Parent Question: What is WWC
Working with Children Checks (WWC) are legally required for child-related work
If a person is engaging in child-related work, it is a legal requirement under the Worker Screening Act 2020 that they must, at a minimum, have a valid Working with Children Clearance unless an exemption applies (see below).
Child-related work is defined in the Worker Screening Act 2020 as work that:
- involves an adult working with children under 18 years old (both paid and unpaid work)
- usually involves direct contact with a child or children, including physical, face-to-face, written, oral or electronic contact and
- the contact with the child or children is a usual part of the person’s duties and is not occasional direct contact which is incidental to their work.
An activity may be ‘child-related work’ regardless of whether the contact with a child is supervised by another person or not. This means even if a volunteer or visitor is supervised by a teacher, they must still have (and provide evidence of) a current Working with Children Clearance if they are performing ‘child-related work’.
Examples of child-related work activities- School camps
- Excursions (including swimming)
- Literacy and numeracy support
Examples of child-related work roles
- Classroom or library assistant
- Sporting, musical and other extracurricular coaches
- Canteen and uniform shop assistant
- School camp or excursion support
- Volunteering in the classroom (in any capacity)
Note: a parent volunteering in an activity with their child or a parent or carer who is closely related to all the children they are undertaking the activity with is exempt from requiring a Working with Children Clearance under the Worker Screening Act.
However, it is recommended that schools require anyone who volunteers regularly or who assists with excursions, camps or similar events obtain a Working with Children Clearance given the contact volunteers may have with other students in these situations.
For more information about the occupational categories that fall within the legal definition of ‘child-related’ work, refer to Working with Children Check Victoria.
When a Working with Children Check is not legally required – exemptionsA person is exempt from needing a Working with Children Clearance if they are any one of the following:
- a registered teacher in Victoria
- a parent volunteering in an activity with only their child
- under the age of 18
- a student who is 18 or 19 years old volunteering or on placement, organised by an educational institution
- closely related to all the children they are undertaking the activity with
- a Victoria or Australian Federal Police officer.
Even if a person is legally exempt, they may still be required to get a Working with Children Clearance if the school requires it as part of their Visitors Policy or Volunteers Policy. This ensures that volunteers and visitors are adequately screened, considering the child safety risks relevant to the person’s role.
The department recommends that schools require anyone who volunteers regularly or assists with excursions, camps or similar events obtain a Working with Children Clearance given the nature of the contact volunteers may have with other students in these situations.
When a registered teacher or police officer invokes an exemption, they need to provide evidence. For example, a teacher needs to show their VIT registration and a police officer needs to show their warrant card.
Schools may also require anyone visiting the school and people engaged in child-connected work (who are not performing child-related work) to undertake a Working with Children Check, an/or other checks, to ensure that volunteers and visitors are adequately screened, considering the child safety risks relevant to the person’s role.
For more guidance on circumstances when a Working with Children Check is required under the Worker Screening Act 2020, visit Working with Children Check Victoria.
Considerations relevant to suitability checks for child-related work
In assessing what suitability checks should be undertaken, schools must consider the child safety risks relevant to the volunteer or visitor’s role.
Factors to consider may include:
- the type of work being undertaken
- the location where the work will be performed
- the time of day when the work will be performed
- how much time the person spends on school premises to perform their work while children are present
- how the person will be supervised
- whether the individual will be able to move freely around the school without staff members accompanying them or in close proximity to staff members
- reasonable expectations of the school community in screening requirements for this type of volunteer or visitor
- reasonable precautions to supervise visitors and volunteers, including their contact with children, where this is considered necessary.
Child-connected work means:
- work authorised by the school governing authority and performed by an adult in a school environment while children are present or reasonably expected to be present, or
Examples of child-connected work activities
- Fete or fundraising activities, where children are reasonably expected to be present
- Working bee assistance, where children are reasonably expected to be present
- Parents’ and friends’ clubs
- Volunteering at school events but not working directly with children (for example, ushering at a concert)
External tradespeople, for example, gardening, building and grounds maintenance.
Working with Children Checks for volunteers and visitors engaged in child-connected workSchools may require some or all volunteers and visitors engaged in child-connected work to have a Working with Children Check before commencing work.
It is the responsibility of the principal to determine if a Working with Children Check is required, considering the child safety risks relevant to the person’s role. If the contact with a child or children is occasional direct contact which is incidental to the work being performed, then a Working with Children clearance may be deemed unnecessary.
Volunteer recruitment
When recruiting volunteers who will undertake child-connected work, schools should consider the child safety risks relevant to the volunteer role and screen volunteers for their suitability during recruitment. Where reasonable and appropriate, schools can develop questions to include in volunteer selection processes relevant to the role.
For roles that are assessed as having greater child safety risks, schools may need to:
- seek personal or professional references for volunteers as appropriate
- ask referees about the person’s character and experience in working with children and young people
- ask whether the referee has any concerns about the volunteer working with children and young people.
An example of where this might be appropriate is a volunteer who is directing the school musical or volunteering to coach a school’s sports team.
