The provisions of the so-called Kamilek's Act will be more precise and unnecessary complications will disappear, the Ministry of Justice announced on Friday. The draft amendment to the Act on counteracting threats of sexual crime and protection of minors has just been included in the government's work list.
According to the ministry, the draft amendment to the Act on counteracting threats of sexual crime and protection of minors, i.e. the so-called Kamilek's Act is the result of monitoring the operation of the Act, which has been carried out since February this year. The changes include, among others: comments submitted by the Ministry of National Education and are intended to improve the application of regulations protecting children.
“It's about simple solutions as part of a quick amendment. From February 15, we observed how this act worked in practice, we talked to social organizations, but also to representatives of other ministries, especially the Ministry of National Education. We were very interested in diagnosing what works and what does not work in the act and in introducing changes that will correct the act and clarify doubts,” said Zuzanna Rudzińska-Bluszcz, deputy minister of justice, quoted in the ministry's announcement.
The ministry reminded that the so-called the Kamilka Act, i.e. an amendment to the Family and Guardianship Code, entered into force on February 15, 2024. It was adopted in response to the tragic death of eight-year-old Kamilek from Częstochowa died as a result of brutal abuse by his stepfather.
The most important changes in the Act
The most important changes included: exempting students' parents from the obligation to bring a certificate of no criminal record from the National Criminal Register, if, for example, they go on school trips as guardians. All they need is a declaration of no criminal record. Fees for criminal records certificates for volunteers conducting classes with children or students doing internships in schools are also to be abolished.
The obligation to double check a given person will be abolished, e.g. the school will not have to verify the criminal record of a coach who has already been checked in the sports club or company that employs him. The obligation to present certificates of no criminal record by people coming to school, who are expected to have no criminal record, is also to be abolished. This includes: about policemen, lawyers, legal advisers and judges.
In addition, guests invited to school activities will not need a criminal record certificate, as long as a teacher participates in them. A dictionary will be added explaining concepts such as “activity organizer”, “other activity” and “care activity”.
Introduced by the so-called The Kamilek Act imposes an obligation to apply standards for the protection of minors in all facilities that work with children. This includes: o schools, kindergartens, care, educational, religious, artistic, medical, recreational, sports centers, youth cultural centers, educational centers and community centers. Persons employed in these institutions must present a certificate of no criminal record from the National Criminal Register.
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