The NDIS Worker Screening Check helps keep people with disability safe. It looks at a person's history to decide if they should work in disability supports. This guide explains who needs one and how to get one.
What the check is
An NDIS Worker Screening Check is a national check. A state or territory screening unit does it. They look at things like criminal history and other information. Then they decide if the person is suitable to work in NDIS roles.
If the person passes, they get an NDIS clearance. It is valid for five years from the day it is issued, according to the NDIS Commission. If the person does not pass, they get an interim exclusion notice and cannot work in risk-assessed roles.
The clearance is recorded on a national database. You do not usually get a card.
Who needs one
The rules are different for registered and unregistered providers.
Registered providers. A registered provider must make sure key personnel and people in "risk-assessed roles" have a clearance. A risk-assessed role is one where the person delivers certain supports directly, or is likely to have more than a little contact with people with disability. The provider decides which roles count, and must write them down.
Sole traders who are registered are both key personnel and working in a risk-assessed role. So they need a clearance too.
Unregistered providers. The check is not automatically required. It is needed when the provider chooses to require it. A self-managing participant can also decide that all the workers they hire must have one.
Even where it is not required by law, many participants, plan managers and employers ask for it. It is a simple way to show you take safety seriously.
How to apply
You do not apply to the NDIS. You apply to the screening unit in the state or territory where you live or work. The NDIS Commission lists these agencies:
- Australian Capital Territory: Access Canberra
- New South Wales: Service NSW
- Northern Territory: SAFE NT
- Queensland: Disability Worker Screening
- South Australia: Department of Human Services Screening Unit
- Tasmania: Consumer, Building and Occupational Services
- Victoria: Department of Justice and Community Safety
- Western Australia: Department of Communities
Each place has its own form, fee and identity steps. Go to the Commission's "where to apply" page, then follow the link for your location.
Steps to expect
The details vary by place, but the steps are usually similar:
- Find your state or territory screening unit.
- Start the application online.
- Prove who you are, using the ID steps they ask for.
- Pay the fee. The unit sets the fee, so check its website.
- Nominate your employer, if you have one. Many forms let you search by Employer ID, which your employer can give you.
- Wait for the result.
Checks can take longer if you share a common name and date of birth with someone else, or if old records must be found by hand. Apply early.
After you get a clearance
Your employer links to your clearance and checks it is current. If your clearance is withdrawn or expires, the employer is told.
Keep track of your expiry date. If it runs out, you must stop working in a risk-assessed role for a registered provider until it is renewed.
A clearance is not the same as a Working With Children Check. Some states have extra rules if you work with children. Ask your local screening unit.
How participants can ask about a worker's check
You are allowed to ask a worker, "Do you have an NDIS Worker Screening Check?" A good worker will not mind. If you are self-managing and want to check, the NDIS Commission has a fact sheet for self-managed and plan-managed participants. It is dated 2022, so check the Commission's website for the latest steps.
Keep in mind what a clearance does and does not mean. It shows the worker was cleared at that time. It does not say they will be a good fit for you. Read more in how to choose a support worker.
How Goodo uses this
On Goodo, a Verified support worker badge needs a worker screening clearance. We ask the worker for the clearance number and expiry date, and a person on our team reviews it. We cannot look up the national database ourselves, so we may not learn straight away if a clearance is withdrawn. That is why we check expiry dates every day and ask workers to tell us about changes. Read more in how Goodo verifies people.
Common questions workers ask
Can I start work while I wait? Rules differ. Some places allow it in limited cases, with supervision and a risk plan, if your application is complete. Others do not. Ask your employer and your state screening unit.
What if I move states? Check with the screening unit in your new state or territory about what you need to do, and tell your employer.
What if I have a past charge or conviction? Each case is looked at individually. The screening unit decides. If you get an exclusion, ask about your options for review.
What if I change employers? Your new employer will need to verify your clearance. Ask your screening unit how to link it to them.
Always check with the screening unit that covers you, as their pages are the best source.
About this guide
Goodo is independent. We are not part of, or endorsed by, the NDIA or the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. This is general information, not advice. Rules change, so check ndis.gov.au or call the NDIS on 1800 800 110 about your own situation.
Frequently asked questions
How long does an NDIS Worker Screening clearance last?
An NDIS clearance is valid for five years from the date it is issued, according to the NDIS Commission. A worker can't keep working in a risk-assessed role for a registered provider once it expires, until it is renewed.
Do I need a worker screening check to work for myself as a support worker?
It depends. Registered providers must make sure key personnel and workers in risk-assessed roles have one. If you are unregistered, you are not automatically required to have one. But a participant or provider can require it, and many do.
How much does an NDIS Worker Screening Check cost?
The fee is set by the state or territory where you apply, and it can change. Check the website of your state or territory screening unit for the current fee.
Is the NDIS Worker Screening Check the same as a Working With Children Check?
No. They are separate checks with different rules. Some states and territories have extra screening for people who work with children. Check with your local screening unit.
Do I get a card or certificate?
Usually not. The clearance is recorded on the National Worker Screening Database. Your employer can verify it there. Ask your state screening unit how they confirm your result.
Sources
Goodo is independent