Working with Children Check

State/Territory

Legal Requirements 

Australian Capital Territory

This checklist aims to create workplaces where children are safe and protected, and where the people who work with children are appropriately screened.

In the NT the law has recently changed and from 1 March 2011 it will be mandatory for people who have contact or potential contact with children to hold a Working with Children Clearance Notice and an Ochre Card.

SAFE NT administers the clearance procedure which involves an employment and criminal history check. People who have previously had a Criminal History Check to work with children will still be required to apply for the Working with Children Clearance if they work certain specified areas of employment.

For more information on the requirements visit www.workingwithchildren.nt.gov.au or contact SAFE NT on 1800 723 368.

In Queensland people working or volunteering with children need to hold a Blue Card.

The Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian is responsible for administering and conducting criminal history checks on people who want to work with children to determine whether or not they are eligible to hold a Blue Card.

Under the Children's Protection Act (Section 8B) people in SA who work in jobs which require regular contact with children are required to obtain police clearance before they commence employment.

A National Police Certificate application form is available from the South Australian Police Department.

Currently there are no legal requirements for people working with children to undertake a police check in Tasmania, however, organisations which require employees and/or volunteers to work with children may have their own policies in this regard.

In 2005 the Commissioner for Children Tasmania released a consultation paper discussing proposals for the Government to introduce screening procedures for Tasmanian organisations who want to employ people to work with children.

The Victorian Government has introduced the Working with Children Check, which is compulsory for people who wish to work with or volunteer with children.

The check seeks to protect children from harm by requiring people to undertake a criminal history check before they start work in an organisation.

In Western Australia a Working with Children Check is compulsory for people who carry out child-related work in Western Australia.

The check aims to protect children by deterring people from working with children when they have criminal records that indicate they may harm children; and by preventing people with such records from gaining positions of trust in paid and voluntary work with children.