Registration of professionals

Lots of jobs require a person to be registered.

For example:

• Medical practitioners,
• social workers and psychiatrists,
• nurses,
• dentists and optometrists, and
• teachers

Each profession or industry usually has a registration body.

A registration body may refuse to register, or revoke the registration of, a person who has a criminal history.

Any criminal history can weigh against a person’s “good character”.

But it is important to note that, usually:

• there should be a connection between the type of offence and the type of work; and
• the body will consider the surrounding circumstances of the offence.

Some registration and licensing bodies are allowed to see spent convictions. 

You can see the full list of who can see spent convictions and when on pages 21-25 of the Spent Convictions Act.