Apply your Working with Children Check

The Working with Children Check (WWCC) is a requirement for anyone who works or volunteers in child-related work in NSW. It involves a National Police Check (criminal history record check) and a review of reportable workplace misconduct. Results of a National Police Check can take up to 4 weeks to be received. The outcome of a check is either a clearance to work with children or a bar against working with children. If cleared, the check will be valid for 5 years, however applicants are continuously monitored.

How to apply

  1. Select the ‘Apply online’ button.
  2. Complete the online form ensuring the name you enter matches your identity documents exactly.
  3. Visit a Service NSW Centre to present your original identity documents and (if applicable) pay the fee.
Note: Once you’ve provided your identity documents at the service centre, the National Police Criminal History check begins. This process can take up to 4 weeks.

Renew your Working with Children Check

There are 2 ways to renew your Working with Children Check (WWCC), depending on how you choose to have your identification verified:
      • Online using face verification – instead of going into a Service NSW Centre to present your identity documents, you renew online and use your device to scan your face. The scan is matched with the photo used on your NSW Driver Licence or NSW Photo Card.
      • At a Service NSW Centre – you need to complete the Office of the Children’s Guardian (OCG) renewal application form, then visit a service centre within 28 days to present the original version of your identity documents and pay your fee if required.
Your WWCC expires after 5 years. You’ll be notified by email 3 months before its expiry date. You can renew your WWCC from this time.

Renew online using face verification

What you need

  • a MyServiceNSW Account with the ‘Working with Children Check’ service added:
    • you can create an account when you start your application
    • you’ll need your mobile phone to receive an SMS code or respond to a notification on the Service NSW app for multi-factor authentication
    • add the Working with Children Check service when you’re logged into your account
  • 3 current identity documents:
    • NSW Driver Licence or NSW Photo Card
    • one such as Australian passport, Australian birth certificate, foreign passport with an Australian visa
    • one such as Medicare card, Pensioner concession card, Seniors Health Card, Health Care Card
  • a device with a working front camera to complete face verification
  • a credit or debit card, PayPal or PayID (if payment is required).

Change of name

If you’ve changed your name on your identity documents since the last time you applied for or renewed your WWCC, you cannot renew online. You’ll need to renew at a service centre and have your new identity documents verified.

Face verification

Face verification is a way of proving who you are. During the online renewal process, there are steps on how to scan your face using your device’s camera. You will need to move your face very close to the camera and hold it steady for 5 to 10 seconds. If you will find this difficult, you may find it easier to visit a service centre. Service NSW does not store any images from the face verification process. We only keep a record of the outcome of the process.