BACKGROUND
In
the welfare and supervision of students under 18 years of age, there are four
key stakeholders here in Australia:
1.
The
student
2.
The
education provider
3.
The
accommodation provider and
4.
The
Welfare Supervisor (commonly called guardian)
The following
information sets out and clarifies the roles and responsibilities of these key
people.
Whilst all parties
have a duty of care for the student, as s/he does her/himself, specific roles
and responsibilities are as follows:
1. The Student
For her/his part the student is required to:
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Be
aware of and undertake to abide by both DIMIA regulations
and the laws of Australia/Victoria (see
the end of this document for details)
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Abide by these at all times
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Show
respect and courtesy to the accommodation provider at
all times and abide by the rules
and expectations of the household, such as curfews, cleanliness
and participation in household
duties
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Give the accommodation provider ample notice if not returning
for the evening meal
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Respect the rules regarding use of the home phone, security
of the home and heating of
her/his room
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Instigate contact with the Welfare Supervisor from time
to time
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Inform the Welfare Supervisor in advance about Parent/Teacher
Interviews and organise appointments
with teachers
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Consult with the Welfare Supervisor if s/he wishes to
stay out overnight and provide all details of the venue
including the people who reside at that address, the landline
number and street address
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Raise any issues of concern with the Welfare Supervisor
and seek assistance and advice when
in
doubt about anything
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Demonstrate at all times a priority for her/his studies
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Call on the Welfare Supervisor from time to time with
reasonable requests for assistance with
moving, excursions, etc
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2.
The Education Provider
For its
part, the education provider undertakes to
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Provide the course for which the student has enrolled
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Keep accurate records of student attendance (tertiary
institutions are exempt from this requirement)
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Report attendance concerns to the Welfare Supervisor
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Provide the student with warning letters about attendance
rates that fall below 80%
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Report to DIMIA with respect to student attendance once
it falls below 80% in accordance with the regulations
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Ensure that a permission is given by the Welfare Supervisor
for the student to participate in any excursions or outings
as part of the school/institution program
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Provide academic reporting either through written or oral
reporting mechanisms
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The accommodation provider may be an ‘adult’ relative
or friend of the student’s family as selected by the parents
but does not assume the responsibility of guardian or
welfare supervisor
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3. The Accommodation Provider
must provide
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A clean and
comfortable bedroom, equipped with a minimum of bed, wardrobe,
desk, desk light, chair
and heating
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Three meals a
day, breakfast and lunch may be self serve
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Facilities
for bathing
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Facilities
for laundering of clothes
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Introduction
to the area
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Assistance
with getting to her/his school/institution on the first day
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Enquires
about the welfare supervision arrangement for the student and
ensures that the
student/welfare supervisor make early contact
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Monitor the
eating, sleeping and study patterns of the student, liaise
with the welfare supervisor and report any
concerns.
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Ensure that
the student is clean and dressed appropriately according to
school rules and requirements,
where they exist.
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Ensure that
the student is punctual and arrives at school on time.
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Make clear to
the student any expectations the homestay host has about the
latest time a student must
be back home and any other rules that relate to the
smooth running of the household, including notice given by the
student to be absent from meals
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Must inform
the welfare supervisor if they are going to be away from the
homestay overnight or for an
extended period of time.
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Ensure that
the student understands that s/he is not permitted to stay out
at night without previously
consulting with her/his welfare supervisor.
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Ensure that
the student understands what is considered acceptable hours
for study and sleep here in
Australia
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Monitor
homework patterns where appropriate and report any concerns to
the Welfare Supervisor
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Students under 18 years of age coming from overseas to
study in Australia are required to
have a Welfare Supervisor until they turn 18 years of
age. In this respect the Welfare Supervisor must
be over
21 years of age and may be:
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A member of the education provider’s staff
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A close relative as prescribed by DIMIA who resides in
Australia for the period
of time that the
student is under 18 and who has undergone a police
check and should do so every three years while caring for the student
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A care giver accredited by the education provider to undertake
this responsibility.
This may be
the homestay family as in the case of Guardian Homestay
or a company independent of the
education provider and the accommodation
provider, dedicated to providing care for students
and who also agrees
to undergo police checks every three years.
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4.
The Guardian/Welfare Supervisor
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Is the only
person authorised to sign on behalf of the parents in
cases where
parent/guardian’s signature is required for permission
to participate in excursions or where medical
treatment is required
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Has the
overall responsibility for overseeing the social, academic,
physical and emotional welfare of the underage student
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Should liaise
with the school/institution, accommodation provider and
student to ensure the safety and security of the student |
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Acts on
behalf of, or in support of, the student where there is
a concern or grievance with the
accommodation provider or school/institution |
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Ensures
that the student is aware of Australian/Victorian laws
with regard to students under 18 |
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Ensures
that the student is well aware of the conditions attached
to the Student Visa in respect of attendance requirements
and academic performance
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Attends
Parent/Teacher Interviews once a year if required by parents
or student and report back to the parents, either directly
or through an agent |
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Please
note that academic reporting per se is the responsibility
of the education
provider, not
the Welfare Supervisor |
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Responds
to requests from the student with regard to changing accommodation
arrangements where there is discontent or dissatisfaction
of any kind
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Must be
available to deal with, or delegate a staff member to
deal with, emergency situations if they arise
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Act as a
‘safety net’ to support the student at all times |
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Assists
with travel plans back home in the holiday breaks |
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Makes alternative
arrangements for students in boarding houses over exeat
weekends and term vacations |
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Assists
the student open a bank account and advise on budgeting
and money
management, where required or necessary
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Assists
the student to purchase a mobile phone or SIM card for
an existing one
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Must be
available on call for the student or family, 24 hours
a day, including voicemail and email
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Australian and Victorian Government Laws Related to Students under
18
Students (both local and international)
under 18 years of age are
Not permitted to purchase or consume alcohol or enter licensed
premises unaccompanied by a responsible adult
Not permitted to purchase cigarettes
Not permitted to hold a full driver’s license or drive a car
When
students turn 18, they are permitted to purchase cigarettes and alcohol but
will need ID and proof of age to be admitted to most venues which do not admit
underage students. However, if a student is driving a vehicle, and is on
P plates, there is a NO ALCOHOL restriction so s/he cannot drive and consume
alcohol at the same time.
It is a very serious offence in Australian law to drive a car without a
licence.
Students who carry international licenses
can only use them for a period of six
months after arrival in Australia.
After that, they are required to apply for a Victorian driving licence.
DIMIA regulations state that students under 18
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Must live
under adult supervision. This means that students
may not live alone in an apartment unless it is purpose
built for students, for example, Cherry Tree International
House, Unilodge on Swanson or Flinders or Arrow Apartments
in the city and any other purpose built student accommodation
which meets the security conditions |
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Must have
a Welfare Supervisor, either a close relative over 21
years of age who his residing in Australia for the period
of time that the student is under 18, or one approved
and accredited by the education provider |
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May not
change that Welfare Supervisor without the permission
of the education provider who must notify DIMIA of the
change and the reasons for it
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DIMIA
regulations require all students to:
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Remain
with the education provider for whom the Student Visa
was granted for 12 months or, if the course is of
a shorter duration, for the length of the course, unless
adverse circumstances
can be shown as to why the requested change is justified
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Attend classes
a minimum of 80% of the time including absences accompanied
by a doctor’s certificate |
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Report any
absence from their place of study. Students who
are absent from their school/institution
for a period of five consecutive days or more without
permission from the school/institution, must be reported
to DIMIA and the Student Visa will be automatically cancelled
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‘Satisfy
course requirements’, ie, be passing all aspects of the
course. Subjects may be repeated with the same
education provider, but if a student leaves an institution
with fails recorded
against them, that provider is required to notify DIMIA
that the student ‘has not met
course requirements’, the Student Visa is cancelled and
the student given 28 days to leave
the country. There is a right of appeal but it costs
$1,400 plus legal fees to do so. (More details are
available about this on request) |
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A student whose Student Visa is cancelled for non-compliance
is not eligible to apply for another Student Visa for
a period of three years, and then risks refusal even then |
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here for Powerpoint
presentation |
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