Can volunteers have a Working With Children background check?
Working With Children background checks are not currently available for volunteers. Volunteers entering child-related employment are required to provide a completed Prohibited Employment Declaration form. It is an offence to engage anyone in paid or unpaid child-related employment without requiring them to do this. Research shows that the most effective way on protecting children is by supporting organisations to be more child-safe and child friendly. This includes implementing good policies and practices around risk and the importance of supervision. Information to help organisations to do this is available at http://www.kids.nsw.gov.au/director/working/safefriendly.cfm. Employers are ultimately responsible for the risk in their organisations, and are accountable for the ongoing management of risks to children.
