Changes to the WWC legislation, to significantly strengthen protections for Western Australian (WA) children, are coming. These changes are part of ongoing national WWC Check reform to improve child safety.
The changes to the Working with Children (Screening) Act 2004 (the Act) strengthen child safety protections in WA through the mutual recognition of adverse interstate WWC decisions.
The reforms demonstrate the Government’s commitment to a stronger, nationally consistent WWC Check framework and to putting child safety first.
What does this mean?
Under the proposed changes, if a person receives an adverse interstate WWC decision in another Australian state or territory, that decision will be recognised in WA.
Put simply: banned in one, banned in all.
The changes are included in the Working with Children (Screening) Amendment Bill 2025, which was passed by the WA Parliament on 19 August 2026. The amended Act will take effect following proclamation which is expected to take place in the coming months.
It represents an important first step toward strengthening and improving consistency across Australia’s WWC Check schemes.
This change also applies to those who have been granted a WWC Check with restrictions or conditions imposed.
In WA individuals with an adverse interstate WWC decision:
- must immediately cease all child-related work once their WA WWC application is withdrawn or their WA card cancelled
- are prohibited from accessing the parent volunteer, child volunteer or unpaid student on placement under 18 years of age exemptions.
Please note, WWC Checks may be known by another name in other states or territories.
Find out more by visiting the amendments webpage .
