Frequently Asked Questions

A person is in child-related work if the usual duties of their role (whether paid or unpaid) involve, or are likely to involve, contact with a child in connection with one of the 18 categories of child-related work and no exemptions apply.

This means that people who are coaching children’s sporting teams, instructing children’s swimming lessons, working in the canteen or first aid tent at a club or association or otherwise providing activities to children at sport and recreational clubs may require a WWC Check.

Certain people such as volunteers under the age of 18 and parents whose children are also part of the club or association may be exempt from needing a WWC Check.

If you are unsure whether WWC Checks are required for a particular role you can ask the sport or recreational club that your child attends.  You can also find out more information on our Who needs a Check? page.

Parents who are volunteering at a club or association where their child/children are members are exempt from the WWC Check.   The exemption provided to parent volunteers means that they are not considered to be in child-related work and do not need to apply for a WWC Check.  However, if they volunteer to help out on a sport or recreational activity that involves an overnight stay they will no longer be exempt.

More information can be found in Factsheet 4: The Parent Volunteer Exemption 

The WWC Act provides that specific people or certain kinds of work do not require a WWC Check even if the work involves contact with children in connection with one of the categories.  This is known as an exemption and means that the individual is ineligible to apply for a WWC Check.

Common exemptions that apply to the sport and recreation sector are volunteers under 18 years of age and parent volunteers.  More information can be found in Factsheet 2: Child-Related Work and Exemptions.

Asking to see a WWC Check is similar to checking a person’s credentials, such as a current First Aid Certificate, Drivers Licence or any industry accreditation. By sighting the Check, you ensure that the person you are entrusting your child to, has the appropriate compulsory criminal record screening.

After viewing a WWC Card, you can validate it on our Check WWC Card Validity page which will confirm that the Card is valid (and not just current). A person may also show you their WWC Check application receipt. Using our WWC Application Status page, you can confirm that their application is pending. In most cases a pending application allows the person to engage in child-related work.

If an individual works for themselves then yes, they should show you their Check to demonstrate they are compliant with their WWC Check requirements.  You will find that many self-employed individuals include information about their WWC Card in their adverts and will gladly show you.

If the individual providing the service works or volunteers for a club or association then they are not obliged to show you their Check. In this case you can ask the organisation to confirm that the person in question does in fact have a current WWC Check.

If you provide us with their name, contact details and organisation details (if applicable) we will follow this up. We will be unable to provide you with the results of any investigation. However, if you have any concerns about the individual’s suitability, accreditation or conduct or that of the organisation, it would be best to reconsider use of their services. 

Visitors or members of the public who are there simply watch the sporting event or recreational activity are not required to obtain a WWC Check.  Please visit our website for more information on Who Needs a Check?.

Ensuring those who need WWC Checks have them is just one thing clubs and associations should be doing to ensure they are child safe. You should also talk to the club or association about their:

• child safety policies and procedures,
• staff/volunteer recruitment and training practices, and
• complaints handling process

If you are not happy with their response it may be best to consider a different club or association.

If you have further questions that you would like answered our Customer Support Team would be more than happy to assist.  Please contact us on 1800 883 979 or checkquery@communities.wa.gov.au.