In January this year Netball Victoria introduced a new regulation in regards to the Working with Children Check (WWCC). The details of this regulation are found in the Netball Victoria Child Safety in Netball Policy and Code of Conduct.
Recently, the Victoria Government has announced new legislation – Working with Children Amendment Act 2016 (Vic) – effective 1 August 2017. This new legislation is a direct result of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. As a result of this new legislation Netball Victoria (NV) has revised its WWCC regulation.
Details of the revised regulation are contained in the Child Safety in Netball Policy and the updated Q&A – Working with Children Check (WWCC) for Netball Victoria Affiliates.
Affiliates must take action now in order to be compliant by 1 August 2017.
Key changes to note:
- Changes in the law resulting from the Working with Children Amendment Act 2016 (Vic), effective 1 August 2017, has resulted in changes to the NV regulation on the WWCC.
- The NV regulation transition period will now finish on 31 July 2017 – brought forward from 1 January 2018.
- The NV regulation applies to every adult (18 years and older) who hold a position of responsibility or authority with children, has direct contact with children, or who is otherwise required by law to maintain a valid WWCC.
- Because of the new legislation, WWCCs are also required by any adult working/volunteering with children where there is direct contact. (Direct contact is very broad and includes: physical contact, face to face contact, contact by post or other written communication, contact by phone or other oral communications, contact by email or other electronic communication). This means some roles or work may not fit within the NV reference of ‘authority and responsibility’ and will now need a check. This could include roles like: Supervisors eg court, venue, competition, canteen or Coordinators eg coach, umpire, representative team. There may be other roles with direct contact with children that will require a WWCC by 1 August 2017 and affiliates will need to determine the roles that apply to them.
- Adults who ‘fill in’ for positions of responsibility or authority or ‘fill in’ for working/volunteering involving direct contact with children must now obtain a WWCC.
- NV will now allow parents and close relatives of children participating in that activity to ‘fill in’ without a WWCC. It should be noted that parents working/volunteering in appointed roles, ie not ‘filling in’ are still required to obtain a valid WWCC under the NV regulation.
Important Information to Note:
- Positions of responsibility or authority cover a wide range of positions including: directors, committee members, coaches, umpires, officials, team managers and other senior positions.
- Affiliates must keep a register of all members or persons within the Association, League or Club who hold a WWCC
- Netball Victoria have developed two sample registration templates