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WWC Connect checklist for Victorian swim schools
From Monday 19 October 2026, Victorian organisations engaging people in child-related work use a new online service, WWC Connect. This page summarises what changes for swim schools and aquatic centres, and gives you a one-page checklist to keep.
What changes on 19 October 2026
Three steps: Check, Connect, Maintain.
- Check: verify a person's clearance on the official WWC status checker before they start work.
- Connect: connect them to your organisation in WWC Connect within 7 days of engagement for workers, or 21 days for volunteers, subject to exemptions.
- Maintain: update records when someone stops child-related work or their details change, within the same timeframes.
Also: records must be kept for at least 7 years after the engagement ends. New applicants, renewing clearance holders and volunteers moving to an employee clearance must complete child safety training (about 45 minutes).
Who counts as doing child-related work in a swim school
The legal test looks at the service and whether duties usually involve direct contact with children. Duties matter more than job titles.
| Role | How to approach it |
|---|---|
| Swim teachers and junior squad coaches | Treat as child-related work, subject to individual exemptions. |
| Deck supervisors and program coordinators | Assess child contact within supervision, assessments and lesson support. |
| Lifeguards and duty managers | Assess the actual duties. Do not assume all aquatic roles are the same. |
| Reception, admin and maintenance | Assess actual duties, including any direct communication with children. Being on the premises is not the test. |
A recruitment checklist for swim schools
- Assess the role by its duties, not its title.
- Paid work needs an employee clearance, not a volunteer clearance, unless an exemption applies.
- Verify before work starts or before any verbal or written arrangement is made, whichever is earlier.
- Connect in WWC Connect within 7 days (21 for volunteers).
- For returning casuals, re-check. An old card image or last season's roster is not proof.
- Record the date verified, who verified, what status they saw and the engagement date.
- Update WWC Connect when someone leaves or their details change.
- Allow time for child safety training for new applicants and renewals.
Keeping a clear record
Checking is the organisation's responsibility. A dated record of who checked, what they saw and when is how you show it was done. Keep it in one place, with access limited to the people who need it, and keep personal details out of shared lesson-planning sheets. A spreadsheet, an HR system or your swim school software can all do the job.
| Name | Clearance type | Date verified | Verified by | Date engaged | Date connected | Date ended |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Frequently asked questions
Official sources
- Victorian Government, WWC Connect
- Changes to the Working with Children Check
- Who requires a WWC clearance
- Mandatory child safety training
- ASSA guide for swim schools
Victorian Government Contact Centre 1300 652 879, Mon to Fri 9am to 4pm.
General information current at 18 October 2026, based on published Victorian Government and ASSA guidance. Not legal advice. Check current requirements with the Social Services Regulator.
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