Changes to Working With Children Act

When do the changes come into effect?

1 August 2017

Why are changes being made?

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse made several recommendations aimed at strengthening the protection children receive. This included the development of the Child Safe Standards here in Victoria which came into effect on 1 January 2017.

What are the changes?

1. Expand the definition of ‘direct contact’ in the Act. The definition of direct contact now includes oral, written or electronic communication as well as face-to-face and physical contact.

2. Remove references to ‘supervision’ from the Act. This means that even if a person’s contact with children as part of their child related work is supervised by another person, they will still need to apply for a Working With Children Check (Check).

3. Create a new occupational category of ‘child-related work’, known as kinship care. Family members or other persons of significance caring for a child placed by Child Protection under the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 are required to obtain a Check.

4. Ensure that non-conviction charges (charges that have been finally dealt with other than by a conviction or finding of guilt) for serious sexual, violent or drug offences are considered as part of Check assessments and re-assessments.

5. Enable the Secretary to the Department of Justice and Regulation to compel the production of certain information for the purpose of compliance monitoring.

There have been a number of other miscellaneous changes made to the Act and further information will be made available once the impact of those are better understood.

What do I need to do now?

Cricket Victoria in conjunction with Victorian Metropolitan Cricket Union, Victorian Country Cricket League, Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association, Victorian Premier Cricket and Women’s Community Cricket Panel have revised the existing Cricket Victoria Working With Children Check – Club & Association Guidelines to provide direction and better understanding of the roles at your club or association that now require a Check as per the Act. These Guidelines have been adopted by the respective Board’s as required and will apply to members within the bodies listed above.

Cricket Victoria expect that each club and association make a copy of the Guidelines available for your club website and also communicate the changes to your members, ensuring that those who are required to obtain a Check do so.

CLICK HERE to download the Cricket Victoria Working With Children Check – Club & Association Guidelines

CLICK HERE to visit the Victorian Government’s Working With Children Check website