Only a fortnight ago, Western Plains App reported on new laws set to strengthen Working with Children Checks (WWCC) in New South Wales.

Now, during Child Protection Week (Sunday September 7 to Saturday September 13), the message is being reiterated in a renewed push for child safety, urging all child-related organisations in New South Wales to “Check Your Checks”.

The Office of the Children’s Guardian (OCG) revealed that the most common breach in 2023–24 was organisations failing to verify WWCCs with the OCG before allowing individuals to begin working with children, which is a legal requirement.

Employers in sectors such as education, sport, and childcare must register with the WWCC system, verify workers’ checks, and remove any unauthorised personnel.

“Child safety is everyone’s responsibility,” said Minister for Families and Communities Kate Washington.

“Organisations play a key role in verifying that their workers hold a clearance before they work with children.

"This National Child Protection Week, my message to all child-related organisations is clear: Check Your Checks to keep kids safe.

"Verification is not just a formality, it is a vital link that connects the worker to the employer and notifies the OCG if someone is later barred from working with children.

"Failure to complete this step not only breaks the law, but also endangers the lives of vulnerable young people."

Reforms and Accountability

The Minns Government has introduced legislation to Parliament that will make the OCG the sole decision-maker in WWCC applications and reviews, ensuring a specialist regulator is at the helm.

Additionally, the government is backing national efforts to unify WWCC systems across states so that if someone is denied or loses clearance in one state, they cannot work with children anywhere in Australia.

Acting Children’s Guardian Rachael Ward explained the impact of the reforms.

“The changes empower us to make more effective decisions, strengthen the system and hold organisations accountable,” she said.

“We urge all organisations working with children to 'Check Your Checks' as a first step and join us in building a robust child-safe culture across New South Wales.”

Last week, NSW Children's Guardian, Steve Kinmond was removed from his role after an independent investigation.

This call to action comes at a critical time, following high-profile breaches from within the OCG itself.

Last week, Steve Kinmond, the now-former NSW Children’s Guardian, was removed from his position after a Special Ministerial Inquiry found that he had overruled internal legal advice to grant WWCC clearance to an individual with red flags, known as “Person B”.

The inquiry revealed that Kinmond had exchanged over 350 text messages and 90 phone calls with the applicant, totalling more than six hours of undisclosed contact, some of which occurred outside work hours.

Minister Washington called the findings “serious breaches of regulatory standards,” highlighting the need for integrity in decisions that determine who may work with children.

Community leaders back campaign

The “Check Your Checks” initiative has been endorsed by major child-facing organisations across the state.

At PCYC NSW, CEO Ben Hobby said the charity’s 66 youth clubs live child safety “every single day”, with strong protections embedded into operations.

“The safety of young people is far greater than a policy for us – their protection is at the core of our employee and volunteer values,” he said.

Similarly, Surf Life Saving NSW CEO Steve Pearce said, “It’s more than just Working With Children Checks, it’s about embedding this approach in everything we do.”

St John Ambulance NSW CEO Dominic Teakle stressed the importance of culture.

“Creating a strong culture of safety starts with every single member understanding the role they play,” Mr Teakle said.

He added that checks and training are “critical foundations,” but must be embedded in all activities.

As Minister Washington said, “There is always more to do when it comes to protecting our kids.”