If you're applying for undergraduate courses in the general areas of education, health, humanities and social sciences, and science, be aware that many of these areas of employment require practitioners to have a police clearance. As a student, external placement, clinical practice or practicum involving contact with the public may be part of your course. External agencies, such as government departments, non-government agencies and hospitals, may require you to obtain a police clearance prior to an external placement, clinical practice or practicum. External agencies can vary their requirements at any time and may not always advise the universities of changes.

A criminal record may not necessarily prevent you from completing your placement. However, serious crimes:

• of a violent or sexual nature, or
• where the victim was under 18 years of age or elderly, or
• for dealing or trafficking in drugs, or
• involving fraud, or
• any offence which results in a jail sentence,

may make you unsuitable for employment and/or provision of services to clients.

Be aware that if you apply for a police clearance this information may be placed on a national database and made available to other authorities (if it is of a sexual or child related nature).

The university concerned will provide you with further details about obtaining the relevant police clearance, either upon enrolment or included with your offer of a place. You should apply promptly for a police clearance as your application may take time to be processed.

While external agencies' requirements can sometimes change without notice, at this time the universities are aware that a police clearance may be required from students enrolling in the following fields of study:

• Education: Teaching
• Humanities and Social Sciences: Children and Family Studies, Psychology, Social Work, Welfare Studies, Youth Work
• Health: Chiropractic Science, Dentistry, Health Sciences and Technologies, Medical Sciences, Medicine, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Podiatric Medicine, Rehabilitation Studies.

The Department of Education and Department of Health have their own screening programs. Contact the relevant Department for the course(s) in which you're interested.

Education related disciplines:
Contact the Department of Education Screening Unit
Telephone: (08) 9264 4477
Email: screening@education.wa.edu.au

NOTE: The Department of Education has its own 'CrimTrac' police clearance system. Application is made online. Please also be aware of the provisions of the Working with Children Act.

Health related disciplines:
For information or if you've any concerns about obtaining a police clearance contact the Criminal Record Screening Office of the Department of Health on email: CR.Screening@health.wa.gov.au.

If you're a double-degree student requiring both an education and a health police clearance, an education police clearance is accepted by the Department of Health, as long as it was done within the last 12 months, as at the date of receipt at the Department of Health.

The Working with Children (Criminal Record Checking) Act 2004 aims to protect children from harm by introducing a high standard of compulsory national criminal record checking for people wishing to do paid, unpaid or volunteer work with children in Western Australia.

If you're an education or health science student who is going to be working with children between the ages of 0-17 years for the purposes of your practicum, you’ll be required to undergo a Working with Children Check. If you're a Medicine, Dentistry or Podiatric Medicine student, you'll also be required to undergo a Working with Children Check.

Apply for a Working with Children Check through Australia Post agencies. (Click on More Services to search for a convenient agency.) Go to workingwithchildren.wa.gov.au for all other information.