Working with Children Check

Legislative changes to WWC Check

Reforms to strengthen WWC Checks came into effect on 1 July 2023. These changes help to better protect children by making it harder for people who have committed certain offences or engaged in certain conduct to obtain a WWC Card.

The main changes include: 

• increasing the number of Class 1 and Class 2 offences that may stop a person getting a Working with Children Check
• ensuring people who have been denied a WWC Card cannot access exemptions for parent and child volunteers 
• better sharing of information between government agencies
• the WWC Screening Unit receiving conduct review findings or outcomes from the Teacher Registration Board of WA and the Ombudsman WA (this is discretionary), which could trigger a re-assessment of someone’s WWC Card 
• increasing compliance powers for the WWC Screening Unit, including the ability to apply for and execute entry warrants, inspect, search, and remove anything from the premises, and to direct a person to provide information or documents
• requiring WWC cardholders and applicants to notify the WWC Screening Unit of a change in name, residential address, contact details and child-related work status (starting or ceasing). 

What does this mean for people with an existing WWC card? 

The only difference for existing WWC cardholders is that they need to notify the WWC Screening Unit of a change in their name, address or contact details or their child-related work status. 

This is a simple process that can be done online or in writing by using an approved form. 

If your name, address and contact details or child-related work status remain unchanged, you don’t need to do anything.

What does this mean for organisations? 

The main change for organisations relates to the changes to child and parent volunteer exemptions.

It is the responsibility of an individual who uses the child or parent volunteer exemption to ensure they are eligible to access these exemptions, however, organisations are encouraged to inform their volunteers of this change.

To manage the risk, it is recommended that organisations include a process for child and parent volunteers to acknowledge they understand the new laws and confirm that they are eligible to access the child or parent exemption.

This can be done using the template that the WWC Screening Unit has developed.

More information

• Read the media statement.
• Watch the Overview of the WWC Check Amendments video.
• The WWC Screening Unit are offering free online information sessions on the amendments to help individuals and organisations understand the changes and what they mean for them. Register on our Eventbrite page.
• Join our mailing list to receive updates from the WWC Screening Unit and check out our free workshops and information sessions on our Eventbrite page.