MARTIAL ARTS INDUSTRY NEWS Page 4

Bulletin and Website Article for Martial Arts Alliance

The Working with Children Check

Introduction
The Working with Children (WWC) Check was introduced in Victoria in 2006. It is designed to assist in protecting children from sexual or physical harm by ensuring that people who work with, or care for, them have their suitability to do so checked by a government body.

People engaged in ‘child related work' are required to apply for a WWC Check. Under the Working with Children Act 2005 ‘child-related work' is:
•  work engaged in under a contract of employment (ie as an employee) or a contract for services (ie a self-employed person); or

•  work engaged in as a volunteer; and

•  which usually involves, or is likely to usually involve, regular direct contact with a child; and

•  which is in connection with one of the child-related occupational fields (which included sporting clubs and associations); and

•  that contact is not directly supervised.

Martial Arts Clubs and Associations
Martial Arts clubs and associations that:

•  provide services or conduct activities for, or directed at children or

•  whose membership is mainly comprised of children

are currently being phased-in. This means that if you are engaged in ‘child-related work' in this activity, you may need to apply for a Working with Children Check by 30 June 2009 . After this date, if you were required to apply for a WWC Check but failed to do so, it will be an offence to engage in ‘child-related work' and penalties may apply to you and your organisation.

Exemptions
There are a number of exemptions which may apply to you. For a full list of exemptions, please visit www.justice.vic.gov.au/workingwithchildren .

Further information
The WWC Check Unit will be conducting information sessions at different locations across the state through the months of March and April. To view the timetable and register to attend a session please visit our website www.justice.vic.gov.au/workingwithchildren or call the Information Line on 1300 652 879.

Attend the IMA information session

Download the WCC Information Pack