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Working with Children Check - September 2025
Exploring the Check with Daisy the Dugong and the team
June saw the Community Engagement team visit the Kimberley region. Ava Oprandi, Mason Smith and the Department of Communities Story Animal Daisy the Dugong Explored the Check in Wyndham, Kununurra, Halls Creek, Fitzroy Crossing, Derby and Broome. Over 10 days they met with 155 representatives from 64 organisations who are all working hard to keep children safe: including 20 Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations.
These important engagement activities were undertaken in line with the WWC Screening Unit's Aboriginal Engagement Strategy. This strategy focuses on strengthening the relationships with Aboriginal stakeholders to better understand the support and information they need to implement the WWC Check in their communities.
Common discussion topics included alternate lodgement and non-standard ID procedures, the Negative Notice and submission process and over capturing resulting from requirements of external funding agreements. The information received will be used to both review existing resources and develop new ones to assist individuals and organisations to comply with the WWC legislation.
If you want to find out more information or be involved in future discussions contact the team.
And if you would like to learn more about The Story Animal characters and yarn books visit the Department of Communities website.
Over capturing
In previous editions we have discussed how the WWC Screening Unit has been focusing on reducing applications from individuals who are not in child-related work.
Unfortunately we are continuing to see this trend of over capturing across all sectors. Particularly with regard to external contractors who do not have a child-related work role. As a reminder please see the bulletin that the Unit developed.
While we can appreciate that organisations are wanting to keep children safe it is important to understand that a WWC Check is only one strategy that organisations should employ.
Individuals who are found to be applying for a WWC Check when they are ineligible will have their application withdrawn and will not receive a refund.
For a refresher on who needs a WWC Check contact us or register for an online session.
Child Safe Organisations
The WWC Check does not stand alone when it comes to organisations keeping children safe from harm.
The Check is just one element of the ten National Principles for Child Safe Organisations that were developed following the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
The Department of Communities Child Safe Organisations Knowledge Hub provides information and resources to help organisations create a friendly and child safe environment.
Earlier this year the Child Safe Project was launched. The project sees the Western Australian Council of Social Services (WACOSS) build on previous work to support small and medium sized organisations to implement the National Principles.
WACOSS will be delivering a series of tailored webinars from next month. Find out more on the Child Safe Organisations Knowledge Hub.
Have your say on Phase 2 reforms to strengthen WA’s Working with Children Check law.
The Department of Communities has released a public Consultation Paper seeking feedback on potential Phase Two reforms to Western Australia’s (WA’s) Working with Children (WWC) law. You are invited to provide a submission.
The reform will comprise the WA Government’s second phase of reform in response to the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse’s Working with Children Checks Report. The first phase of reform came into effect on 1 July 2023, following the substantive commencement of the Working with Children (Criminal Record Checking) Amendment Act 2022.
Any person or organisation who would like to make a submission to inform the design of Phase Two Reforms, is welcome to do so. Everyone is invited to provide feedback on the matters set out in the Consultation Paper.
The closing date for submissions is 23 September 2025.
To view the Consultation Paper, and for further information visit: WWC Phase 2 reform consultation
