What is a working with children check?

A working with children check, or WWC check, assesses whether people are suitable to work with or care for children.

When you do a WWC check, you fill out a form with details about your past employment and criminal history (if relevant) and submit it to the relevant authority in your state or territory. This authority then requests a national police check.

The aim of working with children check is to keep children safe.

Who needs a working with children check?

People who work or volunteer in child-related work usually need to complete a working with children check.

You’ll need a WWC check if you:

• work as a nanny, an early childhood educator or a teacher, or you work in another child-related field
• volunteer at your child’s school – for example, in the canteen or in the classroom
• volunteer in an organisation that involves children – for example, as a coach or manager of a junior sporting club or drama group.

There are other work or volunteer situations that require you to have a WWC check. Your state or territory authority will be able to tell you about these situations.

If you need a WWC check to volunteer, most states and territories offer them for free or at a low cost. If you need a WWC check for paid work, there’s usually a fee. You might be able to claim some of this fee back through your taxes.

Working with children checks: Australian states and territories

Working with children checks are called different names in different Australian states and territories. For example, you might hear them called working with children cards, working with children or vulnerable people clearances, blue cards (in Queensland) or ochre cards (in the Northern Territory).

The requirements for a WWC check depend on the state or territory you’re working or volunteering in. To find out more, follow the link for your state or territory below:

• Australian Capital Territory – Working with vulnerable people
• New South Wales – Working with children check
• Northern Territory – Working with children clearance: apply and renew
• Queensland – Blue card services
• South Australia – Working with children checks
• Tasmania – Applying for registration to work with vulnerable people
• Victoria – Working with children check
• Western Australia – Working with children check

The WWC check process can take a few weeks to a few months, so it’s a good idea to apply as early as you can.

Most WWC checks are valid for a few years, depending on your state or territory. You’ll usually be contacted when it’s time for a renewal, so try to keep your contact details updated with your state or territory’s WWC check authority.