This Child Protection Week, the Minns Labor Government has launched a call to action for all organisations working with children to: 'Check Your Checks'.
NSW has the strongest Working with Children Check (WWCC) system in the country, but a critical link is for employers and organisations to verify that their workers are cleared to work with kids.
The Office of the Children's Guardian (OCG) takes proactive compliance action, including audits of organisations that work with children. In 2023-24 the most common breach was that WWCCs had not been verified with the OCG prior to starting work with children.
Employers and organisations that engage volunteers or workers in child-related work, such as in childcare, schools, sports clubs, community programs, are required by law to:
- register in the WWCC system
- verify the WWCC clearances of workers
- remove any unauthorised people from child-related work, and
- maintain up-to-date records of verified workers' checks.
Verification is a critical child safety tool, as it connects the worker with the employer so that the OCG knows who to contact if the worker becomes barred from working with children.
The NSW Government is calling on organisations to 'Check Your Checks' through the OCG website and stay informed with resources, training, and compliance support, including how to implement the NSW Child Safe Standards.
The Minns Labor Government has introduced legislation to Parliament to strengthen the WWCC to better protect children from harm. Under the reforms the OCG will be the sole decision-maker for WWCC applications and reviews, ensuring that decisions remain with the state's specialist child safety regulator.
The Minns Labor Government is also backing national plans to strengthen Working with Children Checks, which would see anyone denied or stripped of a WWCC in one state barred from working with children in other states.
Minister for Families and Communities Kate Washington said:
"The Minns Labor Government is committed to keeping kids safe. We are pleased to have the strongest Working with Children Check system in the country, but there is always more to do when it comes to protecting our kids.
"Child safety is everyone's responsibility, and organisations play a key role in verifying that their workers hold a clearance before they work with children.
"This National Child Protection Week, my message to all child-related organisations is clear: Check Your Checks to keep kids safe."
Department of Communities and Justice Acting Secretary Anne Campbell said:
"The safety and wellbeing of children are our highest priorities, but it takes collective responsibility to help keep children safe. That's why we are calling on organisations to check their checks. In working together, we can make sure all children across NSW, no matter where they live, learn and play, are safe."
Acting Children's Guardian Rachael Ward said:
"Ensuring the safety of children is at the heart of our work. The reforms to the Working with Children Check empower us to make more effective decisions, strengthening the system and holding organisations accountable.
"We urge all organisations working with children to "Check Your Checks" as a first step and join us in building a robust child-safe culture across New South Wales by implementing child-safe recruitment processes and implementing the Child Safe Standards."
PCYC NSW CEO Ben Hobby said:
"At PCYC NSW, we are unwavering in our commitment to safeguarding, and we take great care in holding ourselves to the highest standards of child protection.
"We're a Youth Charity with 66 Clubs across the State. We place a very high priority on standards that ensure every young person feels safe, supported, and respected when participating in our life-changing programs and activities.
The safety of young people is far greater than a policy for us - their protection is at the core of our employee and volunteer values, and it's something we live by every single day."
Surf Life Saving NSW CEO Steve Pearce said:
"Child safety is everyone's responsibility and in Surf Life Saving we are focused on creating a child safe culture throughout our organisation. It's more than just Working With Children Checks, it's about embedding this approach in everything we do,"
St John Ambulance NSW CEO Dominic Teakle said:
"At St John Ambulance, we believe child safety is everyone's responsibility. Creating a strong culture of safety starts with every single member understanding the role they play. Our induction checks and annual accreditation requirements for all members, not just those in our youth program, reinforce that expectation.
"We believe child safety is something you need to live every day. Checks and training are critical foundations, but child safety needs to be embedded in everything you do. That's why we have built practical supports like our network of Child Wellbeing Officers across the state, and ways for St John youth to have a voice in our program design and child safety.
