Interstate teaching placements

This information is relevant to all Preservice Teachers who will intend to undertake a Professional Experience placement or any other Professional Experience activity interstate, whether they are living within or outside of South Australia at the time of placement.

It is compulsory when working with children to complete background checks and screening. If you don't have the appropriate clearance, you won't be permitted to commence placement.

State and Territory requirements differ and are updated regularly. You are responsible for ensuring you have all the required clearances and checks in place and are up-to-date.

Please apply for your clearance/s early as the process can take up to three months. In some instances, workshops or training must be completed.

If completing your placement outside of South Australia, please refer to the current policy in your State or Territory below.

You must submit copies of all certificates and screenings to InPlace as soon as possible upon enrolment into a Professional Experience course. 

New South Wales

• Working with Children Check
• NSW Guide to Mandatory Reporting
• NSW Dept Education Code of Conduct
• NSW, NT and TAS Child Protection Training

Northern Territory

• Working with Children Check (Ochre Card)
• NT Protective Practices Guidelines
• Code of Ethics for Northern Territory Teachers
• NT professional-standards

Northern Territory (NT) government schools provide university students with an opportunity to gain quality teaching experience through professional experience placements. Placements can lead to fulfilling and exciting teaching careers in the NT, if you are interested in completed a placement in the NT please complete the Introductory Profile form at least 12 weeks prior to your placement. If you are planning undertake multiple placements across your program please complete a form for each placement.

Australian Capital Territory

• Working with Vulnerable People check
• ACT Child Protection Policy
• ACT Teacher Code of Professional Practice
• ACT Teacher Quality Institute Pre-service Teacher Register
• ACT Child Protection Training

In August 2019, the ACT Legislative Assembly passed amendments to the TQI Act. These changes take effect from 1 January 2020 and require any PSTs undertaking a professional experience placement in an ACT school be registered on the Preservice Teacher register. This requirement applies to all PSTs including people who are undertaking their PST education outside of the ACT.

Before undertaking a professional learning placement in an ACT school, PSTs will be required to register with the TQI and where applicable, update the Preservice Teacher register before undertaking additional professional learning placements in the ACT.

Queensland

• Blue Card
• QLD Mandatory notifiers and reporting
• QLD Teachers Code of Ethics
• QLD Dept Education Training & Employment - Student Protection
• QLD Child Protection Training

Tasmania

• Working with Children Check
• TAS Mandatory Reporters Fact Sheet
• TAS TRB Code of Professional Ethics (PDF 103KB)

Western Australia

• Working with Children Check 
• The Department of Education National Police History Check (National Police Check must be conducted by the WA Department of Education and must be dated within six months of your first placement)
• WA - Child protection documentation
• WA Reporting Child Abuse for Volunteers and Non-teaching staff
• WA - Child Protection Policies
• WA Child Protection Training

Victoria

• Working with Children Check
• VIC Teachers Code of Conduct
• VIC Child Protection Training

How to apply for interstate placement

Step 1

Start by finding out the requirements of the location where you would like to be placed.

Students undertaking an interstate placement (Professional Experience placement or any other Professional Experience activity) must adhere to the clearance requirements of the organisation where they will be undertaking their placement.

If the placement provider does not require you to have clearance but you will be working with minors, please follow the usual clearance process for Students attending a placement in South Australia (as outlined above).

Step 2

Identify at least five host sites you can travel to in order to complete your placement, and let the PEO know your preferences.

UniSA requires any Preservice Teachers undertaking an interstate placement to email the PEO team at EDC-Placement@unisa.edu.au to inform them of the interstate placement preferences. The Professional Experience Office Team will advise if any further documentation is required.

Step 3

Confirm your Clearances via InPlace.

If you already have an interstate Working with Children Check, please upload via InPlace under section of Working with Children (Interstate) for verification by the PEO Team.