Individuals who have a negative notice, interim negative notice, or a pending charge or conviction for a Class 1 offence committed as an adult cannot engage in child-related work with a pending application.
Apply for a WWC Check
When to apply for a WWC Check
An individual who requires a WWC Check should apply when they are about to start, or are continuing in, child-related work. This includes children under the age of 18 engaging in paid child-related work.
Students on placement who are 18 years of age or older must only apply for a WWC Check once a placement in child-related work has been arranged by their education provider.
How to apply for a WWC Check
Applications for a WWC Check can be made in person at Australia Post. Refer to Guide APP06: Completing an Application for a Working with Children Check for further information.
People who live interstate or overseas who are coming to Western Australia (WA) and will be engaging in child-related work should lodge their WWC Check application upon their arrival in WA.
If the required identification cannot be met, the WWC Screening Unit offers a non-standard identification process in exceptional circumstances. Applicants should contact the WWC Screening Unit to discuss their specific circumstances to confirm eligibility.
Application for a WWC Check forms are currently provided in hardcopy format and are available from authorised Australia Post outlets. Organisations may also have WWC Check applications available for people engaging in child-related work for their organisation. Organisations can contact the WWC Screening Unit to request a large number of application forms if required.
Fees
Current fees for a WWC Check are:
- $87.00 - for paid employees and self-employed people.
- $11.00 - for volunteers, unpaid people, students on unpaid placement and for a replacement card.
Please note: The fee for a WWC Check does not include GST.
If an individual is engaged in child-related work both as a volunteer and a paid employee, they must apply or renew as a paid employee.
Work with a pending application (receipt)
The application receipt is proof an individual has a pending application and, in most cases, allows them to start or continue child-related work. An application receipt is valid for as long as it takes for an outcome to be made and can be used as proof of lodgement for organisations.
If an Application for a WWC Check form was lodged at Australia Post, the WWC Screening Unit cannot provide a copy of the receipt; this can only be provided at the time of lodgement by Australia Post. A copy of the online receipt can be accessed through an individual’s online WWC Account.
The status of an individual’s application can be checked online, however if there are concerns please contact the WWC Screening Unit.
Renew a WWC Card
A WWC Card expires after three years and must be renewed before the expiry date if the individual is continuing to engage in child-related work. A WWC Card can be renewed up to three months prior to its expiry date.
It is an offence to engage in child-related work with an expired WWC Card and no pending WWC Check application.
If a person is not continuing in child-related work after their WWC Card is due to expire, then they do not need to renew their WWC Card.
A WWC Card holder can renew their application at Australia Post, or online through their WWC Account as detailed above. For further information refer to Guide APP06: Completing an Application for a Working with Children Check.
Organisation verification
A representative from the applicant’s organisation (organisation representative) must complete specific parts of the WWC application or renewal to verify the individual applying is, or will be, engaged in child-related work at their organisation.
If an individual is renewing online, it is recommended that the individual obtains verification from their organisation that they agree to confirm their child-related work via the online process.
Once an online renewal is submitted, the nominated organisation representative will receive an email containing a link to follow and verify the individual’s child-related work. Once confirmed, the individual’s renewal will continue processing, and the individual’s information will no longer be accessible by the organisation representative.
Organisations can nominate to have WWC notifications sent to someone other than the organisation representative, known as the notification recipient, for example a HR position. This information should be recorded under the Part 6 of the application form. Refer to Guide APP06: Completing a WWC Check Application Form for further information.
Self-employed people do not need an organisation representative to sign their form.
Withdraw an application
An individual may withdraw their application for a WWC Check at any time before a final decision is made, except where they have been issued an interim negative notice for that application.
Once an application has been withdrawn the person cannot engage in child-related work, unless an exemption applies.
Application fees are not refunded if a person withdraws their application.
To request that an application be withdrawn the individual should email the WWC Screening Unit with the following information:
- full name
- date of birth
- address
- phone number
- application number
- confirmation/declaration that the individual is not engaging in any child-related work
- include the title 'Withdraw WWC Check application' in the subject line.
Once received, the WWC Screening Unit will provide written confirmation to the individual that the application has been withdrawn and notify the individual’s organisation.
Ongoing consent
When an individual applies for a WWC Check or a renewal of their WWC Card they are agreeing to give ongoing consent for the collection, use and disclosure of information about themselves, relevant to whether they should be issued with a WWC Card.
This consent is for the initial checking based on a person’s WWC application and, if issued with a WWC Card, checking on an ongoing basis until their WWC Card expires.
Refer to Factsheet APP01: Consent, informed and ongoing for further information about the information collected and how to withdraw your consent, and the WWC Check Privacy Policy for details on how information is stored and used.
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