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Formal consultation has commenced on amendments proposed by CFA to their policy for Working with Children Clearances. (WWCC)
The proposed draft policy is available for download from the bottom of this page.
For the purposes of consultation, while the majority of roles in CFA do not require a WWCC under the Worker Screening Act, CFA is proposing to require all staff and volunteers to have a valid working with children check even if they are not legally required to.
The policy proposes a phased approach, requiring all members of a brigade management team and various other roles to hold a WWCC by June 2024.
The policy then extends this requirement to all group and deputy group officers, as well as all members of a brigade that has members under 18, requiring them to hold a WWCC from June 2025.
The final phase requires every volunteer to hold a WWCC from June 2026 as a condition of membership.
Members are encouraged to review the proposed draft policy and provide any feedback/suggestions/amendments including indicating support/non-support for the proposed policy.
Feedback can be provided by individuals, brigades and groups.
All feedback is used to inform and influence formal VFBV positions as well as used to influence CFA positions and thinking during the deliberative process. If we need to use your feedback to demonstrate or illustrate the views of members, your personal details will not be shared with CFA, and feedback will always be de-identified to protect your privacy.
We encourage members not to wait until deadlines to provide feedback, but rather provide it as early as possible which will give us a chance to conduct further research that may assist us being able to advocate more strongly for your desired outcome.
Feedback is due by Monday 14th August, 2023.
We have extended the feedback closing date to Monday 4th September, 2023
All members are welcome and encouraged to provide feedback. If you have any questions, please contact your local State Councilor or VFBV Support Officer in the first instance.
How to provide feedback:
It would be preferred that members provide feedback ASAP, so that it can be received incrementally, allowing us enough time to consolidate, identify trends and research issues raised by members.
Feedback can be provided via:
- Emailing to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
- Complete our survey via: https://survey.zohopublic.com.au/zs/xsBcPN
- Your local VFBV District Council or your local VFBV Support Officer
- By Post: 9/24 Lakeside Drive, Burwood East VIC 3151
- By Fax: (03) 9886 1618
Feedback does not need to be long or detailed, but if you do have the time to make substantive comment that is always welcome.
If you generally support a principle or policy, then a quick note letting us know would also be helpful. Similarly, let us know if you do not support it, or which aspects of it you don't support.
Where indicating non-support, it would be helpful to understand the key reasons why, and even a couple of brief bullet points would be adequate. Likewise, if you would prefer to provide a more detailed response, or mark-up and suggest changes to the documents, that is welcome also.
Your feedback will assist us form a VFBV position and response to the proposed changes and help us advocate on behalf of CFA volunteers. Please consider getting involved, and providing us your feedback ASAP.
Please remember to provide feedback in support as well as against. If we only hear from those who are against, it can be harder to determine the general comfort level of members with the proposals.
