Vulnerable Sector Checks

You need to feel confident when deciding who engages with your organization, especially when working with vulnerable individuals. A vulnerable sector check is an enhanced criminal record check used to verify if an individual has a record suspension (formerly pardon) for sex offences. People who volunteer or have jobs where they are in positions of trust or authority over children or vulnerable persons can be asked to obtain a vulnerable sector check. Accurately referred to as Vulnerable Sector Verifications (VSV), federal policy prescribes that these checks can only be initiated by the Canadian police service where the applicant lives.

Here are the facts about VSVs:

• A VSV is the equivalent of Sterling Backcheck’s Enhanced Police Information Check (E-PIC) service but with the addition of a search of the pardoned sex offender database
• Due to changes to the law that took effect March 13th, 2012, record suspensions (formerly pardons) are no longer granted for the types of convictions that are included in the pardoned sex offender database
• The youngest person in the pardoned sex offender database was born February 28, 1986

Sterling Backcheck offers the following advice for organizations that have a VSV requirement:
Applicant Group 1:

For applicants born after February 28, 1986, a search of the pardoned sex offender database serves no purpose as it will always yield a negative result. This applicant group should be processed using a comprehensive police information check (PIC) offered by the applicant’s police service or by using Sterling Backcheck’s Enhanced Police Information Check (E-PIC) service.

Applicant Group 2:
For applicants born before February 28, 1986, when it is determined that:

• the applicant possesses a clear VSV result that was obtained after March 13, 2012 and
• the clear VSV result pertains to a position similar to the one for which screening is required

This applicant group should be processed using a comprehensive police information check (PIC) offered by the applicant’s police service or by using Sterling Backcheck’s Enhanced Police Information Check (E-PIC) service.

Applicant Group 3:
For applicants born before February 28, 1986, when it is determined that:

• the applicant does not possess a clear VSV result that was obtained after March 13, 2012, or
• the clear VSV result pertains to a position different than the one for which screening is required

This applicant group should be directed to their local police service to initiate a Vulnerable Sector Verification.