The Protection of Children Act 1999 aims to identify people
who could work in child care services. Not everyone is professionally-suited to
work with children but this law sorts out all the legalities, including the
histories of candidates to ensure the safety of children with professionals
intended to give childcare.
The Protection of Children Act 1999 checks the criminal
records of the candidates through cross referencing the lists of the Department
of Health, Department of Education and Employment and the National Criminal
Records Bureau.
All child care organisations, which include social services,
health care services, schools and other educational facilities that will supervise
children below 18 years are bound by this law. They have a responsibility to check
and report to authorities. The law also regulates registered child minders.
Voluntary groups, military forces and other organisations may
also be bound by the law as well, but they do not have a mandatory duty to
check and report to the authorities.
Anybody in a ‘child care position’ is enabled to have
regular contact and interaction with the child during their work. Employment in
child care positions are considered when the professional is paid, unpaid or
under contract to employers.
The Protection of Children Act 1999 bans professionals who were
dismissed for misconduct for directly or indirectly harming a child during
their course of employment. If the individual retired when the organisation
decide to dismiss him or her, they are also banned for child care positions.
