Who needs the Check?
What is child-related work?
Under Part 2, section 6 of the Child Protection (Working With Children) Act 2012, child-related work is defined as work in a specific, child-related role or face-to-face contact with children in a child-related sector. Additional roles can be found in the Child Protection (Working With Children) Regulation 2013.
Child-related sectors
The list below links to details about each sector.
Child development and family welfare services
- Work in mentoring and counselling services for children is child-related work if the mentoring and counselling services are provided to children as part of a formal mentoring program provided by a government or non-government agency.
- Work in providing family welfare services is child-related work if clients to whom the services are provided ordinarily include children.
Child protection
Work in child protection services provided by government or non-government agency is child-related work.
Children's health services
- Work as a health practitioner providing health services in wards of hospitals where children are treated is child-related work.
- Other work as a health practitioner providing child health services is child-related work.
- Work by persons (other than health practitioners) who provide health and care services in paediatric or adolescent health services is child-related work.
- Work as a student in the course of a student clinical placement in a hospital or other health service is not child-related work.
Clubs or other bodies
- Work for a club, association, movement, society or other body of a cultural, recreational, sporting or community service nature that involves providing programs or services primarily for children is child-related work.
- Work as a coach or as a team manager, or an assistant coach or assistant team manager, for a sport or activity for children is child-related work.
However, the work is not child-related work if the work is work as a referee, umpire, linesperson or otherwise as a sporting official or a groundsperson, and the work does not ordinarily involve contact with children for extended periods without other adults being present.
Disability services
- Work in providing respite care or other support services primarily for children with a disability is child-related work.
- However, the work is not child-related work if the work does not ordinarily involve contact with children for extended periods without other adults being present.
Early education and childcare
- Work in education and care services, child care centres, nanny services and other child-minding services provided on a commercial basis is child-related work.
- Work in providing babysitting services is child-related work unless the services are provided under a private arrangement (whether or not a fee is payable).
- Work as an au pair is child-related work if the work involves the provision of childcare.
Education
- Work in schools or other educational institutions (other than universities) is child-related work.
- Work providing private coaching or tuition to children is child-related work.
Entertainment for children
- Work at sporting, cultural or other entertainment venues where services, activities or entertainment is provided on a commercial basis primarily for children is child-related work.
- Work that involves providing entertainment services primarily for children on a commercial basis is child-related work.
However, providing food or equipment at or for a sporting, cultural or other entertainment venue or providing a venue is not child-related work.
Youth workers
Work as a youth worker, for a government or non-government agency, is child-related work.
Justice centres
- Work at detention centres and juvenile correctional centres is child-related work.
- Work as a supervisor or case manager of children on community justice placements, for a government or non-government body, is child-related work.
- Work for a residential parent and child program provided by a government or non-government agency involving inmates or detainees, and their children, at a correctional centre, juvenile correctional centre or detention centre or other place is child-related work.
Religious services
Work for a religious organisation where children form part of a congregation or organisation is child-related work if the work is carried out:
- as a minister, priest, rabbi, mufti or other like religious leader or spiritual officer of the organisation
- in any other role in the organisation involving activities primarily related to children, including youth groups, youth camps, teaching children and child care.
Residential services
Work at the following services is child-related work:
- refuges used regularly by children
- boarding houses or places providing other residential services for children
- overnight camps for children.
Work in providing home-stay of 3 weeks or more for children is child-related work.
Transport services for children
Work in providing transport services especially for children on a government-funded or commercial basis, including school bus services and taxi services for children with a disability and supervision of school road crossings, is child-related work.
School cleaners
The role of a cleaner providing cleaning services at a school (a school cleaner) is prescribed as a child-related role.
Membership of governing body of certain agencies
The role of each member of the governing body of any of the following is prescribed as a child-related role:
- a designated agency
- a registered agency
- an accredited adoption service provider (within the meaning of the Adoption Act 2000).
Principal officer of registered agency
- The role of the principal officer of a registered agency is prescribed as a child-related role.
- The principal officer of a registered agency means the person who has the overall supervision of the agency's arrangements for providing voluntary out-of-home-care
Additional people who must obtain a check
There are additional roles which require a Working With Children Check. These are:
An adult who resides on the property of:
- an authorised carer (foster carer or other authorised carer of children in statutory and supported out-of-home-care)
- an home-based education and care service provider
- a family day care service provider
- potential adoptive parents
Additional child-related work
Additional roles may be designated as child-related roles (and require a Check) with the written permission of the Children's Guardian. For a role to be designated as child-related, the employer must apply in writing to the Office of the Children's Guardian, outlining the case for designating a role as child-related. See FACT SHEET: Work deemed child-related by the Children's Guardian. (PDF 167.4KB)