Consultation open: Updated Working with Children Clearance Policy

As a community-based organisation, CFA has a legal and moral responsibility to ensure that children interacting with us are protected from any form of harm or abuse. A Working with Children Check (WWCC) determines if a person poses an unjustifiable risk to the safety of children based on their previous criminal history or conduct.  

Changes proposed under the draft Working with Children (WWC) Clearance Policy are:

• more roles at CFA will require a WWC Clearance over the next few years and this will depend on what role you hold
• we are working towards all CFA members having a WWCC by 30 June 2026
• the changes would be introduced in four stages (called ‘schedules’) with more roles requiring a WWCC in each stage. 

How can you provide feedback?

• Access the draft policy via CFA’s Policy Library on Members Online. Instructions on how to submit feedback are available at the top of the page.
• You can review what this means for you and your role.
• We welcome your comments on the timing, the four stages and the roles listed in each schedule.
• Feedback can also be given directly to Child Safety’s WWCC inbox: wwcc@cfa.vic.gov.au 

Consultation is open to all members until 4 August 2023. 

Background 

The current Working with Children Check (WWCC) Policy, released in April 2021 and updated in March 2022, requires all new and transferring members to have and maintain a current WWC Clearance. 

Current members who perform a role that involves regular direct contact with children are already required to hold a WWC Clearance under the Worker Screening Act 2020. 

This includes roles such as Junior Leaders, Fire Safe Kids Presenters, and members responsible for delivering training to 16/17-year-olds.  

How did CFA decide which roles will require a WWCC in each stage? 

This draft WWC Clearance Policy has been developed using a risk-based approach. A role analysis was conducted to identify the risk levels for each role at CFA. 

The analysis looked at whether the role:

• has any contact with children including direct, regular indirect, or occasional indirect contact
• is a leadership position with access to systems that interact with children or hold personal information about children
• may be involved in the management, review, or support of child safety cases.

Questions can be directed to the Child Safety team: childsafetyofficer@cfa.vic.gov.au