Working with Children Clearance and Connect
Further to the preliminary advice provided in October, ‘WORKING WITH CHILDREN CHANGES’, Bowls Victoria can now describe the steps we have taken to set up our own staff, to comply with the new Working with Children Check legislation (effective from 19 October). This process will be the same for clubs.
WWC Clearance
Confirming the eligibility of your staff/volunteers to work with children
The Working with Children (WWC) system has long included a facility to confirm the status of staff and volunteers, confirming that they held both a WWC ‘check’ and that it is valid, ie have a ‘clearance’. The new online facility is called the ‘Working with Children Check status checker’.
The WWC Clearance is available online and you can access it without needing a profile or having to log in. Simply go to the status checker website, add the surname and WWC Check number of the individual whose check you seek clearance, and you will be provided an immediate status.
The online platform also enables you to upload multiple names and Check numbers at once and will provide you an email response listing the status of each individual.
WWC Connect
Creating the link between your organisation and your staff/volunteers
The new legislation has introduced a requirement for organisations who deliver activities to children to ensure that they identify their staff and volunteers engaged in that work. That is, list their personnel on the record as having direct and usual contact with children while acting on the organisation’s behalf, or ‘connect’ them.
It is important to understand the difference between direct and usual contact, eg conducting a junior program, running a junior squad, versus contact that is incidental. Service Victoria very clearly outlines who needs a Working with Children Check on the FAQ tab on their website (scroll down to FAQ tab on home page).
If the link does not open, please copy and paste the following into your preferred browser, https://www.service.vic.gov.au/services/working-with-children/home
Previously, an individual applicant would nominate bowls as their sport, and Bowls Victoria was subsequently advised of the WWC Check outcome. It is now a requirement that the organisation proactively identify their personnel. This applies at Club and Region level for relevant staff and volunteers.
Service Victoria have short, but very clear help videos to guide users through the process but in short, the Bowls Victoria experience was as follows:
- One individual from the organisation creates a Service Victoria account using email, given name, and surname
- Using that profile, the individual then sets up the ‘business’ profile with (options for both ABN or non-ABN holders).
This profile is then verified via email.
Note, it will seek to auto populate the organisation’s address, keep the search as simple as possible, eg street name only, and select from the dropdown list.
- Once complete, you can connect personnel through Find services where you can Add worker*
* Utilise the WWC Check status checker first to confirm the eligibility of your staff/volunteers
Child safety training
Since 19th October 2026, for individuals seeking to renew or first apply for a Check, it is now a requirement to complete newly developed online training.
The training has been developed by the Australian Childhood Foundation and is mandatory for WWC Check applicants. No other training is recognised in place of this requirement.
The compulsory training can be found via the link below:
For any further information or assistance with this process, please contact the Bowls Victoria office on Tel:03 98617100.
