On 29 November 2016, the Victorian Parliament passed legislation including kinship care as ‘child-related work’ under the Working with Children Act 2005. This change was made following a recommendation by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse that states and territories standardise child-related work. This became law on 1 May 2017 and kinship carers, where child protection has approved the placement, are required to apply for a Working with Children Check.
From 1 May 2017, new kinship carers have 21 days from the commencement of the placement to apply for a Working with Children Check. Carers with children in their care prior to 1 May must apply for a Working with Children Check by 22 August 2017. If a carer has not applied for a Working with Children Check by this date, they will be in breach of the law and a child cannot remain in care of a kinship carer who does not hold a Working with Children Check card.
To support the new Working with Children Check requirement for kinship carers, new information has now been published. This includes:
- Working with Children Checks prohibition, suspension or interim negative notice- procedure
- Working with Children Checks prohibition, suspension or interim negative notice- policy
- Working with Children Checks for kinship carers- advice
- Working with Children Checks for kinship carers- information sheet
- Working with Children Checks for kinship carers - information bulletins for child protection practitioners
Updates have also been made to the following information:
- Kinship care - procedure
- Placing a child in out-of-home care - procedure
- Undertaking a national police history check - procedure
- National police history checks - policy
- Cross border placements - advice
- Kinship care - forms
- Kinship carer assessment report Part A
- Kinship carer assessment report Part C
- Kinship placement approval of caregiver
- Kinship carer placement assessment report
For further information please contact wwcckinship@dhhs.vic.gov.au