Working With Vulnerable People Registration

The Working with Vulnerable People (Background Checking) Act 2011 (the Act) commenced on 7 November 2012. The Act aims to reduce the risk of harm or neglect to vulnerable people in the ACT. The Act requires people working or volunteering in 'Activities or Services for Children' and have contact with vulnerable people while engaging in regulated activities and services to register with Access Canberra.

School staff

The Act requires people to undergo a background check and become registered before they are allowed to work with children unless they are able to claim an exemption from this requirement.

All school staff, teachers and non-teachers, are required to have the Working with Vulnerable People check. School staff will have a Working with Vulnerable People (WWVP) card to demonstrate they have registered. While staff are waiting to receive their card they are able to continue in their usual employment under the supervision of someone who does have the card.

Volunteers and visitors

Parents and community members make a valuable contribution to schools through a diversity of roles as volunteers or visitors to schools. Not all volunteers and visitors are required to be registered. The guide below provides more information including a range of examples to demonstrate where volunteers and visitors are required to be registered. It also includes examples to demonstrate the type of work that does not require registration.