Working With Children Check (WWCC)
A state-issued clearance to work with children, verified against each state register, with a national police history check built in.
A Working With Children Check (WWCC) is a clearance that lets you work or volunteer in child-related roles. Each state and territory runs its own scheme, so the name, validity period and application process differ depending on where you work. Queensland calls it a Blue Card, the Northern Territory an Ochre Card, and most other jurisdictions use the WWCC label.
The check screens your national criminal history and relevant findings, then keeps monitoring you for the life of the clearance. Because police history is built into the WWCC, you do not need a separate National Police Check for the same role. If your record changes, the issuing body can suspend or cancel your clearance.
For workers, the practical point is that a WWCC is usually not portable across borders: a clearance issued in one state may not be accepted in another. For providers, the obligation is to confirm each worker holds a current, valid clearance for the state they work in, verified against that state's register rather than relying on a photo of the card. See the working with children check by state guide for the jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction detail.
This is general information, not compliance advice. Always confirm requirements with the relevant regulator, and remember that providers keep the legal responsibility to sight credentials and decide who can work.
We work hard to keep it accurate, but the rules change and we will not always get every detail right. If you think something here needs updating, email us at resources@koora.care. We would genuinely rather know, because we all do better when we help each other get it right.
Working With Children Check by state: requirements and renewals (2026)
Every Australian state and territory runs its own Working With Children Check, with different names and validity periods. Here is the full breakdown.
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