About the WWC Check

What is a WWC Check?

The WWC Check is a compulsory screening strategy in Western Australia and the Christmas and Cocos (Keeling) Islands for people who engage in certain paid or unpaid work with children, described as “child-related work” under the Working with Children (Criminal Record Checking) Act 2004.

The WWC Check includes a a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check, but is different from a National Police Certificate because it involves the ongoing collection and assessment of information that is relevant to whether a child may be exposed to a risk of harm should a person engage in child-related work.

What are the aims of the WWC Check?

The WWC Check aims to protect children in Western Australia and the Christmas and Cocos (Keeling) Islands by:

• deterring 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;
• detecting new charges and convictions of those people who hold a current WWC Card and preventing them from continuing to engage in child-related work where their criminal record and behaviour indicates they may harm a child;
• protecting children by creating awareness that child safety is a whole of community responsibility.

What are the outcomes of a WWC Check?

If an application or renewal for a WWC Check is successful, a person is issued with an Assessment Notice, in the form of a WWC Card. A valid WWC Card permits a person to engage in child-related work and remains valid for three years unless cancelled sooner. It is also transferable across paid, unpaid and volunteer work and across all categories of child-related work. For further information about an Assessment Notice (WWC Card) please click here.

Once a person holds a WWC Card their eligibility to continue to hold it may be re-assessed if they have a new relevant charge or conviction which indicates they may harm a child while engaging in child-related work.

A Negative Notice is issued where the WWC Screening Unit has identified a risk of harm to a child should the person engage in child-related work. This can occur when a person first applies for a WWC Check or if they are re-assessed while holding a WWC Card. A Negative Notice prohibits the person from engaging in any child-related work. A Negative Notice remains current unless cancelled under the WWC Act. For further information about a Negative Notice please click here.

An Interim Negative Notice may be issued in some cases when the WWC Screening Unit receives information relevant to the immediate safety of children (e.g. a charge or conviction for a relevant offence). This prohibits a person from engaging in child-related work during the assessment or re-assessment until a final decision is made. For further information about an Interim Negative Notice please click here.

Who conducts the WWC Check?

The WWC Screening Unit is responsible for administering the WWC Check in Western Australia and the Christmas and Cocos (Keeling) Islands. The WWC Screening Unit is part of the Department of Communities.