Working with Children Checks in Department of Education Sites Policy - Policies

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1. Policy statement

The Department of Education (the Department) requires Working with Children (WWC) Checks for employees and non-employees undertaking child-related work to minimise the risk of harm to students attending public schools and Department sites and to fulfil its responsibilities under the Working with Children (Criminal Record Checking) Act 2004.

2. Policy rules

Employees undertaking child-related employment must:

have an application in progress or hold a valid Western Australian Working with Children Check (WWC Check); and
comply with the Working with Children Checks in Department of Education Sites Procedures.

Site managers must:

confirm that all employees and non-employees in child-related work at their site have an application in progress or hold a valid WWC Check;
record all WWC Check details for all employees and non-employees in child-related work at their site in the WWC Recording System;
remove from the school site an employee or non-employee who has been issued with a Negative Notice or Interim Negative Notice under the Working with Children (Criminal Record Checking) Act 2004 (Act);
comply with the Working with Children Checks in Department of Education Sites Procedures; and
comply with the Working with Children Checks in Department of Education Sites Procedures.

Guidance

The Act is administered by the Department of Communities WWC Screening Unit and aims to:

deter people from applying to work with children where they have a relevant charge or conviction on their criminal record that indicates they may harm a child;
detect new charges and convictions of those people who hold a current WWC Card and prevent them from continuing to engage in child-related work where their criminal record and behaviour indicates they may harm a child;
protect children by creating awareness that child safety is a whole of community responsibility.

The WWC Check is different and additional to the Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check (NCCHC) that all employees of the Department are required to undergo. In many cases, employees will require both checks. For more information visit the Department’s Screening website.

The WWC Recording System is accessible through the Department’s Information and Knowledge Online (Ikon) page Access the Working with Children Recording System (staff only). Access is automatically granted to Principals, Deputy or Associate Principals, Manager Corporate Services, School Officers, Executive Directors, Directors, Managers, and Administrative Assistants. Additional users can be added by the site manager using the ‘Roles’ tab within the WWC Recording System.

3. Responsibility for Implementation and Compliance

Implementation of the policy is the responsibility of site managers.

Compliance monitoring is the responsibility of the Director, Standards and Integrity Directorate.

4. Scope

This policy applies to all Department employees employed in child-related employment and Department employees who manage individuals, including non-employees, engaged in child-related work.

5. Supporting Procedures

Working with Children Checks in Department of Education Sites Procedures

6. Definitions

Child-related work

Section 6 of the Working with Children (Criminal Record Checking) Act 2004 (Act) determines that work is child-related if the usual duties of the work involve, or are likely to involve, contact with a child in connection with a category of child-related work which are outlined in the Act.

Non-employee

People who are not employees of the Department but attend Department worksites to engage in child-related work as a volunteer, visitor or external provider.

Site manager

Officers, including Principals, Line Managers and Residential College Managers who have executive responsibility for overall management and control of any Department of Education workplace.

7. Related documents

Relevant legislation or authority

Department of Commerce Circular to Departments and Authorities No.6 of 2008

Department of Commerce Pre-Employment Screening policy

Public Sector Management Act 1994 (WA)

School Education Act 1999 (WA)

State Records Act 2000

Teacher Registration Act 2012 (WA)

Vocational Education and Training Act 1996

Working with Children (Criminal Record Checking) Act 2004

Working with Children (Criminal Record Checking) Regulations 2005

Related Department policies

Child Protection in Department of Education Sites

Community Use of Public School Facilities

Criminal History Screening for Department of Education Sites

Disputes and Complaints

Duty of Care for Public School Students

Excursions in Public Schools Procedures

Occupational Safety and Health

Private Tutors in Public Schools

Recruitment, Selection and Appointment

Short-Term Visits/Study Tours by Overseas Students in Public Schools

Staff Conduct and Discipline

Visitors and Intruders on Public School Premises

8. Contact information

Policy manager:

Director, Standards and Integrity Directorate

Policy contact officer:

Consultant, WWC Check Coordination

Standards and Integrity Directorate

T: (08) 9264 8974

Policy enquiries:

Standards and Integrity Directorate

Department of Education

151 Royal Street, East Perth, WA, 6004

T: (08) 9264 4740

Complaints Advice Line: 1800 655 985

E: wwcc.query@education.wa.edu.au

W: www.education.wa.edu.au

Legislation and application queries:

Working with Children Screening Unit

Child Protection and Family Support

Department of Communities

PO Box 1262, West Perth, WA, 6872

T: (08) 6217 8100

For country callers: 1800 883 979

E: checkquery@communities.wa.gov.au

W: www.workingwithchildren.wa.gov.au

9. History of changes

Effective date	Last update date	Policy version no.
25 August 2009	30 August 2018	1.1
Minor changes to include reference to Public Schools D18/0151652
18 February 2020		2.0
Major review undertaken and endorsed by the Director General on 6 November 2019 D19/0546474.
18 February 2020	27 February 2020	2.1
Minor Change to update Related Documents. D20/0095704
26 July 2021		2.2
Major changes to clarify compliance processes in policy endorsed by Director General on 15 April 2021.