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Volunteers & Students: Your obligations

What are your obligations?

Following is a summary of the major obligations volunteers have under the WWC legislation. They apply to ALL people in child-related work from 1 January 2006.   Please refer to the legislation for information on all the obligations and prohibitions that apply to you.

YOU MUST:

  • Apply for or already hold a WWC Card by the date you start child-related work. 
  • Apply for a WWC Check within the time stated if the Screening Unit requests in writing that you apply.
  • Give written notice to your volunteer co-ordinator of a relevant change of criminal record as soon as practicable.
  • Stop child-related work immediately if you are convicted of a Class 1 offence that was committed when you were an adult.
  • Return your WWC Card to the Screening Unit as soon as practicable if you are issued with a Negative Notice or Interim Negative Notice, or if you have been convicted of a Class 1 offence that was committed as an adult.
  • Re-apply for a WWC Check if you stopped child-related work, have a relevant change of criminal record and want to start new child related work. You must do this even if your WWC Card is still current.
  • Notify the Screening Unit in writing if you have already applied for a WWC Check and you have a relevant change of criminal record.

YOU MUST NOT:

  • Carry out child-related work unless you hold or have applied for a WWC Check.
  • Carry out child-related work if you have been convicted of a Class 1 offence which was committed as an adult .
  • Carry out child-related work if you have been issued with a current Negative Notice or Interim Negative Notice.
  • Give information to the WWC Screening Unit which you know to be false or misleading.

Penalties of up to $60,000 and 5 years imprisonment apply in relation to offences under the WWC legislation.

For detailed information about your legal obligations consult Factsheet 3b: Employees and Volunteers – Checklist and Obligations.