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Welcome to the Working With Children Check Website for Western Australia

Parents and Community

Welcome to the parents and community section of the WWC Check website. Here you will find information about how this check helps to protect your children.

Why do certain people who work with children need a WWC Check?

The WWC Check was introduced to increase the safety of children in the community. It helps to ensure that people who have criminal histories that indicate they may harm a child do not gain positions of trust with children.
Unfortunately research has shown people who want to harm children sometimes seek work that puts them in close contact with children. The WWC Check helps to keep these people out of jobs where they may harm a child. It is not the only thing responsible employers can do to ensure children in their care are protected. For more ideas see our child safe/child friendly page.

Who needs a WWC Check?
Many people who work with children in connection with a number of categories of child-related work will need to have a WWC Check. The WWC Check is being phased-in over a number of years, so different people require a WWC Check at different times depending on what job they do and when they started.

The following people in child-related work should already have their WWC Cards including:

  • Religious leaders
  • All self employed people.
  • Volunteers who work with children
  • New employees in certain hospital wards, education institutions for children and counselling services
  • New or renewed registered teachers and child care licensees
  • Placement providers such as foster carers

IMPORTANT: The WWC Check is being phased in over a five year period, therefore not all people require a WWC Card at the same time.

Parent Exemption
Many parents who volunteer in connection with their children may be exempt from having to apply for a WWC Check. For example the following parents would be exempt:

  • Parent volunteer who umpires a sporting team where their child is a member of the sport club
  • A parent who volunteers at a school where their child is enrolled (even if the child is not in the class where they are volunteering)
  • A parent who volunteers at the kindergarten in which their child is enrolled

Factsheet 5 has a list of other parent volunteer exemptions

What can you do?

Parents can ask to see the WWC Card of all self employed people who work with their children such as babysitters, nannies, counsellors, dance teachers, modelling teachers, music tutors and children’s entertainers.

Please note: People may carry out child-related work prior to receiving a WWC Card if they are able to show they have applied for a WWC Check by producing their receipt.

What else can I look for when choosing a child safe/child friendly organisation for my children?

WWC Checks are only one way employers can ensure their organisation is child safe/child friendly. To find out more information about child safe organisations click here.

You may find the following websites useful:

Child wise: A Parents Guide to Choosing Child Safe Organisations:
http://www.childwise.net/a-parents-guide-to-choosing-child-safe-organisations.php

New South Wales Commission for Children & Young People: http://www.kids.nsw.gov.au/director/check/safefriendly/parents.cfm

Victoria Child Safety Commission:
http://www.ocsc.vic.gov.au