Articles and Case Studies

Do GPs need a Working with Children Check

07 Dec 2023

by Ms Kym Gardner

Every jurisdiction has a responsibility to ensure the safety of its children by implementing checks to avoid obvious dangers, and to prevent known offenders working in positions of trust. However, like many laws in Australia, each state and territory does it a little differently to the next.

Information about this isn’t always easy to find, so we’ve done the hard work for you! Let’s take a look around the country and answer the question:

Do GPs in private practice need to obtain a Working with Children Check (WWCC) or the equivalent?

Australian Capital Territory

NO

Called a ‘Working with Vulnerable People’ (WWVP) Check – it is specifically not required if you are a health practitioner registered with Ahpra.

New South Wales

YES

A GP seeing an adolescent without an adult present, regardless of the frequency of doing so, would be considered ‘ordinary’ in the course of being a GP. However, a GP who does not have a WWCC, when seeing an adolescent who has presented without an adult, should ask a member of staff to sit in on the consultation (with patient consent) in a chaperone-type situation.

Northern Territory

YES

Called an ‘Ochre Card’ – essentially if your work duties include, or may include, contact with children, then you are required to have a clearance.

Queensland

NO

Called a ‘Blue Card’ – a health practitioner registered with Ahpra is exempt from obtaining one when employed or carrying on a business as part of their functions as a registered health practitioner. However, this exemption does not apply to medical students.

South Australia

YES

General practitioners should obtain a WWCC, as a person must not work with children (i.e. undertake ‘child-related work’) unless they have a WWCC. The SA legislation defines what is considered to be child-related work, which generally involves regular contact with children while providing specified services or activities, including health services, for children.

Tasmania

YES

Called ‘Working with Vulnerable People’ (WWVP), GPs in private practice are required to have a WWVP, as would anyone who provides care or services to children.

Victoria

NO

Generally needed only if the employer or practice owner requires it, or if you work in a paediatric ward of a public or private hospital. However, if the GP is involved in counselling or other support services for children, then they would be best placed to obtain one, as they would technically meet the criteria. Organisations are free to implement their own policies that may go beyond the legislative requirements.

Western Australia

NO

There is no category of ‘child-related work’ specifically for general health practitioners in private practice. So they are not required to have a WWCC, unless they also carry out child-related work in connection with another category.