People who need a Child Abuse Register check for work or volunteering now have a faster, more convenient way to apply for a search to confirm they are not in the register.
The new online application process means people will usually receive confirmation letters within two to three weeks.
“Moving the Child Abuse Register search online allows us to receive applications faster and the Department can send out the confirmation letter within 10 business days,” said Karla MacFarlane, Minister of Community Services. “We want to make the process easier and more convenient for Nova Scotians to get the documents they need for their work or volunteer roles.”
The Child Abuse Register keeps a record of the names of people that the Nova Scotia provincial court or family court has found to have caused harm to a child.
Organizations and employers can request proof that people are not in the register if they are going to be in contact with children 18 and under for work or a volunteer position. As part of its screening process, the Department also requires people interested in being foster parents, adoptive parents or employees or volunteers who work with children to do a register check.
People who require proof that they are not on the Child Abuse Register can get more information and apply for a search at: https://beta.novascotia.ca/apply-child-abuse-register-search . Anyone who needs assistance with the application can call the Child Abuse Register at 902-424-6798. Confirmation letters are sent to the applicant by mail. There is no cost for the search service.
Quick Facts:
- the Child Abuse Register digital service project is a collaborative initiative between the Nova Scotia Digital Service and the Department of Community Services
- prior to the launch of the digital service, 40,000 paper applications a year were processed manually
Source: Release