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.
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