'Parent volunteer' - Working with Children check??

[Astrolady]

I am in SA too, and same as Marydean. We can't even be on a council that runs after school without police clearance. Technically any parent that comes into the class to read to their own child in the mornings should have police clearance.

[nickle730]

OMG... I just typed a long response explaining a bit more about the situation and it has been lost!!!

Thank you all so much for your advice and information (Kazbah, how did you find that info so quickly?!). I am in Vic, so all relevant. The kids are at a private school which has previously offered an exceedingly generous funding policy for aides. The policy was not sustainable and has been changed as of next year, it is for this reason that the funding is not available for the aide for the hours required.

The parent who 'volunteered' has no experience with education or children (apart from her own!). The child has a full time aide this year (under the old funding policy) who is excellent and she does a good job of managing the child's behaviour which often is disruptive. Most of the kids seem to cope well with the disruptive behaviour although I am concerned that next year requires a lot more focussed learning and an untrained volunteer may not be able to adequately or appropriately deal with the situation. The child has a GDD and is not expected to learn the class curriculum (this is information from her mother, not my own expectations!) and her mother states that she will attend school for the social integration. The mother has stated that she therefore believes a volunteer will 'be fine' and a qualified aide is not required full time.

Having the child at the school has been an ongoing negotiation between the parents, the Head of Campus and the Principal. The principal believes that the school cannot adequately accommodate the child's level of needs. The HoC believes that as a caring community we should set the children a good example and do whatever necessary to accommodate a child who has additional needs. He has on several occasions 'bent the rules' to accommodate the child. I should clarify that I know all of this because both the parents of the child and the mother who has volunteered to assist have older children in my daughter's class. I am privvy to a lot more information than most of the other parents with children moving into prep next year. I have been aware of all the negotiations over the past couple of years between the school and the parents. The information given to me by the mother has in the past proven to be accurate. She has kept me well informed as she has tried to use me as a conduit to garner support amongst the parents of the class. I have tried to stay out of it as I feel it is not really appropriate for me to be involved unless my own child is directly affected.

When the mother informed me that the aide would be replaced by a 'parent volunteer' and told me that I needed to 'get all the other parents on side' (yes, really) I told her I thought it was not appropriate and questioned the legality of the plan. This is when she informed me that a WWC was not required. She also informed me that if 'anyone kicks up a fuss' and the volunteer is not allowed to replace the aide then the child will have to leave the school as the parents cannot afford to pay the aide for the additional hours. I want to do what I think is right for my own child, but I don't want to be the cause of another child leaving the school.

The mother has told me that the plan to use a volunteer has the full support of the HoC, although the principal has not yet been informed (the mother told me that we, being herself and the HoC, 'are going to try to slip this one past the bastard'). I don't feel I can discuss the issue with the HoC or the principal as the only information I currently have comes from the mother and not through official channels, but the year is almost over and if it is not dealt with soon then I fear it will be too late. There is also a part of me that simply doesn't want to become involved and I would feel terribly guilty if the outcome was that the child had to leave the school because I complained. But I really think that it is not ok to have a 'volunteer' in place of a qualified and experienced aide and I am horrified that the laws would be ignored in terms of a WWC check.

I'm sorry... it's long again! But it feels good to get it all out and written down! Thank you again for all your advice. Please keep it coming, even if it is to tell me that you disagree with me. (But be gentle, I'm hormonal and I cry easily right now...!)

ETA - Thanks for your response Lulu, I was typing when you posted. I would love to hear more from the perspective of a parent who has a child who requires and aide in the classroom. The parent who has volunteered to 'help out' (I'm not sure she knew what she was volunteering for!) has no experience or qualifications. Her own children do not have additional needs. How long is the course for a teaching aide, do you know? I did wonder if she could be given some training prior to be placed in the classroom. I agree, the issue needs to be formally addressed by the school, but I fear there might be a bit more 'rule bending' happening!