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Working with Children Checks in Department of Education Sites Policy

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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 (Screening) Act 2004.

2. Policy rules

Employees undertaking child-related employment must:

  • have an application in progress or hold a valid Western Australian WWC Check
  • 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 (Screening) Act 2004
  • comply with the Working with Children Checks in Department of Education Sites Procedures.

Guidance

The Working with Children (Screening) Act 2004 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 to staff who have been granted access via My Favourite Links on the Ikon home page (staff only). Further information about how to Manage Working With Children Check compliance can be accessed on Ikon. 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 or Department of Education Account Manager (DAM).

 

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. 

6. Definitions

Section 6 of the Working with Children (Screening) Act 2004 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.

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.

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

8. Contact information

Policy manager:              

Director, Standards and Integrity Directorate

Policy contact officer:    

Senior Consultant, WWC Checks

Standards and Integrity Directorate

E:   wwcc.query@education.wa.edu.au

Policy enquiries:

Standards and Integrity Directorate

Department of Education

151 Royal Street, East Perth, WA, 6004

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

W:   www.education.wa.edu.au 

Legislation and application queries:

Working with Children Screening Unit

Department of Communities

PO Box 8553, Perth BC WA, 6849

T:    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.
26 July 2021 10 June 2022 2.3
Minor change to correct repetition in Policy Rules and updated contact information D22/0448032
19 July 2023 3.0
Major review and changes due to amendments to the Act as of 1/07/2023. Endorsed and signed by the DG 18 July 2023 D23/1065273