In Hong Kong, the Government has announced that it will expand the existing Sexual Conviction Record Check (“SCRC”) scheme to enhance the protection of children and mentally incapacitated persons (“MIPs”) from sexual abuse, Lewis Silkin provides further details.
As part of the recruitment process under current rules, employers may request prospective employees, contract-renewal employees or staff assigned to organisations by outsourced service providers who would be involved in work that requires frequent or regular contact with children or MIPs to apply for a Sexual Conviction Record Check to be conducted.
The SCRC is a scheme administered by the Hong Kong Police to assist employers in assessing the suitability of job candidates to safeguard children or MIPs from sexual abuse.
An application for a SCRC can only reportedly be made by the job candidate who should subsequently share the result with their prospective employer. SCRC results only reveal whether the job candidate has or has not been convicted of a sexual offence in Hong Kong, they do not disclose the details of any convictions.
Limitations of the SCRC scheme
The SCRC scheme has a very narrow scope and only applies if the following conditions are met:
- The individual is a prospective employee, contract-renewal employee or staff assigned to the organisation by outsourced service providers; and
- The work to be undertaken is “child or MIP-related work”. This is defined as work where usual duties involve, or are likely to involve, frequent or regular contact with children or MIPs.
Changes to the SCRC scheme
Following a public consultation, the Hong Kong Government reportedly intends to expand the scope of the SCRC scheme by adding new eligible individuals who may apply for an SCRC to be conducted concerning them, to increase the protection of children and MIPs. This will take place in three phases.
There will be no change to the requirement that eligible individuals must be involved in work that requires frequent or regular contact with children or MIPs to be able to apply for an SCRC.
In addition, the Hong Kong government will reportedly establish an online platform to facilitate individuals in submitting SCRC applications.
The government will also be extending the validity period of SCRC results. At present, SCRC results are valid for 18 months. This will be increased to 36 months.
Source: Lewis Silkin
In Hong Kong, the Government has announced that it will expand the existing Sexual Conviction Record Check (“SCRC”) scheme to enhance the protection of children and mentally incapacitated persons (“MIPs”) from sexual abuse, Lewis Silkin provides further details.
As part of the recruitment process under current rules, employers may request prospective employees, contract-renewal employees or staff assigned to organisations by outsourced service providers who would be involved in work that requires frequent or regular contact with children or MIPs to apply for a Sexual Conviction Record Check to be conducted.
The SCRC is a scheme administered by the Hong Kong Police to assist employers in assessing the suitability of job candidates to safeguard children or MIPs from sexual abuse.
An application for a SCRC can only reportedly be made by the job candidate who should subsequently share the result with their prospective employer. SCRC results only reveal whether the job candidate has or has not been convicted of a sexual offence in Hong Kong, they do not disclose the details of any convictions.
Limitations of the SCRC scheme
The SCRC scheme has a very narrow scope and only applies if the following conditions are met:
- The individual is a prospective employee, contract-renewal employee or staff assigned to the organisation by outsourced service providers; and
- The work to be undertaken is “child or MIP-related work”. This is defined as work where usual duties involve, or are likely to involve, frequent or regular contact with children or MIPs.
Changes to the SCRC scheme
Following a public consultation, the Hong Kong Government reportedly intends to expand the scope of the SCRC scheme by adding new eligible individuals who may apply for an SCRC to be conducted concerning them, to increase the protection of children and MIPs. This will take place in three phases.
There will be no change to the requirement that eligible individuals must be involved in work that requires frequent or regular contact with children or MIPs to be able to apply for an SCRC.
In addition, the Hong Kong government will reportedly establish an online platform to facilitate individuals in submitting SCRC applications.
The government will also be extending the validity period of SCRC results. At present, SCRC results are valid for 18 months. This will be increased to 36 months.
Source: Lewis Silkin