Children's Act 2014 requirements

If you are applying for admission to:

• An Initial Teacher Education programme (meaning any programme that prepares you to become a teacher for the first time)
• Bachelor of Social Work,
• Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling Theory,
• Master of Counselling and
• Master of Social Work Professional programme

you will be subject to safety checks under the Children's Act 2014.

A safety check includes (but is not limited to) a New Zealand Police vet and an assessment of the risk, if any, that the student would pose to the safety of children if employed or engaged as a children’s worker.

The University conducts these safety checks on behalf of the organisations in which students perform practical work over the course of their studies, and student safety check information (including the NZ Police vet) may be disclosed to these organisations.

Students enrolled in an Initial Teacher Education, Counselling or Social Work programme found to have been convicted of a specified offence (as listed in Schedule 2 of the Children's Act 2014) or otherwise assessed to pose an undue risk to the safety of children, you may not be permitted to perform the required practical work and so be unable to complete the programme. For more information, see the legislation Children's Act 2014.

If you have concerns about past convictions for specified offences or whether you could be assessed to pose an undue risk to the safety of children, you should notify us by emailing esc.manager@auckland.ac.nz.

The Criminal Records (Clean Slate) Act 2004 does not apply to Police vets conducted to perform safety checks of core children’s workers under the Children's Act 2014, even if it would normally permit that person to conceal their criminal convictions