Keeping children safe is a shared responsibility.
In July 2026, reforms strengthened information sharing, risk assessment and the Social Services Regulator’s (SSR) powers to act where there are concerns about a person’s suitability to work with children.
In October 2026, Victoria is further strengthening the Working with Children (WWC) Check with the introduction of:
- WWC Connect online service, to help organisations (including sole traders) meet the new legal requirement to notify the SSR about workers and volunteers they engage to work with children
- new mandatory child safety training for people applying for or renewing their WWC Clearance.
Together, these changes will strengthen the safeguards that help organisations make safer decisions about the people they engage to work or volunteer with children.
Resources
Working with Children (WWC) Connect
From October 19 all employers must also use the WWC Connect online system to verify workers and connect them to their organisations.
Mandatory online child safety training
Mandatory child safety training will be introduced from 19 October 2026 for all WWC Clearance holders.
Reforms introduced from July 2026
The Victorian government recently changed how child-safeguarding regulators and agencies share child-safety-risk information, how to appeal adverse WWC Check decisions and how eligibility for a WWC Clearance is assessed.
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