The below can be attributed to Act for Kids Executive Director of Service, Strategy and Growth – Tom McIntyre
"Today’s announcement of a national system to track the criminal history of people holding a Working With Children Check (WWCC) is a crucial step forward in protecting Australian children.
Act for Kids has long advocated for nationally consistent WWCCs, as without clear alignment between states and territories, individuals who seek to harm children have been able to exploit gaps in the system. This key safeguard is well overdue, given it was recommended more than a decade ago as part of the Royal Commission into Institutionalised Sexual Abuse.
We note that today’s announcement does not yet set a deadline for jurisdictions to join the national system, and we urge all states and territories to make this a priority.
Act for Kids continues to emphasise that protecting children requires a whole-of-community approach. There is no single solution to preventing child sexual abuse; we must look beyond systems and policies to include essential preventative education for children, caregivers and educators."
-ENDS-
Contact details:
Melanie Whiting
0427 794 666
[email protected]