Comprehensive Guide to Working With Children Checks for Students

Published: 30th July 2024.
Written by Melinda Irvine

In Australia, people who work with children must submit to a background check before they can start working. This includes VET and university students on work placement and unpaid volunteers.

Background checks are in place so that children and young people under 18 years are protected when they attend school, receive healthcare, or participate in sports and activities under adult supervision.

Throughout Australia, these checks are commonly known as Working With Children Checks WWCC but are actually different in each state and territory. This can be confusing.

To help, we’ve written this detailed student guide to answer most of your questions. Whether you’re a TAFE student getting ready to attend work placement or a university graduate applying for a career role, our WWCC Guide for students will help you make the right choices. Let’s get started.

What is a Working With Children Check (WWCC)?

A Working With Children Check is a detailed search of your legal and public records by an approved government screening unit. The background check is conducted to determine your suitability for child-related work.

An initial computer search scans a range of databases to determine if you have a criminal history or are listed on a sex offender’s register. If everything is clear, you will be issued with a card or clearance number (depending on your location) within a few weeks.

Alternatively, you may be flagged for evaluation and risk assessment by the screening unit if you have:

• Criminal convictions
• Offences with pending charges
• Family protection orders against you (e.g., AVOs, DVOs)
• Been refused a WWCC in another region
• Other records of misconduct

A risk assessment is not an automatic disqualification, but your application will take longer while the screening unit determines if any previous conviction or misconduct creates an unacceptable risk to children.

If your application is refused, you will be notified of the decision and any rights to appeal.

WWCC vs NPC

Working With Children Checks (WWCC) and National Police Checks (NPC) are two different things. Some students need both before they can start work placement. Here are the key differences:

• Valid for 2-5 years.
• Focuses on serious crime and incidents of misconduct involving children.
• Does not list spent convictions (i.e., convictions that occurred before a certain date or when the offender was a minor).
• Can be revoked if a person commits an offence.

• Details your criminal history (if any) at the application date.
• Includes all criminal convictions and offences, including traffic convictions.
• Screens all offences and convictions, including spent convictions.
• Any convictions after the application date won’t be recorded unless another NPC is ordered.

Who Needs a WWCC in Australia?

Anyone doing child-related work in Australia (including unpaid volunteers and students on work placement) must apply for a Working With Children Check before they start.

“Child-related” work involves:

• Services for anyone under 18 years old — e.g., a guitar teacher who provides lessons online.
• Being face to face with children — e.g., a student nurse on work placement in the children’s ward.
• More than occasional contact with children — e.g., an Early Childhood Teacher at a kindergarten.

IMPORTANT: If you are under 18 yourself, in most regions, you won’t need a WWCC. However, we recommend checking with your training provider or government screening unit before arranging your work placement, because the requirements are different in each state and territory.

The following sectors and services generally include child-related work, and you will require a WWCC for your work placement:

Community Services: Community service workers and students on work placement who have direct contact with children and young people require a WWCC. This can include case workers, crisis support workers, community outreach officers, indigenous support workers, and more.

Counselling: Most counsellors require a WWCC, especially student counsellors, family counsellors, youth counsellors, and social workers.

Creative Industries: Students and workers in the creative industries will require a WWCC when they have close contact with children, even if classes occur online. This can include dance instructors, music tutors, children’s entertainers, and leaders of creative workshops and art camps.

Early Childhood Education and Care: If you’re planning a career in the ECE space, you’ll need to keep your WWCC up to date. This includes Early Childhood Teachers (ECTs), Cert III and Diploma Educators, childcare workers, OOSH carers, nannies, au pairs, and agency babysitters.

Education: Most people working and studying in the education space require a WWCC. This includes ECTs, high school and primary teachers, education assistants, teacher’s aides, tutors, and student support officers.

Healthcare: Healthcare workers should obtain a WWCC if they have direct contact with children and young adults under 18 years. In some states, qualified GPs and dentists are exempt, but medical students on a work placement or internship will require a WWCC.

Law and Legal Services: If you are planning a career in youth justice, policing, or corrective services/juvenile detention, you will need a WWCC.

Medical Administration: If your job requires you to access confidential data and the personal records of children, you may require a WWCC. The requirement varies by state, so check with your regional authority.

Mental Health: Mental health professionals such as counsellors, social workers, mental health clinicians, and psychotherapists need a WWCC when they are supporting children and young adults — even if support services occur online.

Nursing: If you’re studying nursing, you will need a WWCC if you are assigned to the Emergency Room (ER), a children’s ward, school, community health clinic, or anywhere children are regular patients.

Sport, Fitness and Recreation: If your work in sport, fitness, or recreation involves close contact with children, you need a WWCC. Check with your state government screening unit if you are studying to be a community coach, junior sport promoter, sport and recreation officer, pool lifeguard, swimming instructor, fitness instructor, outdoor adventure guide, or personal trainer.

Theology and Religion: Chaplains, pastors, and ministers of religion should all hold a current WWCC.

Youth Work: Anyone involved in the youth sector will need an up-to-date WWCC and other clearances. This includes youth workers, child protection officers, case workers, and family support officers.

Do I need to pay for my WWCC?

Most Australian students don’t need to pay for a working with children check when they are on work placement. There are exceptions (e.g., NT, SA, WA, TAS), but the fees for students are heavily discounted. We’ve listed the current charges in the next section.

Getting a Working With Children Check

In this section, we briefly unpack the WWCC application process for each Australian state and territory. If you are moving interstate, you’ll need to apply for a whole new clearance with the government screening unit in your new location.

New South Wales (NSW)

Name: Working With Children Check (WWCC)
Government Screening Unit: Office of the Children’s Guardian
Processing Time: 3-4 weeks
Issuance: WWCC Clearance Number
Duration: 5 years
Renewals: Yes. Renew online up to 60 days prior or 28 days after expiry.

Australian Capital Territory (ACT)

Name: Working With Vulnerable People (WWVP)
Government Screening Unit: Access Canberra
Processing Time: 5-8 weeks
Issuance: Registration Card with photo
Duration: 5 years
Renewals: Yes. Renew online up to 90 days prior or 30 days after expiry.

Victoria

Name: Working With Children (WWC) Check
Government Screening Unit: Working with Children Check (WWCC) Unit Victoria
Processing Time: 3-12 weeks
Issuance: WWC Card with photo
Duration: 5 years
Renewals: Yes. Renew online up to 6 months prior or 3 months after expiry.

Tasmania

Name: Registration to Work With Vulnerable People
Government Screening Unit: Department of Justice
Processing Time: 6 weeks
Issuance: Registration Card with photo
Duration: 5 years
Renewals: Yes. Renew online up to 30 days prior or 30 days after expiry.

South Australia

Name: Working With Children Check (WWCC)
Government Screening Unit: Department for Communities and Social Inclusion
Processing Time: 4 weeks
Issuance: Screening Reference Number
Duration: 5 years
Renewals: No. Apply for a new WWCC up to 6 months before expiry.

Western Australia

Name: Working With Children Check (WWCC)
Government Screening Unit: Department of Communities
Processing Time: 3-12 weeks
Issuance: WWC Card
Duration: 3 years
Renewals: Yes. Renew online at least 30 days before expiry.

Northern Territory

Name: Working With Children Clearance (Ochre Card)
Government Screening Unit: NT Government
Processing Time: 3-12 weeks
Issuance: Ochre Card
Duration: 2 years
Renewals: Yes. Renew well before the expiry date.

Queensland

Name: Blue Card
Government Screening Unit: Blue Card Services
Processing Time: 4 weeks
Issuance: Blue Card
Duration: 3 years
Renewals: Yes. Renew up to 16 weeks before expiry.

How to Apply for a WWCC (by Region)

The information below is a brief summary; for more details, contact the government screening unit in your area.

In NSW, your Working With Children Check (WWCC) is processed by the Office of the Children’s Guardian.

Apply for a WWCC by completing the online application form, uploading 4 x identity documents, and providing an email address. You will receive a confirmation email and application (APP) number within 24 hours.

Next, take your confirmation email (with APP number) to any Service NSW Centre and have your ID verified. At the same time, pay the application fee — currently $105. WWCC in NSW is free for volunteers and students on unpaid work placement.

Screening takes around 3-4 weeks, and you will be emailed your WWCC clearance number if your application is successful. Provide your WWCC number to your employer along with your date of birth because NSW does not issue WWCC cards or certificates.

Your WWCC clearance number is valid for 5 years, and you will be emailed a renewal reminder 90 days before it expires. You can renew online without having to visit a Service NSW Centre.

To work with children in the ACT, you’ll need a Working With Vulnerable People (WWVP) registration card. These are processed online by Access Canberra and may take more than 60 days to be approved.

Complete your application online and upload 4 x identification documents. You will also need to disclose any criminal convictions, offences with no conviction, and other relevant history.

Once you complete your online application, visit an Access Canberra Service Centre within 30 days to verify your identity and have ID photos taken. You can also pay the service fee of $151.60 (volunteers are free).

If your WWVP is approved, you will receive your Registration Card by post. The card is valid for 5 years.

Cards can be renewed online without having to visit an Access Canberra Service Centre. You will be emailed a reminder 12 weeks before the expiry date.

Working With Children Checks (WWC Check) in Victoria are processed by the Working with Children Check (WWCC) Unit Victoria. Screening can take up to 12 weeks, so allow plenty of time.

To apply, complete the online application form with Service Victoria and upload 2 x accepted identification documents. If applicable, pay the fee of (currently) $131.60, remembering that volunteers are free.

Your ID will be verified online, so you will need access to a webcam or phone camera. Your photos will be entered into the government database, and one of them will be displayed on the WWC Check Card.

If approved, your WWC Check Card will be posted directly to you. You can also apply to have a digital card added to your Service Victoria account, but you first need to get the physical card.

In Tasmania, you need a Registration to Work With Vulnerable People Card. Screening is conducted by the Department of Justice and currently costs $130.90 for paid workers and $22.44 for students and volunteers.

To apply, complete the online application form and upload 4 x approved ID documents. You will need to list every place you have lived in the past 5 years (including dates) and provide details of criminal history, offences without convictions, and family protection orders. You’ll also need the details of each organisation where you will be working or volunteering.

After you complete your application, visit a Service Tasmania Centre within 21 days to have your ID verified and your photo taken for the Registration Card. Allow 6 weeks to receive your card in the mail.

You will receive a reminder 30 days before your card expires. Renew online or at a Service Tasmania Centre up to 30 days after the expiry date. In Tasmania, you can also have your NDIS endorsement added to your Registration Card.

The Working With Children Check (WWCC) in South Australia is processed by the Department for Communities and Social Inclusion. The clearance currently costs $117 for paid workers, $64.50 for students, and volunteers are free. Most applications are approved within 4 weeks.

To apply, complete the application form online and upload 2 x accepted ID documents. You must provide a list of every place you have lived in the last 5 years (with dates) and verify your ID using the Documentation Verification Service (DVS).

If approved, your unique screening number will be emailed directly to you. South Australia does not issue WWCC cards or certificates, so keep your number stored securely. Remember to renew your WWCC well before the expiry date.

If you live in Western Australia, Christmas Island, or the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, you need a Working With Children Check (WWCC) Card. Applications are processed by the Department of Communities Working with Children Screening Unit and can take up to 12 weeks, so allow plenty of time.

Apply for your WWC Card at authorised Australian Post outlets. You’ll need to fill out a paper form and provide 100 points of ID. You must also have the organisation you are working for sign the form. The fees are currently $87 for employees and $11 for students and volunteers.

Cards last for 3 years and should be renewed at least 30 days before expiry. Approved applicants can renew online for a reduced fee.

People who do child-related work in NT need a working with children clearance, also known as the Ochre Card. Card processing can take 3-12 weeks, so allow plenty of time.

Apply online using Safe NT Online Services or at any NT Police Station. You can also apply in person at the Safe NT Building in Darwin. Complete the application form and upload 100 points of ID and a valid passport photo. You’ll also need to pay the fee of $88 for employees and $8 for volunteers.

If your application is approved, you’ll receive your Ochre Card in the mail. Cards are valid for 2 years and can be renewed online.

In Queensland, you need a Blue Card to do child-related work. If you have a Customer Reference Number (CRN) from the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR), you can apply online using the Blue Card Services Portal. Alternatively, visit a TMR Service Centre or use the Blue Card Remote Pack.

QLD Blue Card currently costs $101.50 for paid workers, while students and volunteers are free. The card is valid for 3 years and can be renewed online up to 16 weeks before it expires.

Keeping Your WWCC Updated

It’s illegal to work or volunteer in any child-related occupation without a current WWCC, so keep your details up-to-date. This includes:

• Updates — notify the government screening unit in your state or territory if you change your name, address, gender, or contact details.
• Upgrades — if you switch from student/volunteer to paid employee, you need to upgrade your clearance and pay the required fee.
• Renewals — you cannot work (or volunteer) without a current WWCC, so make sure you apply for a renewal at least 30 days before the expiry date.
• Transfers — if you move interstate you will need to apply for a new WWCC in your new location.