Working with Children Check
In 2006, the Victorian Government introduced a new checking system to help protect children under 18 years of age from physical or sexual harm.
The Working with Children (WWC) Check creates a mandatory minimum checking standard across Victoria. The WWC Check helps to keep children safe by preventing those who pose a risk to the safety of children from working with them, in either paid or volunteer work.
If you work or volunteer with children you may need to apply for a WWC Check. Employers, volunteer organisations and agencies must ensure that any of their staff or volunteers who need a WWC Check have applied by the due date.
The WWC Check is being phased in over five years. If you need a WWC Check, you must apply by the due date for your field of child-related work. The next due date is 30 June 2011.
What’s new
Working with Children Amendment Act 2010 proclaimed 25 August 2010
In 2009, the Victorian Government undertook a review of the Working with Children Act 2005 (the Act) to ensure the Working with Children (WWC) Check was meeting its aim of providing a safer community for children, while not overburdening those required to comply with the WWC Check.
The Working with Children Amendment Act 2010 received bilateral support in both Houses of Parliament and came into operation on 25 August 2010.
This amending Act aims to improve the efficacy and clarity of the current Act through:
- streamlining the existing WWC Check application and assessment processes by introducing additional flexibilities;
- improving the operation of the WWC Check to reduce the regulatory burden;
- improving the flow and exchange of information to further enhance the WWC Check; and
- creating a number of additional offences including making it an offence for sex offenders to apply.
Change of Fees
The fee to process the WWC Check Employee application has increased on 1 July 2010 to $77.80*.
The fee to replace an Employee WWC Check Card has also increased to $17.80*.
*The Victorian Government automatically indexes certain fees and fines each year for inflation, in accordance with the Monetary Units Act 2004.
When to Apply
The Working with Children (WWC) Check is being phased in from 2006 to 2011. Each year different child-related occupational fields will be introduced. If you are required to pass the WWC Check, you must apply by the due date or you may be subject to penalties under the Working with Children Act 2005. You can lodge your application at any time before the due date.
Note: If you work or volunteer in two or more occupational fields, you must apply by the earliest of the two or more due dates.
The next deadline for applications for the WWC Check is 30 June 2011. Applications for those people undertaking ‘child-related work’ as defined in section 9 of the Working with Children Act in connection with the following occupational fields must be made by this date:
- Clubs, associations or movements of a cultural nature that:
- provide services or conduct activities for, or directed at, children, or
- whose membership is mainly comprised of children
- Commercial entertainment or party services specifically for children, unless they are merely incidental to or in support of other business activities
- Commercial gym or play facilities specifically for children, unless they are merely incidental to or in support of other business activities
For example, the provision of play facilities for children by a fast-food outlet may be merely incidental to the business of providing food - Commercial photography services specifically for children, unless they are merely incidental to or in support of other business activities
- Commercial talent or beauty competitions for children, unless they are merely incidental to or in support of other business activities