A Working With Children Check (WWCC) is a requirement for people who work or volunteer in child-related work. It involves a national criminal history check and a review of findings of workplace misconduct.
The Office of the Children’s Guardian define ‘child related work’ as:
“a usual part of and more than incidental to, the child related work”.
The safety, welfare and wellbeing of children are a priority concern for Swimming NSW. This Swimming NSW Fact Sheet is designed to help clubs and individuals understand their obligations under the Child Protection (Working with Children) Act 2012
Online check
The online Working with Children check is more comprehensive and provides better protection for children. A Working with Children Check involves a national police check and review of findings of misconduct involving children, and the result is either a clearance to work with children for five years, or a bar against working with children. If the outcome is a clearance, the Check can be used for any child-related work (paid or voluntary) in NSW
Important changes in legislation
There have been some changes to the laws around the Working with Children Check that are important for everyone who works or volunteers with kids and their employees.
The main changes are:
- A requirement for people to keep their personal details up to date or risk a penalty
- Employers must verify child-related workers or risk a fine
- WWC is required for all parent volunteers attending overnight kid’s camps, with their own
Renewing your Working with Children check
Working with Children’s checks last for five years. For those who first applied in 2013, renewals commenced in March 2018.
If your contact details are up to date, you will receive a notification when it is time to renew your WWCC.
If any of your club employees or volunteers need to find their WWCC, are unsure when their WWCC is due to be renewed or need to update details, please visit the Office of the Children’s Guardian.
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For Volunteers
- Who needs a check?
- Children (under the age of 18)
- Volunteering by a parent or close relative with a team, program or other activity in which the child usually participates or is a team member; except where the work is part of a formal mentoring program or involves personal care of children with a disability. (Part 4, Clause 20)
- Clubs or other bodies providing services for children if the work is work as a referee, umpire, linesperson or otherwise as a sporting official or a grounds person, and the work does not ordinarily involve contact with children for extended periods without other adults being present. (part 2)
- How to get your WWCC
- You cannot submit proof of identity on behalf of someone else. You must appear in person with your own documentation.
- Proof of identity cannot be performed outside of NSW. It must be completed at a NSW motor registry or NSW Council Agency that offers RMS services.
- Receiving your results
As part of our ongoing commitment to the safety, welfare and wellbeing of children, Swimming NSW recommends ALL volunteers undertake the Working with Children Process.
However, under legislation, there are exemptions for some categories of volunteers under the Child Protection (Working with Children) Regulation 2013. They are:
STEP 1: Fill in an online application form
Go to www.ocg.nsw.gov.au and fill in the online application form. If you do not have access to the internet, please call (02) 9286 7219 for assistance.
Please make sure the details you provide are EXACTLY THE SAME as the details on your identity documents. If you have submitted the form with a mistake, please redo the form to avoid problems with the proof of identity requirement at step two.
Ensure you select the correct category: paid or volunteer worker. The $80 fee for paid workers is not refundable if you are a volunteer and you choose ‘paid worker’ by mistake. A Check for paid workers will cover both paid and volunteer work in NSW for five years. VOLUNTEERS DO NOT PAY ANY FEE FOR THE CHECK.
Once you have submitted the form, you will receive an application number that looks like this: APP1234567.
Before you go to a NSW motor registry or RMS Agency or Service NSW centre note:
STEP 2: Present proof of your identity
Go to any NSW motor registry, RMS Agency or Service NSW centre. Find a location at: www.service.nsw.gov.au/service-centre.
You will need your application number and proof of your identity (same as for a NSW driver’s licence). You must have both items for your application to proceed.
You will receive your outcome and Working with Children Check number by email (or post if you do not have an email address). If you are in paid work, you will also be required to pay an $80 fee for a five-year clearance. This number should then be provided to your relevant club, region or Swimming NSW office.
This number stays with the individual – only one check is required per person regardless of different organisations that they work or volunteer for.
For Clubs
- What are our obligations as a club?
- Full name
- Date of birth
- WWCC number
- Verification date
- Verification outcome
- Expiry date
- Whether the worker is in paid or volunteer work
- How to verify WWCC numbers
- surname
- date of birth
- Working with Children Check number (or application number)
- What can I do if a volunteer would like to work but has not completed their WWCC online yet?
Before you hire a new, paid child-related worker, you must verify the status of their Working with Children Check online to ensure they have a clearance to work with children or have completed an application for a Check. As volunteers (new and existing) and current paid workers are phased in, you will need to verify their Working with Children Checks online.
Volunteers who have completed their Working with Children check should provide the WWWC Number to the relevant club official for online verification.
It is recommended that Clubs appoint a designated person responsible for the obligations under the Child Protection (Working with Children) Act 2012, including keeping a WWCC register with the fields:
If you are an employer and/or club that employs individuals in any capacity you must check that your employees are cleared to work by completing the following steps:
1. Go to www.ocg.nsw.gov.au and go to the ‘I’m an employer’ section.
2. Choose Log in from the for employers section. I(f you have not already registered as an employer, please choose Register) then enter your login details.
3. Select the verify Working with Children status tab.
4. Enter the worker or volunteer’s:
5. Click Verify
To assist Clubs and Areas Swimming NSW will also provide Member Protection Declaration Form templates which you can ask volunteers at your Club to complete prior to being involved in Club activities. These should be used if someone wants to volunteer and has not yet had a chance to complete the Working with Children Check or if your Club has decided not to ask its volunteers to complete the Working with Children Check.
