To work in SA government education sites and services (including Department for Education corporate offices) you must have a current working with children check (WWCC). Some volunteers in public schools, preschools and early childhood services also need a WWCC.

The check must be updated every 5 years. Employees are encouraged to apply for their new WWCC 6 months before their current child-related employment screening expires.

The WWCC is a checking process undertaken by the Department of Human Services (DHS) Screening Unit. It involves checking the person’s criminal history and any other relevant information that is lawfully available to the Screening Unit.

The check can include information from the police, courts, prosecuting authorities, child protection and professional registration bodies.

Find out if you need a WWCC

Use the screening tool to quickly find out if you need a working with children check (WWCC).

Teachers should check the Teachers Registration Board WWCC requirements.

A volunteer WWCC is not valid for paid employment.

How to apply for a WWCC

• Permanent corporate and ancillary employees: see employee and volunteer working with children check – information for leaders and managers (staff login required) for the application process.
• All other employees and applicants: visit DHS Screening Unit applications to apply for a working with children check to work or volunteer. All teachers are required to submit and pay for their own applications.

Determine if your check is valid

Current, valid child-related employment screening checks done by Department of Human Services (DHS) or Department for Communities and Social Inclusion (DCSI) will be recognised as a WWCC until they expire.

If an employee has a student WWCC, it is valid until it expires. Before expiry, the employee must have a general WWCC in place.

A volunteer WWCC issued after 1 July 2019 is not a valid check for paid employment with the department. New, stronger screening laws came into effect on 1 July 2019. Visit new working with children checks from 1 July for more information.

Who must have a WWCC

Employees

• All employees of a part-time, full-time or casual basis, employed by the department.
• Registered teachers need to get a new working with children check before their current teacher registration expires.

Volunteers

• Members of governing councils
• Parents or guardians attending overnight camps or school sleepovers.
• Parents or guardians involved with close personal contact with children, this involves toileting or changing clothes.
• Billet families who are hosting students.
• Those in close contact with students with disabilities in special classes or schools.
• Sports coaches who are not parents or guardians of a child in the team.
• Parent volunteers, if their own child is not involved in the service or activity.

Students

• Tertiary students and supervisors.
• Adult re-entry students (PDF 117 KB) who have been out of school for 6 months or more.
• Students undertaking work experience in a school (secondary or primary), preschool or childcare centre.

Third party providers

A person engaged with department sites or services who:

• works with, or in proximity to, children on a regular basis, or manages or supervises personnel undertaking those roles
• has access to records relating to children and young people or manages or supervises personnel undertaking those roles
• is an approved provider of out of school hours care (OSHC) services
• is required to be screened under the terms of a contract or agreement.

Family based carers

• International student homestay carers and adults residing in the home.
• Family day care providers, assistants, and adults residing in the home.

Volunteers who don't need a WWCC

Examples of when this check is not required to volunteer in a Department for Education school, preschool or service include:

• parents or guardians who volunteer in connection with an activity that involves their own child (such a volunteering within their child's own class)
• parents involved in one-off events, such as sports days, working bees and whole-of-school events for less than 7 days annually, and which do not involve any close personal contact which their child is attending.