General Information

Working with Children Check reforms in Victoria

• Victoria is reforming the Working with Children (WWC) Check to strengthen safeguards for children.

   

• From 19 October 2026, schools must notify the Social Services Regulator (SSR) of the details of all the workers or volunteers that they engage to do child-related work through a new online system called WWC Connect. 

   

• This system will help the Social Services Regulator to see where people with WWC Clearances are working and volunteering. It will also let them act faster if someone’s WWC Clearance stops being valid.

   

• At our school, we require all volunteers to have a valid WWCC under our volunteers policy. We are very grateful to the many volunteer parents and carers who help us with many student activities – in the classroom, on excursions, camps, at concerts and sports.

   

• If you help at our school in a volunteer role with direct contact with children we will enter your details into the new WWC Connect system. We will do this when you start and finish volunteering, and at any time your details change. Only the school can enter this information. You cannot do it yourself.

   

• If you volunteer at Richmond West Primary School in a role that works directly with children you must provide us with the information we need to put your details into WWC Connect.

   

• If you are a volunteer in a role that does not work directly with children or are exempt from holding a Working with Children Clearance, we may ask you to complete the Consent Form – Connecting your Working with Children Clearance to our school to collect your WWC Clearance details and obtain your consent to notify the Social Services Regulator through WWC Connect.

***  Next time you are volunteering please see the office to complete a Consent Form and allow an extra 5-10 minutes time to complete this process. ***

A better Compass app is on its way 

 From early November, the Compass app will receive its biggest upgrade yet, shaped by feedback from parents, students and staff. 

Do I need to do anything?  No. The upgrade arrives as a normal app update, so there’s nothing new to download. If your app doesn’t update automatically, update it from the App Store or Google Play. You may be asked to sign in again with your usual Compass details. 

What’s new?   An improved absence form, easier conference bookings, widgets for your phone’s home and lock screen, light and dark modes, and Apple Pay on iPhone for some payments. Students will also find timetable and feed widgets handy. 

Where can I get help?   Visit the parent guide at compass.education/guide