Home ed kids can undertake work experience – you just need to approach an employer and set it up with them.

The Dept of Education’s Work experience page contains information and a form  http://www.education.vic.gov.au/sensecyouth/careertrans/worklearn/workexperience.htm
which members seeking to set up a work experience arrangement may find useful. Note that schools are required to have $10 million in public liability insurance. This is not required of home educators as we are not defined as ‘schools’ under the Education and Training Reform Act.

For kids under 15, it is necessary for the employer to have a ‘working with children’ permit.

We have been told by both our insurer and the Education Department that it is not necessary for home educators to take out Work Experience cover. As long as work experience kids are paid a notional wage (even 50c), they are covered by Workcare. Any queries on Workcare should be directed to the Worksafe Advisory Service http://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/contact-us/advisory-service and http://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/contact-us

Students are also covered by the public liability insurance on the workplace. The Public Liability insurance attached to some home and contents insurance policies includes cover for volunteer work in the community – check your policy.

If the student is NOT going to receive a wage, the HEA’s work experience insurance (available to their members) may be worth taking out more details at http://www.hea.edu.au/get-started/faqs/32-faqs.html#workexp

Note the HEA work experience cover ONLY COVERS UNPAID WORK EXPERIENCE.