Working with children check

People working or volunteering with children in South Australia must, by law, have a Working with Children Check.

A Working with Children Check is an assessment of whether a person poses an unacceptable risk to children. As part of the process, the Screening Unit will look at criminal history, child protection information and other information.

A valid DHS/DCSI child-related employment check will be recognised as a Working with Children Check until it expires. Then, you must apply for a new Working with Children Check.

Quick links

• Who needs a Working with Children Check?
• Who does not need a Working with Children Check?
• What is child-related work?
• What is not child-related work?
• Volunteering with children
• Information assessed
• Apply for a check
• Fees and how to pay
• Working with Children Check infographic – updated May 2020 (PDF 521.3 KB)
• Working with Children Check infographic in plain text - updated May 2020
• Working with Children Check information kit – updated May 2020 (PDF 3.2 MB)
• Work on application provision (ceased in September 2022)

Do you have a current check?

Apply for a check

Only the Department of Human Services Screening Unit can conduct a Working with Children Check.

You can apply for your own check, or an organisation can apply for a check on behalf of a paid employee or volunteer.

Keep up to date

Subscribe to the DHS Screening Unit newsletter to stay up-to-date with changes.

Email wwcc@sa.gov.au.

Related information

• Frequently asked questions about Working with Children Checks
• Working with Children Check Guidelines - July 2019
• Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse
• South Australian Child Protection Systems Royal Commission (also known as the Nyland Report)
• Working with Children Check - Information for Organisations - March 2020 (PDF 402.8 KB)
• Legislation
• South Australian Department of Child Protection
• Relevant history screening for the South Australian Department of Education
• Each state and territory in Australia is different and has its own procedures around working with children. Find out more about working with children checks outside of South Australia:
  • New South Wales
  • Victoria
  • Queensland
  • Western Australia
  • Australian Capital Territory
  • Northern Territory
  • Tasmania