Pre-placement compliance requirements

All Bachelor of Social Welfare, Bachelor of Community Welfare and Master of Social Work students must meet these pre-placement compliance requirements before being approved to enrol in Field Education Units.

You will upload your compliance documents to SONIA, our professional placement database for students. Log-in to SONIA.

Start Immediately:  Enrolment for professional experience units will require students to fulfil vaccination and compliance requirements*.

Requirement Valid Cost Time required Submission Checklist

National Police Certificate**

 5 years Yes Up to 30 days Scan and upload to SONIA

QLD Blue Card

Required for QLD students and those students living in the Tweed Region of NSW 

 3 years No Up to 8 weeks
  • Bring application form to Client Services Team at Gold Coast or Coffs Harbour;
  • Or scan and upload application to SONIA along with certified colour copies of ID

Working with children checks – each state has different requirements

 As per state regulations No Approximately 4 weeks Apply online for NSW Working With Children Check

 
Up-to-date resume with two referees

Update for second placement

 No Need help wth your CV? Email the University’s Careers and Employability team Scan (PDF) or Word document  and upload certificates to SONIA

Placement Planning Form

 Complete a new form for each placement No

Must be completed by the deadline:

Session 1: Oct 31

Session 2: March 31		 E-form available via SONIA forms page

Pre-Placement Declaration

 Complete a new form for each placement No

 

 E-form available via SONIA forms page

Vaccinations

Required only for hospital-based health placements

 Specific to each vaccination Yes 4+ months Scan (PDF) and upload to SONIA

** International students may have additional requirements and will need to submit both an International Police Certificate and National Police Certificate.

SONIA

SONIA is the University’s placement and compliance database. Your SONIA account will be activated once you’re offered a place in a course.

Log-in to SONIA.

What is SONIA used for?

  • Compliance requirements need to be uploaded to SONIA
  • Important vaccination and compliance requirement documentation is available from SONIA
  • Vaccination and compliance requirement status can be checked in SONIA via the CHECKS tab
  • Placement allocation and facility information is available in SONIA
  • Placement assessment documentation is available from SONIA.

How to access SONIA?

Instructions to upload documents to SONIA

 

  1. Log into SONIA and click on the CHECKS tab.
  2. Add/upload each document to the corresponding check in SONIA by selecting Browse.
  3. Please make sure you SAVE.

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 National Police Certificate (NPC) and International Police Certificate

Valid: 5 years NPC only

Submission to Field Education Team: Upload to SONIA Checks tab

Students are required to obtain a National Police Certificate (NPC) at their own expense prior to commencing placement, which must be maintained for the duration of enrolment. Students may need to provide additional NPCs throughout the course of their study depending on the requirements of specific placement sites.

International students must also obtain a police certificate from any country they have resided in (as a permanent resident or citizen) since turning 16 years of age. The police certificate must be translated into English.   

Applying for a National Police Certificate

  • Students may apply online through an accredited organisation
  • A list of accredited police checking service providers is available on the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) website
    • CV Check comes recommended by students. It has a streamlined process with most results returned in less than one day. Go to the CV Check website
  • The NPC must:
    • State that it is a National or Australian-wide check
    • Include the student’s full name and date of birth
    • Contain the same name as on the student’s ID card
    • At the date of placement, some placement sites require the NPC not to be older than six months from the date of issue and state that you are ‘working with vulnerable groups’.
  • Students must immediately notify the Field Education Team if their criminal record changes at any time during their course.

The original email/certificate must be retained by the student for verification by placement sites if required.

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 Qld Blue Card

Valid: 3 years

Submission to Field Education Team: in person at your campus Field Education Team office

1) Bring application form to Client Services Team at Gold Coast or Coffs Harbour

2) Or scan and upload application to SONIA with certified colour copies of ID.

Applying for a QLD Blue Card

  • From SONIA, download and complete the QLD Blue Card Application specific to your campus
  • Submit your application in person to the Gold Coast or Coffs Harbour Client Service hub for ID verification and processing. Do not apply online
  • Copies of ID are not accepted. Original identification documents must be sighted
  • Processing can take up to eight weeks
  • For international students: If you do not have an Australian postal address for the purposes of the Blue Card, you can use: Southern Cross University, SASS Field Education Team, Locked Bag 4, Coolangatta QLD 4225
  • If you already hold a valid QLD Blue Card, obtained outside of the University, you must download, complete and submit the QLD Blue Card Link Form (‘Link an applicant/cardholder to this organisation’) found on SONIA
  • You are not required to upload this document to SONIA. The Field Education Team is notified directly by Blue Card Services when your card is processed or linked to the University.

Special circumstances

  • If you reside more than 50 kilometres away from a Southern Cross University campus and are unable to submit your application in person, please complete part D of the Blue Card application and a complete a Confirmation of Identity form (PDF) or if applicable, submit the QLD Blue Card Link form and Confirmation of Identity form. The Blue Card Application/ Blue Card Link form and Confirmation of Identity must be dated the same day
  • Scan all forms in PDF format only and send the Blue Card Application/Link form and Confirmation of Identity form directly via email to the Field Education Team. The Field Education Team will submit the forms on your behalf. Do not email your forms directly to Blue Card. 

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  Vaccinations

Valid: Specific to each vaccination

Submission to Field Education Team: Email the Field Education Team

Important: Submit NSW Health Attachments 6 and 7 with your vaccination records

Southern Cross University students are required to be vaccinated* prior to participating in activities which may expose them to becoming infected with or transmitting infectious diseases.

Activities that are high-risk include, but are not limited to:

  • Any type of Professional Experience learning including placement, volunteering, or community-engaged learning
  • Laboratory work that involves handling non-cadaveric human tissue or waste, or other human specimens
  • Participation in a project, research or other work that requires the student to attend a health facility, clinic, school or service.

It is mandatory to complete the required vaccinations in your first year of study as per NSW State policy, ensuring you have immunity against specified infectious diseases:

  • Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (Whooping Cough)
  • Hepatitis B
  • Measles, Mumps and Rubella
  • Varicella (Chickenpox).

How to obtain vaccination records?

Students must download the  (PDF). This document outlines the vaccination requirements in further detail and outlines the appropriate evidence/documentation required.

There are a number of ways students can obtain vaccination records which include:

  • School records - contact the local area health district in the area you went to school
  • Brisbane City Council
  • Gold Coast Public Health Unit
  • Northern NSW and Mid North Coast: Request for Student Vaccination Records NSW Health
  • NSW (other than Northern NSW and Mid North Coast): Request Student Vaccination Records NSW Health via public health units
  • List of vaccinations from GP or immunisations provider
  • Baby book records
  • Contact Australian Immunisation Register via AIR website or call 1800 653 809.

The Northern NSW Local Health District Vaccination Assessor has informed the University that all students assessed and verified for placements with NSW Health should obtain the Influenza Vaccination yearly in April. Please be aware that, if you are unable to produce evidence of flu vaccination, you may be asked to leave placement until the documentation is presented. This may impact on the placement hours for your course. 

How to submit vaccination documentation?

  1. Obtain vaccinations records (process outlined above)
  2. Submit the Placement Planning Form via SONIA forms tab
  3. Submit scanned vaccination documents (PDF only) as evidence via email to Field Education Team. Follow this layout for your email:

EMAIL SUBJECT LINE: Student Name, Student ID, Course, Placement commence date as (ddmmyyyy)

EMAIL BODY:

  • Name
  • Student ID
  • Mobile
  • SCU email address
  • Discipline of Study
  • Campus 

* subject to health or religious exemptions 

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