Working with Children Check Changes - What Sporting Organisations Need to Know
Published Thu 05 Nov 2026
Working with Children Check
WHAT SPORTING ORGANISATIONS NEED TO KNOW
On 19 October 2026, changes to Victoria's Working with Children Check (WWCC) came into effect, introducing new requirements for organisations engaging employees and volunteers in child-related work as well as individuals applying for or renewing their WWCC.
The changes include the introduction of WWC Connect, a new online system that enables organisations to notify the Social Services Regulator (SSR) about employees and volunteers engaged in child-related work, and mandatory child safety training for individuals applying for or renewing their WWCC.
For Victoria's sport and recreation sector, these changes have important implications for State Sporting Organisations, associations and sporting clubs, including those run entirely by volunteers. Throughout this article, the term 'sporting organisations' refers collectively to these entities.
VicSport encourages all sporting organisations to familiarise themselves with the new requirements and review their existing WWCC processes. This article provides an overview of the changes, practical considerations for the Victorian sport and recreation sector, and links to further information and support.
WWC Connect
What is WWC Connect and who does it apply to?
WWC Connect is a new online system that enables organisations, including sporting associations and clubs, to notify the Social Services Regulator (SSR) about individuals they engage in child-related work.
The system helps the SSR maintain accurate information about where individuals are working or volunteering and enables organisations to receive notifications if a connected worker's WWCC Clearance status changes.
This provides an additional safeguard by helping organisations identify when an individual's eligibility to undertake child-related work may have changed.
What is considered child-related work?
Under Victoria's Working with Children Check requirements, child-related work generally involves paid or volunteer work where direct contact with children under 18 years of age is a usual part of a person's duties, rather than contact that is occasional or incidental. Other legal criteria and exemptions may also apply.
In sporting environments, this may include coaches, officials, administrators or committee members and volunteers who regularly work directly with children and young people.
However, the nature of roles and interactions with children can vary across sporting organisations. For example, a senior coach may have participants under 18 in their team, while a groundskeeper may work at a sporting facility where children are regularly present without having direct contact with them as part of their duties.
While not every role will necessarily meet the legal definition of child-related work, VicSportencourages sporting organisations to consider adopting a broader organisational policy requiring employees and volunteers to hold a current WWCC as a proactive child safeguarding measure.
What do the changes mean for Victorian sport?
Sporting organisations in Victoria that engage individuals in child-related work must notify the SSR through WWC Connect when they start or stop engaging those individuals.
The notification timeframes are:
Paid workers: Within seven (7) days
Volunteers: Within twenty-one (21) days
Organisations must also keep relevant information up to date, including changes to individuals contact details and their own organisational details.
What about existing employees and volunteers?
While organisations are not automatically required to connect everyone engaged before 19 October 2026, the SSR strongly encourages them to do so.
Connecting existing employees and volunteers provides a more complete picture of an organisation's workforce and enables notifications if an individual's WWCC Clearance status changes.
Importantly, notification obligations still apply when existing individuals cease child-related work or their relevant details change.
What should sporting organisations do now?
VicSport encourages sporting organisations to review their current WWCC processes and consider whether updates are needed to meet the new requirements.
Some practical considerations include:
- Review recordkeeping processes: Ensure existing WWCC records are accurate, up to date and appropriately maintained.
- Clarify organisational responsibilities: Identify who will be responsible for managing WWC Connect, and monitoring records.
- Review recruitment and onboarding processes: Ensure appropriate WWCC verification processes are in place and the necessary information is collected when engaging new employees and volunteers.
- Communicate with your workforce: Inform relevant employees and volunteers about the changes and any updates to organisational processes.
Check, Connect, Record, Maintain
The Victorian Government's Check, Connect, Record, Maintain framework outlines four key steps to help organisations manage their WWCC responsibilities:
- Check – Verify an individual's eligibility to undertake child-related work using the WWC status checker before they commence, including confirming applicable exemptions.
- Connect – When engaging an individual in child-related work, connect them to your organisation through WWC Connect where required.
- Record – Maintain appropriate records demonstrating that the required checks and connections have been completed.
- Maintain – Keep WWC Connect information up to date, including when individuals start or stop child-related work and when relevant details change.
For further information, visit the Victorian Government's WWC Connect webpage.
MANDATORY CHILD SAFETY TRAINING
What is the new mandatory child safety training and who does it apply to?
From 19 October 2026, mandatory child safety training forms part of Victoria's WWCC application and renewal process.
The training applies to:
• Individuals applying for a WWCC for the first time.
• Existing WWCC holders renewing their clearance.
• Individuals changing from a volunteer WWCC to an employee WWCC.
Applicants must complete the mandatory child safety training before their WWCC application can be finalised.
The training is delivered through the Victorian Government's Working with Children Check online system and forms part of the application and renewal process. Individuals completing a new application or renewing their WWCC will be directed to the training as part of this process.
The training is an online, self-paced course that takes approximately 45 minutes to complete. *An offline, paper-based version is also available.
The training will cover:
• The role we all play in keeping children safe.
• Respectful and appropriate behaviour with children.
• The prevalence of child abuse in society.
• Recognising concerning behaviour and grooming risk factors.
• Responding and acting when concerned about a child's safety.
The training aims to build a consistent, foundational understanding of child safety responsibilities across Victoria's child-related workforce.
For sporting organisations, this is an important change to communicate to employees and volunteers who may be applying for, renewing or changing their WWC Clearance.
For further information, visit the Mandatory WWC Child Safety Training webpage.
Mandatory WWCC training does not replace ongoing child safeguarding education
While the introduction of mandatory child safety training is an important step in strengthening child safety across Victoria, it is important to recognise that this training provides a foundational understanding of child safety.
The mandatory WWCC training should complement, not replace, existing child safetyeducation and training delivered by sporting organisations.
Under the Victorian Child Safe Standard 8, organisations are required to equip staff and volunteers with the knowledge, skills and awareness to keep children and young people safe through ongoing education and training.
Sporting organisations should therefore continue to provide ongoing, role-specific child safety education and training, ensuring employees and volunteers understand their responsibilities, organisational policies and procedures, and how to recognise, respond to and report child safety concerns.
For example, a junior coach might complete the mandatory WWCC training but still need sport-specific education covering appropriate coach–athlete relationships, responding to disclosures, reporting concerns and implementing their organisation's child safeguarding policies.
To support this, sporting organisations can access VicSport's Child Safe Sport Online Education Program, powered by etrainu, as part of their ongoing child safety education and training.
Where can organisations find further information?
Sporting organisations are encouraged to refer to the Victorian Government's published information for detailed guidance on the changes and their responsibilities.
Useful resources include:
Mandatory Working with Children Child Safety Training
Changes to the Working with Children Check
For questions requiring clarification about the new requirements, organisations can contact the Social Services Regulator at contact@ssr.vic.gov.au or on 1300 310 778.
Join the conversation
Understanding the changes is an important first step, but what do they mean in practice for Victorian sporting organisations, associations and clubs?
VicSport invites the Victorian sport and recreation sector to join our next Child Safe Sport Community of Practice on Monday 16 November 2026.
Drawing on published Victorian Government guidance, VicSport will explore the changes from a sporting sector perspective, facilitating discussion around their practical implications, common challenges and approaches to implementation.
More than just an information session, this is an opportunity to connect with others across the sector, ask questions, share experiences and explore practical approaches to navigating the new requirements.
Attendees are encouraged to submit questions when registering to help shape the discussion around the needs of the sector.
Register for the Child Safe Sport Community of Practice
Remember:
Child safety is not an add-on or a one-off exercise. While WWCC requirements, policies and procedures are important, creating a childsafe sporting environment requires an ongoing commitment to communicating and actioning safe practices, education and a culture that supports and protects children and young people.
VicSport is here to assist you through the process.