Changes to the Working with Children Check

Keeping children safe is a shared responsibility. Victoria is reforming the Working with Children (WWC) Check to strengthen the child-safeguarding system.

From 19 October 2026, employers including schools and education providers have new requirements to regularly record and report WWC Check information to the Social Services Regulator (SSR).

The SSR is introducing:

• the WWC Connect online service to help employers, meet the new legal requirement to notify them about workers and volunteers they engage in child-related work
• mandatory online child safety training as part of the WWC Check application and renewal process.

Education providers registered with the VRQA need to prepare for these changes, this includes:

• schools and school boarding premises
• non-school senior or foundation secondary providers
• student exchange organisations
• RTOs delivering to students under 18 years of age.

Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) registered teachers continue to be exempt from the requirement to hold a valid WWC Check. However, schools must notify the SSR if engaging registered teachers in child-related work in a non-teaching role.

To prepare, schools and education providers should:

• understand the changes and review and update their policies, procedures, and processes to comply with the new requirements
• check that worker and volunteer WWC Check information is accurate and up to date
• prepare to connect the existing members of your workforce when WWC Connect becomes available by knowing their correct name, WWC card number, address and phone number
• make relevant recruitment and compliance staff aware of the changes
• inform workers and volunteers about the mandatory training requirement where relevant.

For more information visit the Changes to the Working with Children Check.