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, FUTSAL CENTRES AND REFEREE BRANCHES

The following MUST be in place to be compliant with the WWCC and FNSW WWC requirements:

  1. Member Protection Information Officer (MPIO) – an MPIO is appointed by each organisation to oversee the WWCC and all aspects of the Child Safeguarding requirements.
  2. WWCC Employer Registration – each organisation must be registered for the WWCC and have a WWCC Employer Registration Number.
  3. WWC Verification Records – must be held on file and maintained by the organisation.
  4. WWC Numbers – must be obtained from all employees (workers & volunteers) who work with children U18 (see Child Related Roles list below)
  5. The Name, DOB and WWC Number of all employees (workers & volunteers) must be listed in the organisation’s WWC Verification Records.
  6. VERIFY – the organisation must Log into the NSW OCG Online verification system using the Username & Password created and verify WWC Number of each employee (worker & volunteer).
  7. To be WWCC COMPLIANT, the WWC Number and details of each employee who works or volunteers in the organisation with children u18 must be VERIFIED ONLINE and the verification details RECORDED in the organisation’s WWC Verification Records.

**FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THE NSW WWCC REQUIREMENTS CAN RESULT IN THE ISSUING OF GOVERNMENT FINES AND BEING REPORTED TO NSW POLICE FOR NON-COMPLIANCE**

Child Related Roles

  • Where the organisation has participants under 18 years:  All Committee members, Directors, MPIOs, Technical Directors.
  • All coaches, managers, technical directors, youth coordinators, age coordinators,  trainers, physiotherapists and chaperones working or volunteering with participants aged under 18 years, unless exempt.
  • All Referees, referee coaches, referee mentors, unless exempt.
  • All tour chaperones, tour officials, team officials involved in tours, overnight stays or accommodation involving participants under 18 years, unless exempt.
  • Exemptions: All workers and volunteers aged Under 18 years are exempt. There are no other exemptions.

How to Register your organisation for the WWCC

  • Click on this link https://wwccemployer.ocg.nsw.gov.au/Register 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 person who will be Verifying the WWC Numbers 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.

WWCC Verification Records

  • To create the organisations WWC Verification Records use this template or create an Excel version with 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

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.