School boards and school authorities in the Province of Ontario are required to collect Police Record Checks in accordance with Ontario Regulation 521/01 of the Education Act (Ontario) for all Service Providers with direct and regular contact with students. College and university students completing practicum placements in Ontario schools and other agencies are considered Service Providers and as such must undergo a current "Vulnerable Sector" (also may be called "Extended") Police Record Check using the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) database before they can begin their placements.
The University of Windsor's Faculty of Nursing and its collaborative partner colleges (Lambton and St. Clair Colleges) require that students comply with the annual Police Record Check requirements by obtaining an original Vulnerable Sector Police Record Report via their local police agency. Note: The Faculty of Nursing will not accept police clearances provided by the Ontario Education Services Corporation (OESC). This is the financial responsibility of the student.
This police clearance is mandatory on entry to the program, and is normally an annual requirement for your participation in clinical placements for each year of your program; however, some agencies require updated police clearances to be obtained every three or six months. Failure to obtain a vulnerable sector (or extended) police clearance will prevent students from starting their clinical course and may impede or prevent successful completion of the course and the program.
Students are expected to take responsibility for meeting all Faculty of Nursing clinical placement policy requirements and for conforming to any additional agency-specific policies. Students will be denied access to a clinical placement site if they fail to be cleared for clinical placement. The Faculty of Nursing is not responsible for providing an alternative clinical experience for students who do not meet the requirements.
If you have any questions, please contact the Nursing Office at 519.253.3000, x2258, or nurse@uwindsor.ca
Important information regarding your police clearance re fingerprinting screening:
The RCMP has added additional safe-guards for the vulnerable sector enhanced screening process. Some of you may be asked to arrange a fingerprinting screen when you receive your initial response to the police clearance. If you are in this situation, please bring your most recent police clearance (if you have one) and the documentation showing that you are going through the fingerprinting screen to your pre-clearance appointment. The fingerprinting process may take an additional several weeks.
Local Windsor hospitals (Windsor Regional Hospital and Hotel Dieu Grace Healthcare) are accepting the most recent police clearances in the interim as long as documentation is shown that the student is going through the fingerprinting process. Individual community agencies will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis by the Faculty of Nursing.
Information and forms for police agencies:
If you use a local police agency, you will require a letter to explain the need for the police clearance for vulnerable populations, and will be required to complete specific form. You must complete and take these forms to the appropriate police agency. Depending on where you live, police clearances can take from two weeks to three months to obtain. Please contact your local police agency or OPP station to determine the standard wait time to obtain your police clearance and be sure to you submit your forms in adequate time to obtain your police clearance in advance of your pre-clearance appointment. The original police clearance as well as a photocopy must be taken to your pre-clearance appointment.
For students who live in Windsor/Amherstburg, use the link below to complete an online Vulnerable Sector Check.
- Acceptable forms of identification
- Windsor Police vulnerable sector check form
- Windsor Police Records Check Letter - this form must be completed, printed and signed by the applicant prior to submitting to the Windsor Police.
For students obtaining their police clearance via the LaSalle Police Service, read the instructions provided and then complete the LaSalle Police Clearance Form on-line:
- LaSalle Police Clearance instructions
- LaSalle Police Clearance form
- LaSalle Police Records Check Letter - this form must be completed, printed and signed by the applicant prior to submitting to the LaSalle Police.
For students who live in Sarnia, you must complete the Sarnia Police on-line form:
For students obtaining their police clearance via the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) (such as Tecumseh, etc.), you must download and complete the form below as instructed and then take to your local OPP station.
- OPP Police Records Check Request Form - this form must be completed, printed and signed by the applicant prior to submitting to the OPP.
- OPP Police Clearance Acceptable Identification
- OPP Police Clearance On-line
For students obtaining their police clearance via the Chatham-Kent Police Services (includes Blenheim, Ridgetown, Chatham, Tilbury, Wallaceburg)
- Use this link: http://www.policesolutions.ca/checks/services/chathamkent/index.php?page=pvsc
- Vulnerable Sector Request Letter if required
- Additional information/instructions: Paper applications may be submitted or picked-up (walk-ins) to any police substation located in the above locations. However, the on-line process (see link above) is quicker as the applicant will put on their information and answer "time sensitive" questions regarding their credit history e.g. What is the last 4 digits of your Social Insurance Number? Who is your Cell phone provider? These questions are time sensitive and if they time out, the police station will still get them electronically; however, the applicant will have to pick up their background checks in person (at any of the substations). If they pass authentication, the application will be mailed out to the applicant to the address they designate. The fee is $15.00 (as of summer 2014).
For students obtaining their police clearance in London, you must download and complete the following letter and form to take to the police station:
- London Police Clearance Form - please print on legal sized paper. If you are unable to print on legal size paper, email nurse@uwindsor.ca and provide your mailing address to have the form mailed to you.
For students obtaining their police clearance in St. Thomas, you must download and complete the following form to take to the police station:
For students obtaining their police clearance in Brantford, you must download and complete the following form to take to the police station:
For students obtaining their police clearance in Hamilton, you must download and complete the following letter and form to take to the Police Station:
For students obtaining their police clearance in Peel Region, you must download and complete the following letter to take to the police station. The applicant must be a resident of Mississauga or Brampton. (Residents of Caledon must contact Caledon East OPP). Proof of address must be produced. Vulnerable Sector Check forms are available in the lobby of Peel Regional Police Headquarters or visit the website below.
For students obtaining their police clearance in York Region, you must download and complete the following form to take to the police station:
For students obtaining their police clearance in Aylmer, Ontario, you must download and complete the following form to take to the police station:
For all other police agencies (including Toronto): email nurse@uwindsor.ca with your name, student number and police station to which you will be going. We will then email you a specific letter to take your local police agency. You may also pick up the letter in person at the nursing office (3rd floor, Toldo Health Education Centre).
To obtain a Police Records Check Request form from the nursing department, please email nurse@uwindsor.ca. In your email please state the following:
- municipality, city or region you reside or will be requesting a vulnerable sector check, or
- nearest OPP detachment