NSW reforms strengthen child safety through Working with Children Checks

Legislation to strengthen New South Wales’ Working with Children Check (WWCC) system will be introduced to Parliament this week, placing child safety decisions solely in the hands of the Office of the Children’s Guardian (OCG).

The proposed changes remove external appeal pathways through the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT), which has previously overturned refusals and issued enabling orders in some cases involving serious convictions. Under the reforms, the OCG will become the only body responsible for reviewing WWCC decisions, ensuring that risk assessments remain with the state’s specialist child safety regulator.

The legislation also transfers appeals for NDIS Worker Checks to the OCG, aligning oversight for both systems with an agency experienced in safeguarding vulnerable people.

The NSW Government will push for a searchable national register of WWCC holders at the upcoming National Cabinet meeting. The aim is to close information gaps that offenders may exploit by moving between states and territories, and to provide parents with confidence that anyone working with children has undergone consistent, thorough screening.

These measures form part of a broader child safety agenda that includes:

• increasing penalties for breaches by early education and care services
• establishing a new standalone regulator with enhanced enforcement powers
• improving transparency for families through clearer reporting of provider safety records
• trialling CCTV to strengthen oversight of underperforming services.

Premier Chris Minns emphasised that child safety must remain a national priority across all care settings, while Acting Minister for Education and Early Learning Courtney Houssos noted that regulatory reform is urgent and will be a focus in upcoming discussions with Education Ministers.

Minister for Families and Communities, and Disability Inclusion Kate Washington said the reforms are designed to reinforce the purpose of the system and send a clear warning to those with serious convictions.

Read the full media release here.