Glossary
Assessment Notice
The notice given to a person when their Working with Children Check has been successful. It allows a person to carry out child-related
work in Western Australia for three years across all categories of child-related work from date of issue, unless cancelled.
The Assessment Notice comes in the form of a Working with Children Check Card, which has a photograph, signature and Working
with Children Check Card number.
Child
A person under the age of 18 years.
Child-Related Work
Work is ‘child-related work’ if the usual duties of the work involve, or are likely to involve, ‘contact’ with a child in
connection with a category outlined in the Act and where no exemptions apply.
Class 1 or Class 2 Offences
A schedule of offences that are treated in a particular way by the WWC Screening Unit when they are making an assessment and
have reporting requirements. Class 1 and Class 2 offences are defined in section 7(1) and 7(2) of the Working with Children
(Criminal Record Checking) Act 2004.
Contact
Includes any form of:
physical contact; oral communication, whether face-to-face, by telephone or otherwise; and electronic communication.
It does not include contact in the normal course of duties between an employer and an employee or between employees of the
same employer.
External provider
A business/individual paid by the school to provide a venue, service and/or expertise appropriate to a particular school activity.
Five day Threshold Defence
A defence under the legislation to a possible charge of not having a Working with Children Check when in child-related work
for no more than five days in a calendar year, except in connection with a licensed child care service or if the person has
been convicted of a Class 1 offence as an adult.
Interim Negative Notice
Prohibits a person from undertaking child-related work in Western Australia before a final decision is made by the Working
with Children Screening Unit
Internal Phasing in Arrangements
Earlier phasing in dates implemented by the Department. These dates differ from the Working with Children (Criminal Record
Checking) Regulations 2005.
National Criminal History Record Check (NCHRC)
Criminal record screening undertaken by the Department’s Screening Unit for all employees. The NCHRC assesses all types of
offences but only accesses information regarding an applicant’s: adult convictions; and spent convictions.
Negative Notice
Prohibits a person from undertaking child-related work in Western Australia.
Parent
A person: who is the father, mother, stepfather or stepmother of the child or; who at law has responsibility for:
the long-term care, welfare and development of the child; the day-to-day care, welfare and development of the child; or who
is in a de facto relationship with a person referred to above.
Relevant Change to Criminal Record
When a person is charged with or convicted of a Class 1 or Class 2 offence listed in the Working with Children (Criminal Record
Checking) Act 2004 Regulations.
Visitor
All persons on Department and/or school premises, other than current students and employees of the Department who have good
cause to be there.
Volunteer (Working with Children Check)
An adult or organisation offering services or activities without remuneration for the services provided.
Volunteers (NCHRC)
Education and Training sector volunteers who are required to obtain a National Criminal History Record Check must have the
principal of the school or agency concerned complete the Volunteer Certification on page 2 of the consent form.
PLEASE NOTE: University Students and TAFEWA students undertaking a practicum as part of their course are NOT classified as
Volunteers for the purpose of this process. (The practicum is a mandatory requirement for completion of the course of study
and therefore undertaken with an expectation of employment upon completion and not undertaken on a voluntary basis.) Volunteers
are those individuals who willingly give their time to fulfil a community service or assist either in a classroom setting
or in other ways within the school without the expectation of remuneration.
Working with Children Check (WWCC)
A compulsory national criminal record check for people who undertake child-related work in Western Australia by the Working
with Children Screening Unit at the Department for Child Protection.
Working with Children Check Card (WWCC Card)
A card issued to a person when their Working with Children Check has been successful. It is also referred to as an Assessment
Notice. The WWCC Card includes a photograph, signature, expiry date, WWCC Card number and other personal details.