G8 Education has welcomed today’s agreement by Commonwealth Attorney General Michelle Rowland and state and territory Attorneys-General to progress nationally consistent Working with Children Check (WWCC) reforms, representing another important step towards strengthening child safety across Australia. The reforms build on the National Continuous Checking Capability announced in 2025 and broader work to create a more consistent national WWCC framework.
G8 Education CEO and Managing Director Pejman Okhovat said the reforms reflected the strong commitment by governments to strengthen protections for children.
“The safety and wellbeing of every child in our care is our highest priority, and we welcome today’s agreement to further strengthen Australia’s Working with Children Check framework,” Mr. Okhovat said.
“We have continued to advocate for nationally consistent standards, stronger information sharing and more robust risk assessment processes to help ensure Working with Children Checks operate as effectively as possible, regardless of where a person lives or works.”
Mr. Okhovat said the reforms represented another important milestone in the development of a nationally consistent child safety framework.
“While no single reform can eliminate risk, nationally consistent screening and information sharing are critical components of a stronger child-safe system. We look forward to continuing to work constructively with governments and regulators as these reforms are implemented,” Mr. Okhovat said.
The reforms agreed by the Standing Council of Attorneys-General include:
- a nationally consistent baseline of serious criminal offences that will automatically prevent a person from obtaining or retaining a WWCC;
- nationally consistent minimum standards for WWCC risk assessment processes; and
- strengthened information sharing between jurisdictions to support more informed and consistent screening decisions.
As one of Australia’s largest providers of quality early childhood education and care, G8 Education remains committed to working collaboratively with governments and regulators to support nationally consistent child safety reforms and deliver the highest standards of care and protection for children.