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Working with Children Check

The NSW WWCC is an essential component of child safeguarding and a Government requirement for all sport organisations and individuals who work or volunteer in sport with children under 18 years of age.

5 Steps to WWCC Compliance

All Clubs, Associations, Branches, Futsal Clubs, Futsal Centres and Referee Branches must:

  1. Appoint an MPIO – a Member Protection Information Officer must be appointed to manage WWCC and Child Safeguarding requirements. more info
  2. Register as an Employer – the entity must be registered for the WWCC, have a WWCC Employer Username & Password, and verify the WWC Numbers of their workers and volunteers in the online verification system. more info
  3. Obtain WWC Numbers – the entity must obtain the WWC Number, Name & DOB from all workers & volunteers working with children U18, unless exempt. – see below
  4. Verify WWC Numbers – the entity must log into the WWCC Employer Portal using the entity Username & Password to verify the WWC Numbers of every worker and volunteer working with children. – see below
  5. Record Verification Results – the entity must record each person’s details and verification result in the WWC Verification Records and maintain those records at all times. – see below

Note:  Failure to comply can result in the entity being fined by the NSW OCG and reported to NSW Police for non-compliance.

Who is required to have a WWC Number in football:

  • All Committee members, Board Members, Directors, MPIOs, Registrars.
  • Coaches, managers, technical directors, youth coordinators, age coordinators, trainers, assessors, physiotherapists and chaperones.
  • Referees, referee coaches, referee mentors, referee assessors.
  • Tour chaperones, tour directors, tour officials, team officials involved in tours and any adult in a position of responsibility involved in tours, trips away and overnight stays involving participants U18.
  • Any other position in Football NSW or an affiliated entity where a person aged 18 years or over is responsible for, or directly involved in, the supervision, management, education, instruction, interaction, transportation, safety, wellbeing, treatment or care of children aged under 18, or will have access to the registration records or private and personal details of children under 18.

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

How to Register your organisation for the WWCC

  • Click here to Register as a Child Related Employer and enter the details required.
  • Section 3 Child Related Sector – select ‘clubs and other bodies providing services to children’.
  • Section 4 enter the details of the person who will be verifying the WWC Numbers of your entity’s workers and volunteers, and list a secondary contact (i.e. Secretary)
  • Section 5 enter the email of the person who will be verifying the WWC Numbers and a Secondary Contact (i.e. Secretary) and create a Password for your entity. The password should be kept on record by the MPIO and the Secretary of the entity.
  • Once complete, your entity’s registration will be confirmed and you will receive a WWCC Employer ID Number.  Keep a record of the WWCC Employer ID Number with the Password.
  • You can now start verifying the WWC Numbers of your workers & volunteers in the online system, but before you do, ensure that you have created your Verification record spreadsheet (see below) and then proceed to How to Verify WWC Number.

How to Verify WWC Numbers

  • Go to https://wwccemployer.ocg.nsw.gov.au/Login
  • Login using your entity’s Username (email) and Password (created when the organisation was registered as an Employer for the WWCC – see above)
  • Enter the worker’s Surname, Date of Birth and WWC Number and select ADD and then select “VERIFY”.
  • The verification results will then be shown on the verification screen.
  • The verification result must read as ‘CLEARED’ before a person can work or volunteer with children.
    • TIP:  You can verify multiple WWC Numbers by selecting ADD and then adding the next person’s details & WWC Number to be verified.
  • Once a ‘CLEARED’ result is shown, enter the verification result and expiry date (shown on the result screen) into your WWC Verification Records and remember to add the date verified.
  • If a verification result is “NOT FOUND” then one of the details provided is incorrect or the person has not completed the WWCC process 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 a verification result is “BARRED” or “INTERIM BARRED” the person is not permitted to work or volunteer with the entity.

WWCC Verification Records

  • Create your WWC Verification Records using a template (Word template or Excel template), or create your own spreadsheet using the same headings.
  • Verification Records must be maintained and updated at all times.
  • Each time a new worker or volunteer joins the organisation, and before they start working with children:
    • Their WWC Number must be obtained
    • Their WWC Number must be verified online
    • The verification result in the system must read as “CLEARED”
    • The details of the verification must be entered into the Verification Records

Applying for a WWCC

If you are aged 18 years or over, and intend working or volunteering in football with children U18 years, you MUST hold a WWC Number.  Persons aged Under 18 years are exempt..

Click here for all of the information you need to apply for a WWCC in NSW

WWCC Quick Links

The WWCC is a legal requirement in NSW applicable to all sport organisations and individuals aged 18 & over who work or volunteer with children aged under 18 years.
Apply for a WWCCRenew a WWCCUpgrade a WWCC from Volunteer to PaidChange your WWCC detailsFind your WWC NumberLink your WWC Number to the Service NSW APPWhat is Checked when I apply for a WWCC

WWCC Links for Clubs and Associations

WWCC Information Videos

WWCC Training for MPIOS and Administrators

Safeguarding Children Information

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).
  • Tour chaperones, tour directors, tour officials, team officials and any adult in a position of responsibility involved in tours, trips away and overnight stays involving participants U18.
  • All adults aged 18 years and over in a position of authority, supervision or responsibility involved in any event or activity which involves overnight stays or overnight accommodation involving participants U18.  Includes overnight accommodation in motels, hotels, cabins, bunkhouses, camping, group accommodation, air travel, train travel, bus travel, boat travel.    (Note Billeting & Homestay is not permitted by Football NSW)
  • All persons aged 18 years & over in any other child related roles in football working or volunteering with children U18 years.
  • Paid persons working with children U18 must apply for a PAID WWCC
  • 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.
  • Volunteers need to only apply for a Volunteer WWCC.
  • A volunteer WWC number ends in ‘V’ for Volunteer.
  • A volunteer WWC Number can be used for a volunteer role but cannot be used for a paid role.

Click here for information about renewing your WWC Number

  • 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 in football under the authority of Football NSW.
  • In football, most referees are paid to referee.  Any form of remuneration 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.
  • Referees who are volunteer referees and receive no payment or remuneration at all for refereeing can 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.
  • It is a mandatory requirement of FNSW that every club, association and referee branch has a Member Protection Information Officer (MPIO).
  • MPIOs are appointed by the club or organisation to oversee the management of the club’s WWCC compliance and the club’s responsibilities in relation to Safeguarding Children and to promote and do all reasonably possible to keep children safe and provide a child safe environment.
  • The WWCC requirements have been in place since 2000, so there are no excuses for non-compliance.
  • The NSW Office of the Children’s Guardian (NSW OCG) compliance team regularly audit sport 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 register 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.
  • The NSW OCG are legally authorised to fine and/or report to Police any organisation found to be non-compliant with the WWCC.

Click here for the WWCC Frequently Asked Questions webpage