Working With Children Check

by BowlsSA2 on May 12, 2020

The government introduced the new Working with Children Check (WWCC) on 1 July last year to help keep children safe in our communities.

From 1 July 2020, organisations will no longer be able to assess a National Police Certificate to allow people to work or volunteer with children in South Australia.

All South Australians in relevant roles using a National Police Check need to apply for a WWCC by 1 July 2020, if they haven’t already.

Engaging a person in paid or volunteer work with children without a valid WWCC is an offence, so this is also an important reminder to organisations to ensure their staff and volunteers have the correct check.

Bowls SA will require a Working With Children Check for ALL coaches. Whether they are or are not coaching juniors, the Working With Children Check will now be the standard check for all accreditation as of the 1st of July 2020. Current coaches will require this check to continue coaching and aspiring coaches will require this to attain their coaching accreditation.

If you have already completed a check, please email the results of the check to reception@bowlssa.com.au

Please see the steps below to obtain a Working With Children Check;

Obtaining a DCSI – Working With Children Check

1. To start the application please click on the following link – https://screening.sa.gov.au/applications/application-information-for-individuals.
2. Click the “apply for a check” button and then follow the prompts with your details accordingly.
3. Members should reference “Lawn Bowls Volunteer Coach” as the role description.
4. Tick the “Working with Children Check” box under the screenings required and ensure you select “Volunteer” as the applicant type.
5. An email will then be sent to you which will have a link, click the link and continue filling in the application.

It is our understanding that these checks are free of charge for volunteers and will be valid for five years.

Results will then be emailed back to YOU – once you have received the results they will need to be submitted to Bowls SA to sight and record – please email them to reception@bowlssa.com.au

All accredited coaches will need to complete this process by 1 July 2020 if wishing to remain accredited. Best practice for all clubs would be to have all members actively involved in any form of coaching or sessions with juniors to complete this process as soon as possible. It would be encouraged that clubs also keep records to ensure their members are kept compliant.

If current accredited coaches who hold a National Police Certificate don’t wish to go through the process to obtain a new check before the expiry of their coaching accreditation then we will no longer be able to endorse them as a coach under this new legislation.

All coaches wanting to re-accredit will require a working with children check to be re-accredited. Without this check, Bowls SA will no longer be able to endorse them as a coach under this new legislation.

For further information on the legislative changes please visit: https://screening.sa.gov.au/

Any questions please contact Bowls SA on 8234 7544 or by emailing development@bowlssa.com.au