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It’s an offence to do child-related work without a Working with Children Check. Find out if you, you’re employees or volunteers need a check.
Who must have a check
A Working with Children Check (WWCC) is required when a person is 14-years-old or over and does:
- child-related work as a volunteer or employee for more than 7 days a year
- any child-related work that involves overnight stays
- close personal contact with a child with a disability.
People who run a business where employees or volunteers do child-related work must also have a WWCC.
Child-related work
Child-related work includes:
- accommodation and residential services for children, including approved carers and foster care – this applies to any adults residing in a residential or other facility where care is provided to children
- child protection services
- childcare or child-minding services
- clubs and associations with significant membership or involvement of children that provide services or activities of a sporting, recreational, cultural or artistic nature – all workers and volunteers need a WWCC regardless of whether they have direct contact with children
- coaching or tuition services for children providing instruction in education, sports, recreational activities, cultural awareness or cultural activities or arts and crafts
- commercial services provided to children – for example play gyms, bouncy castles, face painting, photography of children
- disability services for children
- education services, including preschool, primary and secondary teachers, and Department for Education employees
- emergency services
- health services for children
- justice and detention services for children
- services or activities provided by religious organisations
- the provision of traffic control at, or other supervision of, school pedestrian crossings
- transport services for children.
Prescribed positions
Legislation and some regulations may refer to a role as a prescribed position. A prescribed position is where a person:
- works with children, or
- it’s possible that they will work with children.
What is not child-related work
The following are not child-related work.
- Where the service or activity is provided for a personal or domestic service. For example, if a grandparent, aunt or uncle provides care to a child while the parent is out.
- Where you employ or supervise a child in the course of a service or activity that is not child-related work. For example, the owner of, or a supervisor at, a supermarket that employs or supervises children. Here, the service being provided is not child-related work.
- Where you undertake the service or activity in the same capacity as a child. For example, an adult playing in a football team alongside a child does not need a WWCC. However, they do need a WWCC if they are coaching or volunteering in some other capacity for the football club.
- Any other service or activity where contact with children:
- occurs incidentally, or
- would not reasonably be expected to occur.
People who live interstate
Visiting workers
People who normally live outside South Australia, and hold an equivalent check from their home state or territory, do not need a South Australian Working with Children Check as long as the child-related work:
- occurs as part of an organised event
- is no more than 10 consecutive days.
Organised events include events organised and run by an association, club or other body as part of the official activities of the body. For example, interstate or territory people working at a 5-day Australian Scout Jamboree will not need a WWCC.
Workers who do not have a check
If the child-related work in South Australia is for less than 7 days in a year, and does not include overnight stays or close contact with a child with disability, the worker will not require a check from their home state or territory.
The visiting worker must have a WWCC if the child-related work involves:
- overnight stays
- close personal contact with a child with a disability.
Role examples
Examples of roles that do and don't require a Working with Children Check. Use this list as a guide – it’s not a full list.
WWCC required | WWCC not required |
|---|---|
Committee or board members of an entity that provides child-related services or activities regardless of the entity’s incorporation or profit status. | If the person is a member of South Australia Police or the Australian Federal Police |
Secondary student who does child-related work during work experience. Students should apply as a volunteer. | A friend or relative temporarily looking after a child at the request of the parent or caregiver. |
Work on re-application
Workers who complete a Working with Children Check (WWCC) application before their current WWCC expires are eligible to continue working with children while their application is finalised. This is called ‘work on re-application’.
You can view the status of workers linked to your organisation, including their work on re-application status, in the Screening organisation portal (link). It is your organisation’s choice to allow eligible workers to work on re-application or not.
The Screening Unit will tell you when a worker’s WWCC expires and if they are eligible to work on re-application or not. You must register an interest in the worker through the organisation portal to receive these notifications.
The Screening Unit will also tell a worker when their WWCC expires and if they are eligible to work on re-application or not.
Contact
enquiries@workerscreening.sa.gov.au
Contact the Screening Unit
Phone
1300 321 592
Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 5:00pm.
In person
You can only contact the Screening Unit by phone or email.
