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
- 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.
Work in child protection services provided by government or non-government agency is child-related work.
- 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.
- Work for a club, association, movement, society of 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.
- 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.
- 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 baby sitting 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 child care.
- 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.
- 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.
Work as a youth worker, for a government or non-government agency, is child-related work.
- 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.
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.
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.
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.
The role of a cleaner providing cleaning services at a school (a school cleaner) is prescribed as a child-related role.
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).
- 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 persons 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)