NSW Office of the Children's Guardian

Helping out at the canteen or coaching your child’s team and not sure if you need a Working with Children Check?
Most parents who volunteer for their child’s school or after-school activity don’t need a WWCC, but there are some exceptions.

You WILL need a WWCC if your parent volunteer role involves:

▫️an overnight camp with students or children
▫️formal mentoring of a young person
▫️intimate personal care of a child with a disability

Check the rules here: https://ocg.nsw.gov.au/working-children-check/who-needs-check

There are times when a parent may need to hold or verify a Working with Children Check (WWCC) clearance.

Learn more here: https://ocg.nsw.gov.au/parents-and-carers/what-parents-need-know-about-working-children-check

Have you got a burning question about child safe practices? We’ve put together a panel of experts to help answer them!
Whether you’re looking for clarity on compliance, best practices, or navigating everyday situations in your role, this is your chance to gain insights directly from our panel of experts.
Drop your questions into the comments below or send us a private message by Monday, 22 June.

Tune into this special webinar on Wednesday, 24 June at 12pm to hear your questions answered.

Please note: to maintain a respectful, professional environment for all participants, any inappropriate or irrelevant questions will not be accepted or addressed.

Don’t forget!

From 1 July 2026, updated Employer’s Authority fees will apply to applications in the entertainment, exhibition, modelling and still photography sectors.

However, arts students are still not required to pay a fee for an Employer’s Authority, and all existing exemptions from holding an Employer’s Authority continue to apply.

Applications lodged on or after 1 July 2026 will be charged at the new rates. Applications submitted, paid in full, and commencing before this date will be processed at current fees.

From July 2027, fees will be adjusted annually in line with CPI. OCG will notify stakeholders of any changes in advance to support transparency and forward planning.

Changes are coming to Employer’s Authority fees from 1 July 2026. What does this mean for you?

What’s changing?

From 1 July 2026, Employer’s Authority fees will increase by 25%.
This applies across the entertainment, exhibition, modelling and still photography sectors.

These fees haven’t changed since 2015, so even with this increase, they’re still sitting below overall CPI growth (around 36%) over that time.

When will it affect me?

If you apply on or after 1 July 2026, the new fees will apply.
If you’re applying before then, you’ll stay on current rates, as long as your application is:

▪️submitted

▪️paid in full

So if you’re planning ahead, it’s worth keeping these dates in mind.

What’s not changing?

There are a few important things staying exactly the same:

▪️Arts students still don’t pay a fee

▪️All existing exemptions still apply

▪️The application process itself isn’t changing

Looking ahead, from July 2027, fees will be adjusted each year in line with CPI, with advance notice, so you can plan ahead.

For more information visit: https://ocg.nsw.gov.au/organisations/employing-children-acting-and-modelling/fee-change-faq

As a parent or carer, you play an important role in holding your child’s organisations and groups accountable. Child Safe Standard 6 ensures that if you or your child ever have a concern, there’s a clear way forward.

A child-safe organisation, group or business sees a complaint as an opportunity to reflect and improve, never as an inconvenience.

Next time you’re at your child's sport, dance, or youth group, ask yourself:

▪️Is their complaint process easy to find and understand?
▪️Do the staff and volunteers know their reporting obligations to external authorities?
▪️How do they support families after a complaint is received?
▪️Is their culture one that encourages reporting, or hiding concerns?

Download the Child Safe Standards here: https://ocg.nsw.gov.au/resources/guide-child-safe-standards

What does a child-focused complaint process look like?

It’s a common mistake for organisations and businesses to prioritise their own reputation to try to resolve a situation through mediation.
Transparency and accountability aren’t just policies. They are how we keep our children safe.

So, what does the process look like?

▪️Complaints are addressed quickly, thoroughly and transparently.
▪️Staff are equipped to respond appropriately and immediately to protect any child at risk.
▪️Reporting obligations to external authorities (like NSW Police or OCG) are understood by all adults.

When it comes to Working with Children Check recording keeping, you are required to keep records of each worker or volunteer, including:

• workers’ full names
• workers’ dates of birth
• workers’ WWC and APP numbers
• expiry dates of WWCCs
• the dates APP and WWC numbers were verified
• the class of all WWCC clearances (paid or volunteer).

You can choose how to keep these records (either on paper or a database) but you are obligated to provide records to the Children’s Guardian when asked.

For more information visit: https://ocg.nsw.gov.au/child-safe-scheme/leaders-child-safe-organisations

🚨Don't forget you can watch past training!

Some of our sessions are recorded and you can access them on our website and watch at any time.

Visit: https://ocg.nsw.gov.au/training-and-resources

Why don’t children always speak up?

For a child, speaking up about harm is incredibly brave. But often, there are barriers in their way that we must work to remove.

Standard 6 of the Child Safe Standards is about ensuring complaint processes are child-focused. This means addressing common barriers that discourage children from speaking up about being harmed, such as:

🚧Not being believed
🚧Feeling intimidated by an adult
🚧Not having a trusted person to talk to
🚧Finding the reporting process too confusing or inaccessible

A child-safe organisation or business doesn’t just wait for a complaint. Instead, they build a culture where children feel comfortable and empowered to use their voice.