What checks do I need to work in aged care?

Most aged care workers require a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check (National Police Check). Depending on your role and employer, you may also need an NDIS Worker Screening Check, a Working With Children Check (WWCC), VEVO work rights verification and, if you lived overseas, an International Police Check.

Is an NDIS Worker Screening Check accepted in aged care?

Yes. A valid NDIS Worker Screening Check (NDIS WSC) is recognised for aged care roles. If you work with NDIS participants or for an NDIS-registered aged care provider, you must hold an NDIS WSC instead of a standard police check.

Do I need a police check if I work in aged care but not with NDIS participants?

Yes. If your employer is not NDIS-registered, or you do not work with NDIS participants, a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check is required to meet Aged Care Act 1997 screening obligations.

How often do aged care workers need to renew their police check?

Under the Aged Care Act 1997 and Aged Care Principles, police checks must be renewed every 12 months. Employers must ensure all relevant workers hold an up-to-date certificate and maintain compliance records.

Do aged care workers need an International Police Check?

Workers who have resided outside Australia for more than 3 months in the past 10 years may be required to provide an International Police Check. A statutory declaration confirming no overseas offences may also be required.

What offences stop someone from working in aged care?

Workers cannot be employed in aged care if they have a conviction for murder, sexual assault, or any assault resulting in a sentence of imprisonment. Other convictions must be assessed by providers according to the Aged Care Principles.

Do aged care workers need a Working With Children Check?

A WWCC is not required for all aged care roles, but may be mandatory if your role involves contact with minors or if required by your employer's compliance framework. Many employers use it as an additional safeguard.

Do aged care providers need to keep records of screening checks?

Yes. Approved Providers must keep evidence of police checks, proof of application, NDIS WSC status, international checks if required, and statutory declarations. Records must comply with the Privacy Act 1988.

What is the Support Worker Jobs Plan?

The Support Worker Jobs Plan is a credential management portal that allows aged care and disability workers to store, renew and securely share Police Checks, NDIS Worker Screening Checks, WWCC, VEVO results, qualifications and insurance certificates. It includes automated expiry reminders, digital sharing and compliance monitoring.

How can employers manage compliance for aged care workers?

Employers can use the free Worker Checks Business Portal to invite workers, track screening status, monitor expiries, store certificates, and receive automatic alerts for renewals. The portal supports user-pay and employer-pay options for police checks.

👥 Managing Police Checks for multiple workers? Use BusinessHub for bulk checks, flexible billing & live tracking. View Police Checks for Business →

Checks for Childcare Workers and Childcare Centre Operators

⭐ Childcare Worker Checks – Complete Screening Requirements for Childcare Workers & Early Learning Staff

Childcare Worker Checks are mandatory for anyone working with children in early learning, childcare, kindergartens, OSHC services, family day care, and children’s education settings across Australia. Worker Checks provides fast and reliable background screening to help childcare centres, early learning services and workers stay compliant with national and state requirements.

Whether you are an educator, childcare assistant, centre director, family day care provider or volunteer, you must complete the required screening checks before working with children.

⭐ Why Childcare Worker Checks Are Required

Childcare and early learning environments involve direct contact with vulnerable children. To protect child safety, Australian governments require all workers to undergo strict screening including:

National criminal history
Working With Children Check (WWCC)
Work rights verification
Identity verification
International criminal history (if you lived overseas)

Worker Checks ensures all mandatory checks are completed quickly, securely and in one place.

⭐ What Checks Do Childcare Workers Need?

All childcare staff and volunteers usually require the following:

✅ 1. Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check (National Police Check)

A National Police Check identifies any disclosable criminal history across all Australian states and territories.

This check is required for:

Early childhood educators
Childcare assistants
Centre managers
Kindergartens & preschool staff
OSHC workers
Volunteers with contact with children

Get your childcare Police Check:
https://workerchecks.com/product/national-police-check/

✅ 2. Working With Children Check (WWCC)

The WWCC is a mandatory, state-based screening system used to assess risk to children.
Each state/territory has its own system:

VIC: Working With Children Check
NSW: Working With Children Check (Office of the Children’s Guardian)
QLD: Blue Card
SA: Working With Children Check
WA: Working With Children Check
TAS: Registration to Work with Vulnerable People
NT: Ochre Card
ACT: WWVP Registration

Workers must maintain a current WWCC and notify employers of any status changes.

✅ 3. VEVO (Right to Work Check)

All childcare services must ensure employees have the legal right to work in Australia under the Migration Act 1958.

Worker Checks performs instant VEVO checks for:

Student visa holders
Temporary skilled visa holders
Working holiday visa holders
Permanent residents

✅ 4. International Police Check (if you lived overseas)

Childcare workers who have lived overseas for 3 months or more in the past 10 years may be required to obtain International Police Checks.

This applies to:

Migrant workers
International students
Visa holders
Volunteers who lived overseas

International Police Check:
https://workerchecks.com/product/international-police-check/

⭐ Who Needs Childcare Worker Checks?

You need screening if you work in:

Early learning / childcare centres
Family day care
Kindergarten / preschool
Outside School Hours Care (OSHC)
Vacation care
Occasional care
Early childhood intervention services

You also need screening if you are a:

Educator
Centre director
Student on placement
Volunteer
Cleaner with access to children
Contractor working on site
Childcare trainee

⭐ Screening Requirements for Childcare Providers (Employers)

Childcare services must:

Verify all staff hold correct screening
Sight original certificates or digital copies
Maintain compliance records
Track expiry of WWCC and Police Checks
Ensure international checks are obtained where needed
Comply with the Education and Care Services National Regulations

Providers must also ensure ongoing monitoring of:

WWCC status changes
Visa work rights
Expiring checks
Professional suitability

Worker Checks offers a FREE Business Compliance Portal to manage workforce screening.

⭐ How Worker Checks Helps Childcare Staff and Employers

✔ Fast online Police Checks (75% completed within 60 minutes)

✔ International Police Checks for migrant/overseas workers

✔ VEVO work rights verification

✔ Secure storage of certificates

✔ Easy PDF printing and e-sharing

✔ Instant notifications when results are ready

✔ Employer or worker-pay options

✔ FREE business portal to manage workforce compliance

⭐ Childcare Worker Check – What’s Included

Each Childcare Worker Check includes:

Identity verification (biometric VOI)
National criminal history screening
Certificate issued in CheckHub personal portal
Secure blockchain-backed document storage
Email + SMS notifications
Employer verification feature

👥 Need Police Checks for Multiple Workers?

Upgrade to BusinessHub — our workforce screening platform for bulk Police Checks, volunteers, overseas hires + ongoing compliance management. Perfect for providers completing 20+ checks per month.

Bulk worker upload & onboarding
Employer-pay, Worker-pay, or monthly billing options
Live Police Check, VEVO, WWCC & NDIS compliance tracking
Automated reminders & expiry notifications

View Police Checks for Business →

⭐ Useful Official Links for Childcare Compliance

(Recommended by Rank Math for outbound authority linking)

Education and Care Services National Regulations
https://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/sl-2011-0653

ACECQA – National Quality Framework
https://www.acecqa.gov.au/nqf/about

Working With Children Check VIC
https://www.workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au/

Office of the Children’s Guardian NSW
https://www.ocg.nsw.gov.au/working-with-children

QLD Blue Card System
https://www.qld.gov.au/law/blue-card

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