Hundreds of workers and volunteers caught out by tech business Oho for issues with Working With Children Checks

An online screening company used by high-profile sporting bodies including the AFL has found more than 500 people with suspended or no longer valid permits, highlighting serious flaws in the child safety system.

A tech company that safeguards Working with Children Checks has uncovered more than 500 red flags on ­individuals with revoked, suspended or no longer valid permits who could be working in the system undetected.

On average, one red flag a week is notified by online screening company Oho, which verifies 250,000 volunteers and workers at 138 businesses, sporting bodies, childcare centres, disability providers and volunteer organisations nationally.

Oho screens ­individuals to see if their Working with Children Checks have been revoked, suspended or no longer valid.

The bulk of the 510 red flags picked up since 2021 were in Victoria, which is reeling after it was revealed accused pedophile Joshua Dale Brown was charged with sexually abusing eight children after working at 24 centres across the state.

Oho chief executive Liv Whitty said the government registers eventually notified employers, but the process could be slowed by “snail mail sent six weeks after the fact”.

“In some cases, it could also be sent to the same person who has just had their right to work with children revoked,” Ms Whitty said.

Oho chief executive Liv Whitty.

She said the NSW system of identifying inappropriate workers and volunteers was tighter than other states because it closely linked to workers with specific employers.

But in other states, such as Victoria, there was less, or no, link between individuals and the places they worked or volunteered.

Oho, which was set up in the aftermath of the Royal Commission into Institutional Child Abuse, is making up for organisations with outdated monitoring systems and clunky compliance models.

High-profile sporting bodies including the AFL, Tennis Australia, Gymnastics Australia, Basketball Victoria, Scope and the YMCA use the service, which provides near real-time and continuous online monitoring of worker credentials.

The AFL and other sporting bodies use the monitoring program. Picture: Julian Smith

“Organisations seek Oho’s help to manage this process centrally, rather than relying on a volunteer in the local club who may never check their emails or mail,” Ms Whitty said.

The increasing rate of red flags showed more organisations being “proactive about managing worker suitability”.

“It also shows government registers do revoke credentials of people unsuitable to work with children, people with disabilities, in health care and schools. But the system is not easy and doesn’t always keep the safeguards as tight as they need to be,” Ms Whitty said.

On average, one red flag a week is discovered by the online safeguarding company.

She said a national WWCC, integrated with reportable conduct information would strengthen safeguards. Ms Whitty also raised the need for elements such as access to undisclosed work history and unbiased reference checks.

Meanwhile the Victorian government stated a report that a child who attended a daycare centre where accused pedophile Joshua Dale Brown worked had a sexually transmitted disease was false.

Deputy Premier Ben Carroll said advice from Royal Children’s Hospital was that STI test results so far were all negative.

Originally published as Hundreds of workers and volunteers caught out by tech business Oho for issues with Working With Children Checks