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Working with Children's Check (WWCC)

This guide provides detailed information about Oho's Working with Children Check (WWCC) verification capabilities across all Australian states and territories. Understanding these capabilities will help you make informed decisions about implementation, monitoring strategies, and customer support.

Overview​

Oho's WWCC verification capabilities vary significantly by state due to different government systems, data availability, and verification approaches. This reference covers five key scenarios that are critical to understanding how WWCC verification works in practice.

Scenario 1: Verifying a New WWCC Credential​

When a person submits a new WWCC credential for verification, Oho attempts to verify it through state-specific APIs and systems. The verification response varies significantly by state.

Understanding the Verification Response​

For each state, you need to understand three key aspects:

  1. Expected Timeframe - How long until you receive a verification response
  2. Employee/Volunteer Distinction - What values distinguish between employee, volunteer, and other categories
  3. Response Clarity - Whether the response distinguishes between "credential not found" vs "found but not acceptable"

State-by-State Verification Capabilities​

StateExpected TimeframeEmployee/Volunteer ValuesDistinguishes "Not Found" vs "Not Acceptable"
ACTManual (Monthly*)N/ANo
NSWWithin HoursE or V (identifier suffix)Yes
NT<10 minutesN/ANo
QLD<10 secondsN/ANo
SA<10 minutesPossible, see standardisation effortYes
TAS<10 minutesCard Type Value, see standardisation effortYes
VIC<10 secondsCard Type Value, see standardisation effortYes
WA<10 secondsN/ANo

Key Insights​

Real-Time vs Manual Verification

Only VIC, QLD, and WA provide real-time (sub-10 second) verification responses. NSW provides responses within hours. ACT requires manual verification with monthly batches.

ACT Verification

ACT verification is manual and processed in monthly batches. Plan accordingly if you have ACT-based workers requiring immediate verification.

Employee vs Volunteer Distinction:

  • NSW: Credential identifier includes 'E' or 'V' suffix (e.g., WWC1234567E for employee)
  • SA, TAS, VIC: Use a "Card Type" field value to distinguish
  • ACT, NT, QLD, WA: No distinction available in verification response

Standardisation Effort: Oho is working to standardize the employee/volunteer values across SA, TAS, and VIC to use consistent identifiers: Employee | Volunteer | Student | Partner | Contractor | Unstated

Response Clarity:

  • States with clear responses (NSW, SA, TAS, VIC): You'll know if a credential wasn't found OR if it was found but has an unacceptable status
  • States with limited responses (ACT, NT, QLD, WA): Response may not distinguish between these scenarios

When verifying a WWCC credential, some state systems allow Oho to establish a formal "linkage" between the person and your organization (Mable, or another employer). This linkage enables ongoing monitoring and status updates.

Why Linkage Matters​

Establishing a linkage means:

  • The state system recognizes your organization as the person's employer
  • You may receive direct notifications from the state about status changes
  • The person's WWCC is formally associated with your organization in government records

State-by-State Linkage Capabilities​

StateOho Establishes LinkageNotes
ACTNoNo linkage capability available
NSWYesAutomatic linkage established upon verification
NTNoNo linkage capability available
QLDYes (with manual intervention)Requires manual action from employer organization
SAYesAutomatic linkage established upon verification
TASNoNo linkage capability available
VICNoLinkage responsibility sits with the employee, not employer
WANoNo linkage capability available

Key Insights​

NSW and SA Advantages

NSW and SA provide the most robust linkage capabilities, automatically establishing the employer relationship upon verification. This enables better monitoring and direct notifications.

VIC Linkage Model

In Victoria, employees are responsible for establishing their own linkages with employers. Employers cannot initiate this linkage through Oho's verification process.

States with Automatic Linkage: NSW, SA States with Manual Linkage: QLD (requires employer action) States with No Linkage: ACT, NT, TAS, VIC, WA

Scenario 3: Monitoring Status Changes for Existing WWCC Credentials​

After verifying a WWCC credential, you need ongoing monitoring to detect if the credential is revoked, suspended, or expires. Oho provides automated monitoring through regular checks and webhook notifications.

Understanding Monitoring​

For each state, you need to know:

  1. Check Frequency - How often Oho checks the WWCC status
  2. Maximum Notification Delay - Worst-case time between revocation and your notification

State-by-State Monitoring Capabilities​

StateCheck FrequencyMaximum Notification Time After Revocation
ACTManual (Monthly*)Maximum Monthly (no revocations observed yet)
NSWAnnual (on anniversary or expiry)Next annual check, expiry, or revalidation. Note: Due to linkage with OCG, they notify the organization directly. Oho provides an email address that can be added to the OCG portal for direct notifications.
NTWeeklyMaximum 1 week
QLDWeeklyMaximum 1 week
SAWeeklyMaximum 1 week
TASWeeklyMaximum 1 week
VICWeeklyMaximum 1 week
WAWeeklyMaximum 1 week

Key Insights​

NSW Monitoring Strategy

NSW uses an annual monitoring cycle tied to the anniversary of adding the credential or its expiry date. However, NSW also provides direct notifications through the OCG (Office of the Children's Guardian) portal. Ensure you configure the OCG portal with Oho's notification email address to receive timely alerts.

Weekly Monitoring States

Most states (NT, QLD, SA, TAS, VIC, WA) provide weekly monitoring with a maximum 1-week delay for revocation notifications. This is the standard monitoring frequency you can rely on.

Monitoring Frequencies:

  • Real-time: None (no state provides instant revocation notifications through Oho)
  • Weekly: NT, QLD, SA, TAS, VIC, WA
  • Annual: NSW (with direct OCG notifications as supplement)
  • Monthly Manual: ACT

Best Practice for NSW: Configure your organization's email in the NSW OCG portal to receive direct notifications, supplementing Oho's annual monitoring cycle.

Scenario 4: Pausing and Resuming Monitoring​

Many organizations have workers who provide WWCC credentials but don't immediately work with children. To optimize costs and system load, you may want to pause monitoring until the worker actually needs it.

The Pause/Resume Challenge​

Consider this scenario:

  1. Feb 3: Worker submits WWCC, you verify it's valid, then set monitoring to inactive (paused)
  2. Mar 5: Worker's WWCC is revoked by the state (while monitoring is paused)
  3. May 7: Worker enters an agreement to work with children, you resume monitoring

Key Questions:

  • Will you be notified of the revocation that occurred while monitoring was paused?
  • Can you immediately re-verify the credential when resuming?

State-by-State Pause/Resume Capabilities​

StateNotified of Changes During Pause?Can Immediately Re-Verify?Re-Verification Cost
ACTNo - checked in next cycle onlyNoN/A
NSWYes - OCG notifies directlyYesAdditional scan request charge
NTNo - checked in next cycle onlyYesAdditional scan request charge
QLDNo - checked in next cycle onlyYesAdditional scan request charge
SANo - checked in next cycle onlyYesAdditional scan request charge
TASNo - checked in next cycle onlyYesAdditional scan request charge
VICNo - checked in next cycle onlyYesAdditional scan request charge
WANo - checked in next cycle onlyYesAdditional scan request charge

Key Insights​

NSW Exception

NSW is the only state where you'll be notified of status changes that occurred during a pause period. This is because OCG notifications are sent directly to your organization, independent of Oho's monitoring status.

Immediate Re-Verification

All states except ACT allow you to immediately re-verify a credential when resuming monitoring. This triggers a new scan request and incurs an additional charge, but ensures you have the current status before the worker begins.

Recommended Strategies:

For NSW:

  • Configure OCG portal notifications
  • Resume monitoring when worker becomes active
  • Optionally trigger immediate re-verification for certainty

For All Other States (except ACT):

  • Option A (Lower Cost): Resume monitoring and wait for next cycle (up to 1 week delay)
  • Option B (Higher Certainty): Resume monitoring AND trigger immediate re-verification (incurs scan cost)

For ACT:

  • No immediate re-verification available
  • Must wait for next monthly manual check

Scenario 5: Monitoring Renewed WWCC Credentials​

WWCC credentials typically have expiry dates (e.g., 5 years in most states). When a person renews their credential, you need to know if the renewal automatically flows through to your existing monitoring, or if you need to capture the new credential details separately.

The Renewal Question​

When a person's WWCC credential is approaching expiry and they renew it with the state authority:

  • Does the renewal automatically update in Oho's monitoring?
  • Does the expiry date automatically update?
  • Do you need to manually update the credential details?

State-by-State Renewal Monitoring​

StateRenewal Flows Through Automatically?Notes
ACTYesRenewal updates flow through existing monitoring
NSWYesRenewal updates flow through existing monitoring
NTYesRenewal updates flow through existing monitoring
QLDNoRenewals do NOT automatically update - requires manual update
SAYesRenewal updates flow through existing monitoring
TASYesRenewal updates flow through existing monitoring
VICYesRenewal updates flow through existing monitoring
WAYesRenewal updates flow through existing monitoring
Renewal Timing Clarification

This scenario only applies when a person renews within the existing expiry period (i.e., before the credential expires). If the credential fully expires before renewal, it may be treated as a new credential.

Key Insights​

Queensland Exception

Queensland is the only state where renewals do NOT automatically flow through existing monitoring. You must capture the renewed credential details and update your records manually.

For Most States (ACT, NSW, NT, SA, TAS, VIC, WA):

  • Renewals are detected automatically during regular monitoring cycles
  • Expiry dates update automatically
  • No manual intervention required
  • You can rely on Oho's weekly/monthly monitoring to capture renewals

For Queensland:

  • Implement a process to request updated WWCC details near expiry
  • Manually update credentials in your system
  • Consider proactive outreach to workers with expiring QLD WWCCs

Quick Reference Matrix​

Verification Speed​

Real-Time (<10s)Fast (<10min)HoursManual (Monthly)
VIC, QLD, WANT, SA, TASNSWACT

Linkage Capability​

AutomaticManualNone
NSW, SAQLDACT, NT, TAS, VIC, WA

Monitoring Frequency​

WeeklyAnnualMonthly
NT, QLD, SA, TAS, VIC, WANSW*ACT

*NSW supplemented by direct OCG notifications

Special Considerations by State​

NSW (New South Wales):

  • Hours-long verification, but most comprehensive capabilities
  • Automatic linkage with OCG
  • Direct notifications from OCG (configure portal email)
  • Annual monitoring cycle (supplemented by OCG alerts)
  • Clear Not Found vs Not Acceptable responses
  • Automatic renewal handling

VIC (Victoria):

  • Real-time verification (<10 seconds)
  • No employer-initiated linkage (employee responsibility)
  • Weekly monitoring
  • Automatic renewal handling
  • Clear verification responses

QLD (Queensland):

  • Real-time verification (<10 seconds)
  • Manual linkage available
  • Weekly monitoring
  • Renewals do NOT auto-update (manual process required)

ACT (Australian Capital Territory):

  • Manual monthly verification
  • No linkage capability
  • Monthly manual monitoring
  • No immediate re-verification available
  • Automatic renewal handling (when processed)

Integration Recommendations​

Choose Your Verification Strategy​

Need Real-Time Verification?

  • ✅ VIC, QLD, WA (<10 seconds)
  • ⚠️ NT, SA, TAS (<10 minutes)
  • ❌ NSW (hours), ACT (monthly)

Need Strong Monitoring?

  • ✅ NSW (direct OCG notifications)
  • ✅ NT, QLD, SA, TAS, VIC, WA (weekly)
  • ⚠️ ACT (monthly manual)

Need Employer Linkage?

  • ✅ NSW, SA (automatic)
  • ⚠️ QLD (manual)
  • ❌ ACT, NT, TAS, VIC, WA

Handling Multi-State Workforces​

If you operate across multiple states:

  1. Plan for the slowest state - ACT requires monthly manual processing
  2. Configure NSW OCG notifications - Critical for timely NSW alerts
  3. Implement QLD renewal tracking - Only state requiring manual renewal updates
  4. Use immediate re-verification strategically - Balance cost vs certainty when resuming monitoring

Cost Optimization​

Scan Request Costs:

  • Initial verification = 1 scan request
  • Immediate re-verification = 1 additional scan request
  • Regular monitoring = No additional cost

Strategies:

  • Pause monitoring for inactive workers (except NSW - keep active for OCG notifications)
  • Use weekly monitoring cycles instead of immediate re-verification when timing allows
  • For QLD, plan for manual renewal updates rather than frequent re-scans

Need Help?​

If you have questions about WWCC capabilities for your specific use case:

Last Updated: 2025-11-13