Criminal checks NOT reqr'd for ALL volunteers at my twins school !

I know they hate posting websites on here. I found out a week after my daughter's started school that in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada they don't do criminal checks on the Parents and sometimes even grandparents. Yeah I know so hard to believe in 2011. When I lived in the U.S. and also in Australia, criminal checks were mandatory !! I've gone through the school board, the news, the Ministry of Education and a ton of emails every day just trying to change this. I'm just shocked by the lack of concern for child safety here.

Yeah so any person with a criminal record for drugs, assault, sexual assault, murder.... can volunteer in the classroom. If you want to verify here is the board (Ottawa Carleton District school board and search PR.555.SCO "Volunteers") It is just crazy how naive they are here. It is a town of mostly government like Washington D.C. so many have criminal checks if they work for government but it only takes ONE !!

I started an online petition at Change . org (Ontario Ministry of Education: ALL Ontario School boards to conduct criminal checks 4 ALL volunteers.) it seems like a fairly easy website to sign a petition and it then sends the letter straight to the Ministry of Education's email address.

thanks for any help you can offer me.

Heather

 

We live in the US and our kids have gone to several schools. We've never been a part of one that required background checks for classroom volunteers.
That said, since it's so important to you I hope it works out!

 

I volunteer up at the kids school and have never had a background check. I think it depends on the area you live in as to if that is standard.

Marissa

 

I never knew they did background checks on school volunteers. I have volunteered in our school system since Sean started school and have never had a background check ever. I think it is probably quite cost prohibitive here.

That being said, if this is the norm where you are, I hope it all works out.

 

Wow I'm surprised in the U.S that it wasn't standard practice !! How do you know who is coming into the schools ? A person who would normally be a stranger is now familiar to a child. The information that a child can offer (address, name, likes & dislikes) all can be used if in the wrong hands. Do your teachers get criminal checks ? Bus drivers ? Isn't "working" with children mean you need a check ? (paid or unpaid).

I must say I'm shocked, I remember Tampa and parents lining up to pick up their kids, and Principals reading off the list of names of the students before they got into the car of their parents.... yet a sexual offender could read to your kids in the school ... as long as he was a parent ??? What about bullying, and a parent coming in to "make sure THAT kid doesn't bully THEIR kid again..".

In Ottawa criminal checks are FREE so it is of no cost to the volunteer or the school.

Heather

 

I volunteer at my kids' school and a background check is not required. Bus drivers are submitted to background checks when they are hired. Wow.. if it were free, I don't see why they would not do it. I'm in the states as well.

 

All employees have fingerprint checks, down to cafeteria workers, bus drivers, custodians, and substitutes. Basically, anyone who is paid by the school district has a background check done. Volunteers are NEVER allowed to be left alone with children. They must show ID to enter the building, and are not allowed to enter beyond the office unless the teacher has called ahead to say that the person is coming. Now, I get a little leeway in that I am a certified teacher, and on the sub list, so I can help out wherever needed, but I do have a background check.

My point is, while volunteers may not have background checks done, they do not have free reign of the school or access to the children. Volunteers are controlled in where they can go and when.

 

No background checks here either

 

Yes we have to have criminal check here simcoe school board (canada)

 

I just can't believe that it is standard practice in places. When did we stop giving people the benefit of the doubt?

 

I am one of very few parents that volunteer for school activities, they do not do a background check on us. I've never felt concerned about the other volunteers.

 

I think that if the volunteers are parents of children in that school--they should not have a background check. If someone came in off the street who was not a parent of a child in that school--then yes, totally justified and we should question their motives. But if you are a parent, your motives should be obvious. I'd even say, all parents should be required to volunteer and no one should be excluded no matter what is in their past, they are now a part of that school community.

 

If the rules of the school are being followed correctly (at least the rules at our schools), volunteers, including parents and grandparents shouldn't be in a position where they function as the main caregiver of the children. They aren't supposed to be left alone, they don't count in teacher:child ratios, and shouldn't have access to personal information. Background checks on non-employees can get tricky. I mean obviously you wouldn't want a child molester involved with children, but what about someone who passed a bad check, or racked up tickets, but is a parent? Who determines, aside from the obvious infractions, what record is bad enough to prevent a volunteer from coming to the school? Where would the line be?

 

No background checks for volunteers here either. In fact, I've never heard of that. In order to get into our schools, you have to go to the main office (only door that is unlocked), then you sign in, and have to be buzzed through the next set of doors to get to the classrooms. Volunteers are never alone with the children, so I so no need for a background check. You can't just leave with a child either. You can only exit through main office doors and children are buzzed to come to the office if they are picked up early (a parent is not allowed to go to the classroom for pickup). It actually sounds kind of silly to me and not very cost effective. There are many other things the schools can spend their money on.

 

This.

 

I was going to point this out as well. It has never concerned me (in fact I never even though about volunteers being subjected to a background check before) that parent and grandparent volunteers are not checked.

This is how our school system operates as well. In addition, you must present photo ID when picking up your child early from school, even at the high school. I've never felt that the kids were in jeopardy because of it.

 

Ditto here.

Though in both IA and another location in MI, parents had to have background checks to volunteer (and in preschool to drive on field trips). But at current school-- it is more the policy above.

A very very negative side effect, is that after the instituted the background check at another MI location and in my location in IA, our parent volunteers dropped tremendously. Parents had to pay for background checks & fingerprints and few were willing to do so if they were not already in the system (teachers, community workers, etc). The preschool I worked in had to cancel field trips since we did not have enough drivers that had been background checked to drive kids (it was a small school that did not have a bus and had formerly relied on parents to drive for field trips).

I attempted , as a former teacher, to volunteer at my kids preschool program in MI a few years ago and COULD NOT (with the exception of class parties that had many adults and no unsupervised times) because we simply could not afford to pay 60$ fee at the time (DH was unemployed).

My DDs current school does NOT require checks. They do make sure all volunteers are never alone with students and check in/out upon arrival. They have a large abundance of parents that help in the class, out of the class, and with the mountain of paperwork/organizing.

 

When I signed up to volunteer at my kids school last year, they did a background check on me (though I don't know how thorough it was since it came back in about 20 minutes). I remember at the time thinking that it was a little over the top, but I figured better safe than sorry.

 

My understanding is that PRC's (Police record checks) are required only if you will be alone with a child/children (ie helping them with reading, etc). If you are a parent going on a field trip or helping in the class, you are never left alone with the kids, and therefore a PRC is not required.

The PRC does cost, but the schools pay for them. My SIL got one last year, and she had to get a letter stating it was a dealing with the vulnarability sector records check, which reduces the cost for the school, but there is still a cost. (she was doing one on one reading with kids at school)

I have had them done for coaching in Little League, and now for being a team manager in Hockey and also for helping with Waterpolo. These are all situations were you might be alone with kids (though in Hockey we are taught to always have a two deep system with adults (always at least two adults in a roonm with kids)).

The PRC program has also changed in Ottawa as you will be flagged and have to get fingerprinted if your date of birth (no year) matches a registered offender. This adds an additional cost and time to the PRC (though the cost is generally paid for by the organization too).

Our checks take a while (generally a couple of months) and if you get fingerprinted that is another 4 months.

I think if the schools required them for everyone who comes into the school, they would not get parents helping out with the fields trip, and that is a place they really need helpers.

T

 

Everyone who works in a school is checked but not classroom volunteers here. (Niagara (Public and Catholic boards)) I volunteer with Children's Aid and had a check last year and before that in 2000 when I started working for the Y. Actually, my Children's Aid check was criminal records, agency check (to see if I had been involved with a case before - I had but as a professional, not a client) and a driver's check.

I pick kids up at school as a volunteer driver and I have to have 2 forms of ID and the office has to know that I'm coming (not from child's home and my calling in the morning)

Records checks aren't free and aren't fast here (Niagara Region) They cost in the $70 for the full check and take around 3 months. Sometimes the agency requesting it pays but more often than not, it is the person who has to.

 

THANK YOU!

My gosh, believe it or not, child molesters, violent offenders, and rapists are not the norm in society. I couldn't care less if the person reading with my child broke some law or got arrested for drug possession in his/her past. They are people, they are parents volunteering in their kids' school, they deserve to be welcomed into their child's school without being made to feel like they are all possible predators preying on our children. Most people are good people!

Our school does not do background checks on parent/grandparent volunteers. Thank goodness - because some parents might be so embarrassed by something in their past that they decide not to volunteer - and what a shame that would be to discourage parent involvement.

 

For what it is worth criminal background checks are not mandatory in New South Wales (Australia) where I believe you lived in Australia. See here where it says:

 

Many of the parents in our schools go in and read to the children's classes - they're never alone with the kids, why should they have to pay for a check...

I had a criminal background check, Child abuse clearance and fingerprints to get into nursing school - but I will be with patients alone, administering meds and toileting and bathing...

 

You seem to be confused about the requirements in Australia. The requirements in Australia vary by state. I seem to remember you lived in Queensland (although it may have been NSW). Regardless, in both QLD and NSW background checks (or "working with children checks") are not required for parents and they are generally not required for grandparents either. Even people who are not parents or grandparents can volunteer at a school without a background check if they are not generally alone with children and if they volunteer less than a certain number of days per year. The list of disqualifying criminal offences also do not include drugs offences. Individual schools may have stricter requirements but it certainly isn't mandatory.

 

Twin Rich --- I have moved so I'm back in Canada now.

There are 62 school boards in Ontario that do criminal checks for All volunteers. (English & Catholic boards, French boards were not included) there were only 8 school boards that did NOT do criminal checks. those that do not do checks were: Algoma District School Board, District School board of Niagara, Keewatin-Patricia District School Board, Ottawa Catholic District School Board, Ottawa Carleton District School Board(PR.555.SCO), Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board , Upper Grand District School Board (they are really working towards changing this), Waterloo Regional District School Board.

Moosonee, Moose Factory Island, Thames Valley school board, all Toronto school boards, ...... 62 of them all do criminal checks for every person who volunteers with children.

Kendra, I was aware of the delay in the Niagara area with the Police services there, but here in Ottawa there isnt' the same issues. Plus I wonder if other parent volunteers are ok to drive students without a criminal check ?? I've heard of that situation here too, a volunteer driving students and nobody asked her for a crim check. At our school the only time a crim check is required is if it is an overnight trip. They are allow "intermittent observation" in the gym, library, etc.

What about the boyfriend of the month for some women ? Is every new "daddy" of the month allowed to volunteer as well ?

I think when it comes to child safety nobody deserves the benefit of the doubt, we are talking about children and their safety. We used to assume that a Priest, boy scout leader, sports coach, were OK and wouldn't hurt a child. History and several court cases later we now know better. IT ONLY TAKES ONE. The thing is that sadly it could be prevented!!

I must say I'm speechless about the U.S. People just dont' sue here as often, and they don't get the large pay-outs from court cases either like the U.S. I'm still trying to wrap my head around NO COST = we don't care who you are BUT IF WE PAY YOU MONEY = criminal checks, references, phone numbers, etc.


Heather

 

It's not that no cost means they don't care. It is that people who volunteer are NOT ALONE with the children. Period. They cannot get a child off in a corner, and the teacher is only present. The teachers used to like it when I would help in the classroom, because it meant that they could get a bathroom break. If I had not been a certified teacher on the sub list, they could not do it. Only staff who are paid are ever allowed to be alone with children, and that is why the distinction is made.

 

I am also in Canada (BC) and I have volunteered off & on in my kids schools for years and have never been required to have a background check done, nor have I ever worried about the other volunteers being around my children. I agree with everyone else, volunteers are rarely, if ever, left alone with the children, so I think the risk is minimal. I think running background checks on every single volunteer is a bit over the top. I agree with Bex in giving people the benefit of the doubt.

Background checks are required here for most all other volunteer positions where there is the likelihood of being left alone with the children (coaches, Girl Guide & Boy Scout leaders, etc). But, I will point out that background checks really don't prove that a person is trustworthy. I would bet that, statistically, there are way more child molesters, predators, etc. who DON'T have a criminal record than ones that do.

 

Not to be devil's advocate but not all molesters or predators will have a criminal record. Using the examples you gave most priests, coaches etc that were caught did not have criminal records. I don't really see checking on volunteers making children any safer. Besides most predators/molesters are either grandparents/uncle or aunts/close family friends of the victims. It's very rarely a stranger that does the damage. The best preventative measure is to educate your children. You can't control every aspect no matter how much you'd like to.

Also in my experience just like everyone else said, volunteers are never left alone with children.

 

You're right, it only does take one, BUT volunteers are not being left alone, there is always a teacher present. I don't care WHO wants to come into a class and read to my child because, 1. The teacher is always present, 2. Nobody is sitting on their lap, and, 3. It's educational for every student to hear a book read. It encourages them to want to read. As for volunteers driving kids places, well, that doesn't happen here. Either the kids are bussed or each parent is required to bring their own child. I get having coaches, teachers, or anyone who is left alone with a child having a background check, but I don't find it at all necessary for those who won't be alone, to have it done. As others have said, it may discourage people from volunteering too, and that would be a shame. The kids are the ones who suffer when there are a lack of volunteers.

 

Will you require background checks of all the parents at your child's birthday party? In you MOMs group? Grandparents who happen to be visiting when your kids are at a playdate? Moms on the playground?

Of course not. How is that any different?

 

Very true, Brenda. I would think many of those who would harm/molest/abuse a child may not have any sort of criminal record. It's really sort of a moot point anyway because as we have all said volunteers are not left alone with the children anyway.

And where do we draw the line? In our elementary school, we often had guest readers or speakers in the classroom. Can you imagine just how ridiculous it could get with having to have them all background checked? For what? The teacher or aide or sub is right there anyway. It's illogical, imo, to go so far overboard with this paranoia that someone is going to harm our children. Chances are it's not going to be the random parent volunteer who may molest a child but more likely to be someone they personally know.

As others have mentioned, imposing background checks on all parent/grandparent volunteers could have a detrimental effect too. We had a tough enough time getting parents to volunteer at school when I was on the PTA board for many years. It was like pulling teeth to get enough people to help sometimes. This would just discourage parent volunteers even more. And it's really unnecessary since the volunteers are never alone with the children.

 

Repeating the bolded because it is so true.

Also to add to the second part bolded. When someone volunteers time their not likely to appreciate being treated like a potential criminal so of course most won't put themselves through that, not because they have something to hide but because it has to do with respect. Volunteers need to be appreciated not interrogated. I have no issues doing background checks on teachers etc (I am one and have had to get it done) but it's part of our job and we're alone with children sometimes, again volunteers are not and they're also not privy to private info about the children. Looking at it that way it really doesn't matter if the "boyfriend of the month" volunteers because he won't be able to do anything other than what he is there for because volunteers are observed continuously.

I think it's important to focus on facts and not fears.

 

Yes, I know you have, but you said that when you lived in Australia it was mandatory for everybody who volunteers to have a background check. That is not, nor has it ever been the case anywhere in Australia.

 

If this were the 80's or 90's this may be a slight concern - at that time you could walk in and out of the school at will - I live in a small town...but now - no way! The school is locked, you have to be buzzed in and can only go to the office...

Let's be real here - do you lock your kids in the house so they see no daylight? Do you take them to the playground, the mall, ChuckECheese? Classmates birthday parties? Do you really think that a parent goes into their child's classroom looking for prey?

Sorry but this is another slippery slope - pretty soon you're going to have to get a background check to pee in public...

 

My son attends Kindergarten at a Catholic school. Anyone who wants to volunteer MUST be Virtus Trained. It's a program that the church uses. It also involves a background check. I did it so I could go on field trips. I sat for three hours watch videos about sex offenders. I thought it was a bit hypocritical seeing as the church is paying millions for this very reason.