- Reforms to strengthen Working with Children Checks came into effect today
- The Working with Children (Criminal Record Checking) Amendment Act 2022 will help to better protect children
- Changes include expanding the list of criminal offences that trigger an automatic Negative Notice which makes it an offence to carry out child-related work
Legislative reforms to strengthen Working with Children Checks have come into effect today, making it harder for people who have committed certain offences, or engaged in certain conduct, to obtain a Working with Children Card.
Under the changes, there will be expanded criminal offences including those that trigger an automatic Negative Notice will be expanded. It is an offence to carry out child-related work while holding a Negative Notice.
Other key changes to the legislation include:
- preventing anyone with a current Interim Negative Notice or Negative Notice being able to use parent volunteer or child volunteer exemptions;
- ability for the Working with Children Screening Unit to receive conduct review findings or outcomes from the Teacher Registration Board of WA and the Ombudsman WA, which could trigger a reassessment of an individual's Working with Children Card; and
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