WICEN Vic: Working with Children Checks

[Peter Dunn]

G'day All

Having just returned from my son's wedding in Norway I find the discussion on Working with Children Checks (WWC). I have viewed other members comments and offer my comments:

In my past role as Chief Safety Officer with the Murray Marathon (and MMP) with Red Cross and YMCA the issue of need for WWC came up more than once and much discussion took place. I have held WWC for many years.

Prima Facie I believe that there is no real need for all members of this WICEN Vic to hold WWC. Unless of course we become directly involved with children, such as hands-on radio instruction to juniors. Otherwise the contact could be considered to be incidental. Even if there were contact with children through activity there still may only be a need for supervisors (event organisers/leaders) to have a WWC to ensure a 'safe' working environment where children interact exists.

When considering our peak body's requirements, the WIA Charter for Volunteers at paragraph 8 (6) states "any statutory qualifications essential to fulfilling the role (amateur licence of defined grade,  Working with Children accreditation, WHS certification, etc)." It is apparent that the WIA does not have a requirement for members generally to have WWC, however it may be that a certain event may have that requirement. http://www.wia.org.au/joinwia/wia/about/documents/WIA%20Volunteers%20Charter.pdf

In other roles where incidental contact with children may occur I am not required to hold WWC even though I hold leadership roles.

Many religious and volunteer organisations have been under scrutiny in recent years due to child abuse allegations over many years. Generally speaking these organisations have taken a defensive position and request volunteers to hold WWC to help public perception of the organisations. Some people may consider this to be an overreaction some may not.

Without going into more discussion I would respectfully suggest that WICEN Vic take a similar stance to WIA and that generally WICEN Vic members are not required to hold WWC however if and when a certain event may have that requirement then volunteers for that event would need to hold WWC. Adopting such a policy would permit an individual WICEN Vic volunteer to make their own decision about applying for and/or holding WWC for a particular event. In this instance the WICEN Vic volunteer could be registered through the event organisation and would negate WICEN Vic administrative burden that may otherwise exist. If the WICEN Vic volunteer objects to the requirement to hold WWC then they would be free to not volunteer for the event.

Hope this helps in the discussion.

73

Pete
VK3FPGD

Peter G Dunn
0419 393 632

PO Box 2136
MT WAVERLEY  VIC  3149

From: wicenvic [mailto:wicenvic-bounces at vic.wicen.org.au] On Behalf Of John and Bronwyn Morrissey
Sent: Sunday, 16 July 2017 5:18 PM
To: 'Colin Pomroy'; 'Maurie Stanford'; 'Chris Morley'; 'WICENVIC'
Subject: Re: WICEN Vic: Working with Children Checks

Hi Col

Yes, I was aware of the changes.

The reason for the change was that there was a loophole - formerly, organisations dealing with children on a routine, repetitive basis only employed a supervisor with WWC, then others without WWC worked under the supervision of that person.  What the Govt discovered was that this still gave the opportunity for repeated contact with individual children and that some people had used this for grooming.  Hence - the loophole was closed.

What is not so clear is:  what is the new threshold where WWC becomes mandatory, in the context of WICEN activity?

For example when you go through the WWC list of occupations requiring WWC (here: http://www.workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au/home/about+the+check/who+needs+a+check/occupational+fields/occupational+fields ) there is the example : "Commercial photography services for children unless they are merely incidental to or in support of other business activities."   There are other, similar examples where the contact is merely incidental to other activities.

The website "who needs a check"   (here http://www.workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au/home/about+the+check/who+needs+a+check/ ) provides 6 criteria all of which must be met to require WWC, one of which is  "5. Your contact with children is part of your duties i.e. not incidental to your work".  Whether WICEN activities require contact with children as part of their duties or it is merely incidental to the WICEN activity could be a matter of debate.

For us, this does seem to be a grey area and it's not an area I would like to test in court!

For clubs, societies, WICEN, etc it is always an option to require all members to have WWC to undertake certain activities, over and above the legal requirements.  As an example the Scouts have always had more stringent requirements for WWC than the law required.

My view is that WICEN should encourage all members to have WWC, and my understanding is that WICEN (as an incorporated volunteer organisation) should be able to sponsor those wishing to gain WWC.

Personally, I have had WWC for many years and recommend all WICEN members obtaining one too.


Cheers,   John


________________________________
From: Colin Pomroy [mailto:colinpomroy at bigpond.com]
Sent: Sunday, 16 July 2017 1:19 PM
To: 'John and Bronwyn Morrissey'; Maurie Stanford; Chris Morley; 'WICEN Victoria'
Subject: Working with Children Checks

I have looked at the changes to the WWCC legislation after another organisation I am involved with has decided that everyone needs to have the check.
This is because at functions you may be in contact with children of not only the public but also of other members.

Note that the exemption, if there is supervision of someone with the checks, has been removed.

I see that this may be a problem if WICEN was deployed to a relief centre of similar or even at Training exercises like we have just done with the Mallee Rally.

I feel this should be discussed at Committee level and a policy decided.

The checks are free for volunteers and can be started online and then confirmed at a post office.
Renewals are online.

Details of the new legislation are available at:

www.workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au/home/about+the+check/purpose/changes+to+legislation<http://www.workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au/home/about+the+check/purpose/changes+to+legislation>

Colin Pomroy
0417 305 702

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