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Employer and Volunteer Organisation Obligations

As an employer or volunteer organisation, you have certain obligations under the Working with Children Act 2005. Agencies that list people for ‘child-related work’ also have these obligations. If you do not comply with these obligations, you may be subject to criminal penalties.

You must:

• ensure that all employees or volunteers who are required to apply for a Working with Children (WWC) Check do so by the required deadline. If your organisation wishes to facilitate the applications of all relevant employees/volunteers, a bulk application process can be arranged through your local participating Australia Post outlet. Phone 13 13 18 to speak to the manager of your local outlet
• ensure that you do not engage a person in ‘child-related work’ if they are required to apply for a WWC Check and have not done so by the due date
• where your employees or volunteers are not required to apply for a WWC Check because their contact with children is directly supervised, ensure that the supervisor has applied for and passed the WWC Check unless an exemption applies (for example, the supervisor will not be required to apply for a WWC Check if he or she is a teacher with current registration with the Victorian Institute of Teaching)
• ensure that employees or volunteers who are given a Negative Notice do not undertake ‘child-related work’, even if directly supervised 
• ensure that your employees are not undertaking ‘child-related work’ with a ‘volunteer’ Assessment Notice and WWC Check Card; employees must apply for an ‘employee’ Assessment Notice and WWC Check Card
• ensure you comply with obligations to keep employees’ and volunteers’ information confidential as required under the Working with Children Act 2005 and by any other relevant laws.

Additionally, you should:

• record your employees’ and volunteers’ unique Application Receipt Number (received when they lodge their application)
• confirm that your employees and volunteers have passed the WWC Check
• sight your employees’ and volunteers’ WWC Check card as evidence that they have passed the WWC Check
• record your employees’ and volunteers’ WWC Check Number, which is different from their Application Receipt Number
• if you engage a self-employed person who is required to pass the WWC Check, you should sight the person’s WWC Check card
• develop internal processes in the event of an existing employee or volunteer being given an Interim Negative Notice or Negative Notice.

Check Status

You can verify whether your employees’ or volunteers’ WWC Check cards or applications are valid, either on this website or by calling the WWC Check Information Line.

It is recommended that you confirm this for new employees, volunteers or any self-employed person you engage, but you can verify a WWC Check Assessment Notice or card at any other time you think it is necessary.