Working with Children Checks- what you need to know
Are you planning on enroling your children in an Outside School Hours Care program, or camp over the school holidays, or are you thinking about employing a private tutor for one to one lessons for your children? The Working with Children Check (WWC) team provide factsheets and advice to help you to understand when it is appropriate to ask to see an employee or volunteer's Working with Children Card, and when it is appropriate to apply for one yourself.
A WWC Check is required by a person if they engage in certain paid or unpaid work with children, described as child-related work under the WWC Act, and if no exemptions apply. Click here to view the full list of categories in Factsheet 1: What is 'Child-Related Work'?.
Certain people do not require a WWC because they fit within the description of an exemption that applies to the specific category or categories of child-related work they engage in.
Some general exemptions include:
- work carried out on a voluntary basis by a child;
- work carried out on an unpaid basis by a student under 18 years of age; and
- parents volunteering in certain activities where their child is also involved or participates (unless attending an overnight activity).
It is important to note that if the WWC Screening Unit receives new information about a person during the period of their card being active, relevant to the immediate safety of children (e.g. a charge or conviction for a relevant offence) their eligibility to hold a WWC Card may be re-assessed. Once a re-assessment is triggered, the WWC Screening Unit can then request and consider any information that is relevant to the issue of whether a child may be exposed to a risk of harm should they continue to engage in child-related work.
If you signed their application form, authorised their online renewal or completed the 'Register Card Holders' online form on the WWC website you will be notified of any change in your employee, volunteer or student’s eligibility to hold a WWC Card. For more ifnromation, please see: Working with Children Check - Western Australia