Australian Capital Territory
Corrections Management (Student Placement) Policy 2010
Notifiable instrument NI2010-495
made under the  
Corrections Management Act 2007, section 14(1) (Corrections policies and operating procedures) 

1	Name of instrument
This instrument is the Corrections Management (Student Placement) Policy 2010.
2	Commencement
This instrument commences on the day after it is notified.
3	Policy
I make the

STUDENT PLACEMENT policy

attached to this instrument, to facilitate the effective and efficient management of correctional services.

[SIGNED]
James Ryan
Executive Director 
ACT Corrective Services
24 August 2010

ACT Corrective Services
All Facilities and Operations

Student Placement Policy

Purpose
To outline the Student Placement policy.
Authority
Policy
Principles
Types of Placement
Prerequisites
First Point of Contact
Final Approval
Management of the Placement
Forms/Templates
Related policies and procedures

Purpose
To outline the Student Placement policy.

Authority
Legislation
Corrections Management Act 2007, section 14. 

Policy
Principles
From time to time students and academic institutions will approach ACT Corrective Services seeking to place students in ACT Corrective Services workplaces for the purposes of work experience.

ACT Corrective Services supports the principle of giving students experience in the corrections environment, subject to operational limitations. 

Types of Placement
Student placements are expected to fall into a variety of categories of differing intensity and length, and across a number of fields. These fields are expected to include: 
•	Justice Studies and Corrections
•	Psychology and its sub-disciplines particularly Clinical and Forensic
•	Social Work.

Placements can be expected to vary in the level of studies, in particular:
•	Undergraduate students
•	Postgraduate students

Student placements can vary from:
•	Placements of one day or a few days duration
•	Placements of a few weeks duration
•	Placements of several months duration.

Placements are expected to vary in their intensity:
•	Full-time – 5 days per week
•	Part-time – less than 5 days per week.

Student placements can also be expected to vary in their setting, such settings may include:
•	Alexander Maconochie Centre
•	Probation and Parole Unit
•	Managed Accommodation Program
•	Corrections Program Unit.

Student placements will be divided into two categories:
•	Observational Placements – the student will not undertake any independent work, and will only observe and assist ACTCS staff in the performance of their duties; they will at all times be in the presence of an ACTCS employee. 
•	Clinical Placements – the student will be able to undertake independent work, as would any ACTCS employee. They will not be required to be escorted by an ACTCS employee. 

Generally the category of the placement will be determined in negotiation between ACTCS, the student and their academic institution. As a general rule, students at postgraduate level and/or students undertaking longer placements, will fall into the category of Clinical Placements. There may be exceptions to this, for example an existing ACTCS or ACT government employee undertaking a placement in a work area different from their usual work area.

Prerequisites
All prospective students will be required to undertake a criminal record check. This may be arranged through their academic institution, but ACT Corrective Services must be provided with evidence that it has been conducted and the results are satisfactory.

Students wishing to undertake a Clinical Placement will be required to undertake and pass ACTCS psychological testing for prospective employees.

All prospective students must undertake ACT Corrective Service’s Security Awareness training. 

Students undertaking Clinical Placements must undertake ACT Corrective Services two week Induction Training, and such other elements of the 13-week Recruit Training as deemed necessary by the Manager of the area in which they will be placed. As with new ACTCS employees, the Induction Training may be undertaken after commencement of the placement. This is in recognition of the fact that the Induction Training is an integral part of working in ACTCS, and for a work placement to be genuinely representative of working in the agency, the Induction Training must be undertaken.

For Clinical Placements a written Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) must be in place between the academic institution and ACT Corrective Services. This MOU should set out general principles and practices for the conduct of student placements. This MOU must be approved by the Executive Director, ACT Corrective Services. 

A separate agreement or schedule to the MOU may need to be put in place for each individual student, as required by their academic institution or professional requirements. 

Students undertaking a Clinical Placement will be required to familiarise themselves with the relevant parts of the Public Sector Management Act and ACTCS Code of Conduct, and will be bound by them. Breaches may result in the immediate termination of the placement.

Students undertaking a Clinical Placement will be required to identify themselves as such to all clients. 

For students undertaking an observational placement, the ACTCS staff member accompanying them will ensure that clients’ consent is sought for the student to be present during interviews or other staff-client interactions.

First Point of Contact
Prospective placement students, or their academic institutions, may make first contact with the Manager or Team Leader of the work area within ACTCS where the student is seeking to be placed. 

The relevant ACTCS Manager or Team Leader is responsible for ensuring that a written Agreement is already in place between the two organisation. If no such Agreement is already in place, the relevant Manager or Team Leader will draft such an agreement in collaboration with the external organisation, for approval by the Executive Director, Corrective Services.

The relevant ACTCS Manager or Team Leader is also responsible for ensuring that any separate agreement required for the individual placement is also created. 

Final Approval
All student placements must be approved by the Executive Director Corrective Services. 

Management of the Placement
The Manager or Team Leader of the relevant area is responsible for the day to day management of the student while on placement.

Forms/Templates
Nil

Related policies and procedures
Nil