Criminal record checks for volunteers working with children

The Finnish Red Cross has assessed and defined the volunteer tasks for which a criminal record check is required for selected volunteers. A criminal record check is always conducted for the following volunteer roles:

• camp counselors
• camp managers
• friends for minors
• online volunteers working with minors.

In other instructional roles, a criminal record check is only conducted if the instructor works alone in their role, e.g., Reddie Kids instructors, Homework Help (Läksyhelppi) instructors, leaders of international study trips, and youth activity group instructors.

The responsibility for checking criminal records and ensuring a safe operating environment always lies with the activity organizer, i.e., the party responsible for the specific activity group, camp, etc. We have prepared guidelines for districts and branches for conducting criminal record checks. The guidelines, forms, and descriptions of volunteer tasks can be found in the attachments below.

For further information: Youth Activities Coordinator Kirsi Lehtola, phone +358 40 649 5181 or email kirsi.lehtola(a)redcross.fi

Applying for a criminal record extract (updated 5/2023)

If the branch uses suomi.fi identification, a representative registered in the Register of Associations (e.g., the chairperson) can authorize another representative of the organizer (e.g., the volunteer in charge) to order the criminal record extracts for volunteers. According to the Legal Register Centre’s instructions, this authorization takes place in their electronic service. To order an extract, the volunteer’s written consent is required and must be submitted to the Legal Register Centre when ordering. Written consent can be requested, for example, using the Red Cross form attached to this page, which the volunteer signs either by hand or electronically.

If the branch does not use suomi.fi identification, the ordering of the criminal record extract can be handled using the Ministry of Justice’s secure email service. In this case, the volunteers’ consent should be requested using the Legal Register Centre’s form (the last attachment on this page), which asks for the information about the activity organizer that is otherwise obtained from the electronic service in the model above.

The extract costs EUR 6.00 when ordered through the electronic service, otherwise EUR 12.00 (as of 5/2023). Further information on applying for the extract can be found on the Legal Register Centre website.

Attachments:

• Guidelines for criminal record checks.pdf
• Hallituksen hyväksymä toimintaohje lasten turvallisen toimintaympäristön edistämiseksi.pdf (in Finnish)
• Vapaaehtoisen suostumuslomake (käsin täytettävä).pdf (in Finnish)
• Vapaaehtoisen suostumuslomake (sähköisesti täytettävä).docx (in Finnish)
• Toimeksiantosopimus (käsin täytettävä).pdf (in Finnish)
• Toimeksiantosopimus (sähköisesti täytettävä).docx (in Finnish)
• Ohjeistuksen esittely.pptx (in Finnish)
• CRM ohje piireille.pdf (in Finnish)
• LRC application for criminal record extract, volunteers.pdf