Legislation, rules and policies

UTS rules and policies

The rules and policies of the University have been written to provide advice on the responsibilities of students to their studies and to the rights of students and staff. Students should read and be familiar with the rules and policies of the University.

UTS Student Charter

The UTS Student Charter recognises that students and staff have rights and responsibilities to each other and to the University community.

Students should read and be familiar with the UTS Student Charter.

Student complaints

The University is committed to providing a learning and working environment in which complaints are responded to promptly and with minimum distress and maximum protection to all parties. All students and staff have a responsibility to contribute to the achievement of a productive, safe and equitable study and work environment at UTS.

The policy on handling student complaints outlines what a complaint is and contains information about how to make a complaint.

Right to information and privacy

An individual can request access to information held by UTS under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (NSW). If the information requested cannot be accessed online or through an informal application, an access application needs to be lodged with the right to information coordinator.

An individual may request access to their personal information under the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 (NSW) or, where the information relates to health, under the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 (NSW). In addition to the requirements of these acts, UTS has a number of policies that govern access to, and the collection, use, storage and disclosure of, personal information.

Further information on the right to information is available at:

Further information on privacy is available at:

NSW child protection legislation

Prohibited employment declaration and screening

The NSW Office of the Children's Guardian operates the Working with Children Check.

Obtaining a Working with Children Check is the responsibility of the student. Individuals applying to work with children are required to lodge their application online with the Office of the Children's Guardian. A clearance number is issued to approved applicants.

Volunteer/student declaration

Under NSW law any person who has been convicted of a serious sex offence, the murder of a child or a child-related personal violence offence, or who is a registrable person under the Child Protection (Working with Children) Act 2012 (NSW), is prohibited from working in child-related employment. Prior to commencing each professional experience or clinical placement, students are required to complete a Volunteer/student declaration.

Education students: Working with Children Check

All students who participate in professional experience subjects, or internship or associate teacher programs, where work involves direct contact with children under 18, are required to obtain a Working with Children Check clearance from the NSW Children's Guardian. Once the clearance is received it is valid for five years unless it is cancelled by the NSW Children's Guardian or surrendered by the student sooner.

Eligibility for participation in such programs is determined on the basis of the student obtaining a Working with Children Check clearance.

These checks are only carried out with a student's consent. If students refuse to apply for a Working with Children Check, they will be unable to complete the course requirements.

The Working with Children Check – Declaration for volunteers and contractors (446 KB PDF) is downloadable from the NSW Department of Education and Communities.

Students who will provide personal care services to children with disabilities involving intimate contact with those children (such as assistance with toileting, bathing or dressing), or mentoring services as part of a formal mentoring program provided by a government or non-government agency, are required to obtain a Working with Children Check clearance from the NSW Children's Guardian. The student cannot be engaged in such services until the NSW Children's Guardian has verified that the person is cleared.

Information on how to apply for a Working with Children Check clearance is available for download (266 KB PDF).

Further information is available from UTS: Education:

Building 10 Student Centre
CB10.2 – Building 10, level 2 (foyer)
235 Jones St, Ultimo
telephone +61 2 9514 3900

Kuring-gai Student Centre
KG01.5 – Building 1, level 5 (foyer)
Eton Rd, Lindfield
telephone +61 2 9514 5621

Health students: prohibited employment declaration and criminal record check

NSW Health is committed to providing their staff, patients and clients with a safe workplace. The Employment Checks – Criminal Record Checks and Working with Children Checks policy requires all students enrolling in courses that involve clinical placements in NSW public health facilities to undertake these checks and comply with other policy requirements. In addition, when starting nursing or midwifery studies at UTS, international/overseas students are required to obtain a police certificate (with English translation) from their home country and any country that they have resided in, incorporating any charges the student may have against his or her name. If the student is unable to provide a police certificate, he or she must complete a statutory declaration stating that he or she has no pending criminal charges or convictions from their home country or any country that he or she has resided in. If a student does have such records, he or she must list the date of offence, type of offence and court outcome. Details of the clearance requirements for students, including those for overseas students, are provided in Notice to Students Enrolling in Courses that Require Clinical Placements in NSW Public Health Facilities. This document and further links related to the forms, police contacts, frequently asked questions and further information can be found on the NSW Health website at:

www.health.nsw.gov.au/jobs/student_clearance/index.asp

In addition, during enrolment at UTS, students are required to read and sign a NSW Health Student Undertaking. This undertaking requires students to notify the NSW Department of Health if they are charged or convicted of a criminal offence after the date of issue of their national police certificate or during the completion of their course. Information on this process is provided at enrolment.

Following the commencement of studies and prior to each clinical placement, students are required to:

• have read the NSW Health Code of Conduct and signed a form confirming that they have read, understood and will comply with the NSW Health Code of Conduct
• sign a Commission for Children and Young People Student Declaration.

Further information is provided on the commencement of studies.

Students cannot undertake nursing practice until these clearance requirements are attended to. Fees may apply which must be met by the student.

Further information is available from UTS: Health at:

www.uts.edu.au/current-students/health/clinical-practice/clinical-rules-and-regulations