Home / Member Protection / Working with Children Check

Working with Children Check

Compliance with the NSW Working with Children Check (WWCC) is a legal requirement for all Clubs, Associations, Branches, Futsal Clubs, Futsal Centres and Referee Branches, and individuals who work or volunteer in football with children aged under 18 years.

WWCC MANDATORY COMPLIANCE

Football Clubs, Associations, Branches, Centres and Referee Branches

The above entities must have the following in place to be compliant with the WWCC and Football NSW requirements:

  1. Member Protection Information Officer (MPIO) – an MPIO is appointed by the entity to oversee the WWCC and all aspects of the Child Safeguarding.
  2. Entity must be WWC Registered – ensure the entity is registered for the WWCC and the club person responsible for the WWCC has the club’s WWC Employer Registration Number and Username & Password on record to enable access the WWC Verification system.
  3. OBTAIN WWC NUMBERS – the entity must obtain WWC Number, Name & DOB of all persons working or volunteering with children u18 (list below), unless exempt.    (Note:  Only workers & volunteers not working or volunteering with children or persons under 18 are exempt under FNSW Policy.  Persons under 18 cannot apply  for a WWC Number)
  4. VERIFY WWC NUMBERS – the entity must Log into the WWC Online verification system using the entities Username & Password  and verify WWC Number of each employee (worker & volunteer).
  5. RECORD VERIFICATION RESULTS – the club must record each person’s details and the result of the verification in the club’s WWC Verification Records and maintain those records at all times.

Note:  Failure to comply with the NSW WWCC requirements can result in the entity being fined and reported to NSW Police for non-compliance**

Child Related Roles

Where an entity has participants aged under 18 years the following are required to hold a WWC Number.

  • Committee members, Directors, MPIOs, Technical Directors.
  • Coaches, managers, technical directors, youth coordinators, age coordinators,  trainers, physiotherapists and chaperones.
  • Referees, referee coaches, referee mentors.
  • Tour chaperones, tour officials, team officials involved in tours and any adult in a position of responsibility involved in overnight stays  involving participants u18 years.

Exemptions: All persons aged under 18 years are exempt. There are no other exemptions.

How to Register your organisation for the WWCC

IMPORTANT:    Do not register your club for a second time, check with your committee members to see if they have a record of your club’s WWC Employer Registration Number or Username and Password, or If you think your club is registered under the current system but cannot find your employer registration number, click here to complete this online form  select ‘Working With Children Check’, state you cannot find your organisation’s WWCC Employer Registration and Username and Password and add your email address, organisation name and ABN.)

If your club is not already registered as an employer for the WWCC:

  • Click on this link Register as a Child Related Employer and enter the details required.
  • In Section 3 in Child Related Sector – select ‘clubs and other bodies providing services to children’.
  • In Section 4 enter the details of the person in your organisation who will be Verifying the WWC Numbers of your workers and volunteers, and list a secondary contact (i.e. President or Secretary)
  • In Section 5 enter the email of the Primary Contact, the person who will be Verifying the WWC Numbers and a Secondary Contact (usually President or Secretary) and create a Password (minimum 10 characters including 1 letter, 1 number and 1 special character) E.g. BegaFC123# that will be easy to remember (and write it down) and also provide it to the Club President and Secretary for their records.
  • Once this process is completed, your registration will be confirmed and you will receive a WWCC Employer ID Number.  Keep a record of the WWCC Employer ID Number as this is how you confirm your organisation’s WWCC registration.
  • You can now start verifying the WWC Numbers of your workers (volunteers & employees) in the online system – Go to How to Verify WWC Numbers below

WWCC Verification Records

  • To create the organisations WWC Verification Records use one of these templates (Word template or Excel template) or create your own using the same headings.
  • Verification Records are created, updated and maintained by the organisation at all times.
  • The verification process must be followed each time a new employee (worker or volunteer in a child related role) joins the organisation and the WWC Number verified and with a CLEARED result before they commence working with children.

How to Verify WWC Numbers

  • Go to https://wwccemployer.ocg.nsw.gov.au/Login
  • Login using the organisation’s Username (email) and Password  (created when the organisation was registered as above)
  • Enter the worker’s Surname, Date of Birth and WWC Number and select ADD and then select VERIFY.
  • The results of the verification/s will then be shown on the verification screen.
  • Each worker’s verification must have a CLEARED result to be able to commence working.  TIP:  You can verify multiple WWC Numbers by selecting ADD and then adding the next person’s details & WWC Number to be verified.
  • Once you have received a CLEARED result, enter the verification result and expiry date (shown on the result screen) into your WWC Verification Records Spreadsheet.  Remember to add the date verified.
  • If the result of a verification is “NOT FOUND” then one of the details provided is incorrect or the person has not completed the WWCC process at Service NSW or the person’s WWC Number may need to be renewed, as WWC Numbers are only valid for 5 years before they need renewing.
  • If the result of a verification is “BARRED” or “INTERIM BARRED” then the person is not permitted to work or volunteer at your club.

WWCC for Workers & Volunteers

If you are aged 18 years or over, and work or volunteer with children U18 years you MUST hold a WWC Number to work or volunteer with children in football.   Persons aged Under 18 years are exempt from the WWCC requirements.

How to apply for a WWC Number:

  1. Apply online for a NSW Working with Children Check
  2. Attend a Service NSW Centre with your proof of identity documents and fee (a fee is applicable to paid employees).
  3. Once you have attended Service NSW the application process is complete and the screening process commences.
  4. Once the screening process is complete and you are cleared your WWC Number will be issued.
  5. Your WWC Number will be issued by email.
  6. Give your WWC Number to your club (or whoever you are working or volunteering with).
  7. The club then verifies your WWC Number in the online verification system to check that you are cleared to work with children and to link you and the club in the system.
  8. Once your WWC Number has been verified onling by the club, you are able to commence in your role.

Working with Children Check Online Application

WWCC Quick Links

Compliance with the Working with Children Check is a legal requirement in NSW applicable to all sport organisations and individuals who work or volunteer with children under 18 years.
Register your organisation for the WWCCVerify WWC Numbers onlineApply for a WWC NumberRenew a WWC NumberUpgrade a WWC Number from Volunteer to PaidFind a WWC NumberChange your WWC detailsLink your WWC Number to your Service NSW APPVerification Records template (Excel)Verification Records template (Excel instant upload)Verification Records template (Word instant upload)

FNSW Policy and WWCC Recruitment Guidelines

Information for Workers & Volunteers

WWCC Training for MPIOS and Administrators

Child Safe Resources

FNSW conditions of participation and registration requires the following persons aged over 18 years to obtain a WWC Number and provide it to the club, association, branch, futsal club, futsal centre or referee’s branch they are applying to work or volunteer with:

  • All persons who are in a role working or volunteering with children under 18 years.
  • All coaches and managers working or volunteering with children under 18 years.
  • All technical directors working or volunteering with children under 18 years.
  • All referees, referee coaches and referee mentors (except those U18 years of age).
  • All administrators working or volunteering in a club that has participants U18 years.
  • All persons working or volunteering where that person has access to the Registration Details,  Database or personal details of participants or members U18 years.
  • All Directors and Committee Members of clubs etc. with participants aged U18 yrs.
  • All Member Protection Information Officers (MPIOs).
  • All persons working or volunteering at an overnight camp, tour or event which involves an overnight stay or overnight accommodation (of one night or more) with children under 18 years.  Includes overnight accommodation in motels, hotels, cabins, camping, group accommodation, air travel, train travel, bus travel.
  • All persons in any other child related roles in football working or volunteering with children U18 years.
  • All paid persons working with children U18 must apply for a PAID Working with Children Check and provide a paid WWC Number to the club or organisation they are working for.
  • A paid WWC number ends in ‘E’ for employed.
  • Paid means any form of remuneration such as in cash, in kind, honorariums, allowances, gift vouchers, referee payment, reduced player fees and any other form of payment.
  • A Paid WWC Number can be used for either a paid or volunteer role.
  • A Volunteer WWC Number can be used for a volunteer role but cannot be used for a paid role.

There are 2 ways to renew your WWC Number, depending on how you choose to have your identification verified:

  • Online using face verification – instead of going into a Service NSW Centre to present your identity documents, you renew online and use your device to scan your face. The scan is matched with the photo used on your NSW Driver Licence or NSW Photo Card.
  • At a Service NSW Centre – you need to complete the Office of the Children’s Guardian (OCG) renewal application form, then visit a service centre within 28 days to present the original version of your identity documents and pay your fee if required.

For further information – Service NSW – Renew Your WWC Number

  • A ‘paid’ WWCC costs $80
  • A ‘volunteer’ WWCC is free
  • A Working with Children Check is renewed every 5 years.
  • When first applying for a WWCC, after completing the application online, the applicant will be required to take their Application email, proof of ID and pay the applicable fee to a NSW Service Centre.
  • Only applicants for a ‘paid’ WWC application will  be required to pay the applicaton fee at the NSW Service Centre.
  • Paid WWC Number – WWC123456E     (‘E’ is for employed)
  • Volunteer WWC Number – WWC1234567V    (‘V’ is for volunteer)
  • Where a person aged over 18 is unable to satisfy the requirements of the NSW Working with Children Check or the FNSW WWC Policy requirements, they are not permitted to work or volunteer in a child related role within FNSW.
  • In football, most referees are paid to referee and paid referees are therefore required to hold  a ‘paid’ WWC Number. Any form of remuneration in return for refereeing is deemed to be payment, including payment in cash or kind, allowances, gift vouchers or other forms of payment.
  • The requirement to obtain a ‘paid’ WWCC still applies even if a referee claims his/her payments as a ‘hobby’ for tax purposes using a hobby declaration form.
  • If income derived from refereeing is declared by the referee as taxable income, the cost of the WWCC may be tax deductible but the referee must obtain their own taxation advice in this regard.
  • Referees who are volunteer referees and receive no payment or remuneration in return at all for refereeing can apply for and provide a ‘volunteer’ WWC Number.
  • Referee’s under 18 years of age are exempt and cannot apply for a WWC until 3 months prior to their 18th birthday.
  • The WWCC requirements have been in place since 2000, so there are no excuses for not being compliant.
  • The NSW Office of the Children’s Guardian (NSW OCG) compliance team regularly audit sport clubs and organisations for compliance.
  • The NSW OCG can issue Government fines and/or report the organisation to NSW Police for non-compliance as the WWCC is a mandatory legal requirement.
  • What is non-compliance?
    • Failure to obtain WWC Numbers from workers and volunteers in child related roles
    • Failure to have registered your organisation for the WWCC
    • Failure to verify WWC Numbers in the online WWC Verification System
    • Failure to maintain a record of all WWC verifications
  • The NSW Office of the Children’s Guardian and Football NSW reserve the right to conduct compliance audits on any club, association, branch, futsal Club, Futsal Centre or referee branch operating under the auspices of FNSW.
  • FNSW may take disciplinary action against a club, association, branch, futsal club, futsal centre or referee branch for non-compliance with the WWCC as a breach of the FNSW WWCC Policy.
  • Persons who hold a WWC Number are required to keep their personal details updated with Service NSW.
  • Failure by a worker or volunteer (who holds a WWC Number) to keep their personal details updated  with Service NSW can result in a NSW Government fine.