As you are aware, Free Volunteer Screening Checks are available from 1 November 2018. We attended a session recently with the screening unit to brief us on the process in the future.  This is great news for volunteers – in most Associations this will be coaches, officials, bench officials, team managers and volunteers. For the purpose of screening applications, a volunteer is defined as “a person who performs tasks for the relevant agency without monetary reward or other remuneration”.

SACBCI Member Protection Policy (which is currently under review due to the new process) has been developed in line with best practice and requires all people (over the age of 18) working with children, or in a venue where children are reguarly present, to obtain a DCSI Working with Children Clearance. It is the responsibility of each Association to ensure the people within their organisation (paid or volunteer) are appropriately screened as to their suitability to work with children, part of which is the DCSI process.

As previously advised, SACBCI recommends Associations start the DCSI process by:

1. Registering as an organisation on the DCSI portal to allow them to initiate a clearance application (Process Guide attached)
2. Determine who within the Association already has a valid clearance as many people may have one from other employment or volunteer roles (valid for 3 years)
3. Gather the data to begin initiating clearance applications (information within the guide)
4. Start the application for any paid positions as these won’t be affected by the volunteer changes

Please note the following regarding Police Checks and the transition to DCSI clearances

New legislation has been passed that requires all those working with children to now obtain a Working with Children clearance issued by DCSI. Police checks will no longer be a valid form to satisfy the child safe legislation.  Having said this, the regulations are yet to be enacted, those operating currently with police checks are not in breach of legislation. As it is predicted the regulations will be enacted in the coming months, SACBCI recommends that any new Association staff or volunteers obtain a DCSI clearance initially, and any staff or volunteer holding a police check that is due for renewal obtain a DCSI clearance.

We have been advised by some Associations that SA Police are refusing to sign Police Checks as a result of the change in legislation, the DCSI screening unit have confirmed this is an incorrect response to the change in the legislation as the regulation has not yet been enacted and they will be discussing the matter with SAPOL at the highest level.  In the interim we recommend the process outlined above.

SACBCI will continue to process and monitor staff and volunteers that work within the representative and development pathway for Police Checks and DCSI Clearances.

Please contact us should you require further clarification.

DCSI Process for Associations

DCSI Screening Unit information