Volunteer Checks

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Screening processes

Acknowledging the importance of relevant screening and background checks shows your organisation’s commitment to keeping everyone associated with it safe, and ensures you meet legal requirements.

Essential risk-management procedures

Screening checks for community organisations in Western Australia (WA) are essential risk-management procedures designed to ensure a safe environment for staff, volunteers, and clients.

Volunteer recruitment and selection strategies help meet the needs of the organisation and volunteers; and helps facilitate diversity, and promote equity and accessibility.

(Relates to National Standards for Volunteer Involvement, Standard 4). 

Navigating checks and what is required

All organisations have a responsibility to maintain a safe environment for their employees, volunteers and clients and it’s important to be informed about the volunteers you select to meet this duty of care.

The information you gather relating to screening checks for volunteers should be documented and kept secure and processes put in place to ensure you comply with privacy legislation for securely managing volunteers personal and confidential information.

Upcoming Workshops Justice Connect’s Guide

Reference checks

Reference checking may be part of your overall recruitment, screening and selection process; and helps you build a picture of your potential volunteer.

By including reference checks as part of your volunteer recruitment process you can ensure that all volunteers are treated fairly, you have the opportunity to clarify any areas where information is needed to make a decision about your potential volunteer, and you can identify ways to support them.

Part of your due diligence when taking on new volunteers is to ensure “consistency” between their CV or what they have said in the interview; with what their referee says.

You have an extra duty of care to carry out reference checking if you work with vulnerable people and you must have the volunteer’s permission to contact the referees they give.

Police checks

It’s common for volunteers to be required to undergo a police check and it’s important to make sure you understand the requirements that apply to your particular industry.

Why complete a police check?

An organisation’s risk management process determines the need to conduct police checks on prospective volunteers. When used appropriately, checks are good practice for organisations to help identify potential liabilities and hazards. Checks may be required to meet legislative, contractual or industry requirements.

Some questions volunteer involving organisations should consider when determining the requirements for background checks include:

  • Does the role have legislative or contractual requirements for police checks?
  • Will the position be unsupervised and/or interacting with vulnerable people?
  • Will the role manage finances, sensitive information, or other valuable organisational resources?
  • Does the role have specific responsibility for which a police check is necessary?
  • What is the level of trust required for the position?

Volunteer National Police Certificate Program

The Volunteer National Police Certificate Program, co-ordinated by the WA Police Force and the Department of Communities, offers discounted national police checks for registered Western Australian volunteer involving organisations.

Find further detail, fact sheets, eligibility and costs, on the on the WA Government webpage.

 

Learn more (wa.gov.au)

Working with Children Checks

In Western Australia most volunteers who perform ‘child-related’ work are required to undergo a Working with Children (WWC) Check and they should be part of the screening process for volunteers.

They are different to a police check, and organisations must verify the Working with Children Check details of anyone engaged in ‘child-related’ work.

It’s important that your organisation understands what is considered ‘child-related’ work and decides who engages in ‘child-related’ work and requires a Working with Children Check, or if any roles fall under an exemption.

Find further detail, fact sheets, eligibility, on the on the WA Government webpage.

 

Learn more (wa.gov.au) Attend an Info Session (wa.gov.au)

NDIS Volunteer Screening Checks

Volunteers in risk assessed roles for registered NDIS providers are required to hold an NDIS Check clearance. The clearance is valid for 5 years across Australia and costs $11 in western Australia, although the equivalent volunteer clearance is free in a number of other Australian states and territories.

NDIS checked workers are subject to ongoing monitoring of their criminal history and other relevant information. More information on who needs an NDIS check and a short video on how to apply can be found on the WA government’s website at the following link:
Applying for an NDIS Check

New NDIS applicants need to fill in an online application form and then attend a Department of Transport Vehicle Services Centre, with all relevant documents and the application fee to complete the application process. This process is overly complicated and time-consuming. Volunteering WA’s Expert Reference Group on Volunteer Screening has advocated for applications to be streamlined and lodged wholly online. We are pleased to report work on a new online NDIS application will commence following the August 2026 launch of the wholly online Working with Children Check application.

NDIS screening check renewals are already available through a wholly online process which was launched in late 2025.

Applying for an NDIS Check

Advocating for simpler checks

Making volunteering checks simpler has been the main focus of Volunteering WA’s recent policy and advocacy submissions, including our recent recommendations to the Department of Communities to inform the development of a new online portal for volunteer screening.

Further Learning

Training

Take the first steps towards strengthening your organisation, and register for upcoming volunteer management workshops.

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