Two weeks in, are you across the changes to NSW Working with Children Checks?

From 1 September 2022, laws relating to the NSW Working with Children check were changed, allowing those conducting the checks to have access to a national database of people who have been barred from working with children.

The database, known as the National Reference System, was established by the Australian Government, and is operated by the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC). 

Additional changes have come into effect that will further strengthen the NSW Working with Children Check scheme by ensuring that NSW applicants or clearance holders will be automatically barred from working with children for a range of serious animal cruelty offences. 

Agreements with RSPCA NSW and the Animal Welfare League have been made to facilitate the  sharing of animal cruelty information to support this change.

One of the strengths of the NSW Working with Children Check is that it’s underpinned by ongoing, continuous monitoring of new records, explained NSW Children’s Guardian Janet Schorer. 

“This new measure brings continuous checking nationwide where we are informed of new records that can result in a person being barred from working with children.”

“It means that we can see if an applicant, or holder of a NSW clearance, has been barred from working with children in other states and territories in Australia,” she continued.

While each Australian state and territory has its own background checking scheme for people seeking to work with children and their own list of people who are barred, these systems do not necessarily screen applicants against actions and outcomes in other jurisdictions.

“Now, all applicants and holders of a NSW Working with Children Check will be continuously screened at a national level through the National Reference System,” Ms Schorer said.

The changes also mean that heads organisations under the Child Safe Scheme must now have a Working with Children Check clearance. This is because leaders should model the actions expected of their staff.

For more information on the changes, please see here.