to the Ontario Human Rights Code, which prohibits discrimination against an individual for purposes of employment by reason of a pardoned Criminal Code conviction or a standing conviction for a provincial offence.  The centre will not discriminate against an individual in this situation , unless there is a bona fide reason related explicitly to the position being applied for, and with due consideration given to the need to accommodate applicants where possible.

 Individuals with the following outstanding Criminal Code convictions shall not be permitted to provide child care, including:

  • Sexual interference
  • Child pornography
  • Duty of persons to provide necessities (child neglect)
  • Murder
  • Infanticide

 Or if the individual has been found guilty of Professional misconduct under the Early Childhood Educators Act where the individuals membership to the College of ECEs has been revoked and not readmitted or reissued; or the individual’s authority to practice has been restricted in any way.

Confidentiality

To guard the confidentiality of personal information, the following policies will apply:

  1. A copy of the Vulnerable Sector Screening will be kept in the individual’s personnel file in a locked cabinet for the duration of the applicant’s employment with Campus Child Care Co-operative and only accessible by Management.
  2. All copies of Vulnerable Sector Screening of unsuccessful applicants will be immediately destroyed.
  3. All copies of Vulnerable Sector Screening for staff no longer employed or students/volunteers, whose placement has ceased, will be kept on file for 5 years and then destroyed. 

High School Students

Photocopied CRC from students coming from a recognized institution are permitted. 

Conditional Employment

Conditional job offers may be necessary during the time it takes to obtain the VSS.  Individuals that produce a receipt for their VSS may be allowed to start their position or volunteer immediately.  These individuals will at no time be permitted to be alone with the children until the VSS has been reviewed by the Executive Director/Supervisor.   If within four weeks from the date on the Vulnerable Sector Screening receipt, a copy of the original VSS has not been submitted to the Executive Director/Supervisor, privileges will be severed until a VSS has been produced.