business.gov.au

Working with children card (blue card) - Queensland

Description

You will need a blue card to work or volunteer in regulated child-related employment or operate a regulated child-related business in Queensland. The purpose of the blue card system is to contribute to the creation of safe and supportive environments for children when receiving services and participating in activities which are essential to their development and well-being. You must apply for a blue card to work in any of the following areas:

  • health, counselling or support services
  • private teaching, coaching or tutoring
  • child care services
  • education and care services
  • churches, clubs and associations
  • education programs conducted outside of schools
  • child accommodation services, including home stays
  • religious representatives
  • schools
  • sport and active recreation
  • emergency services cadet programs
  • school crossing supervisors
  • school boarding facilities
  • hostels for children other than a residential facility
  • businesses relating to licensed care services under the Child Protection Act 1999
  • care of children under the Child Protection Act 1999
  • disability work
  • residential facilities
  • non-state schools - directors of governing bodies and authorised persons.

You must have your blue card before you start work with children.

After you have undergone the blue card check, you will be issued a:

  • blue card or exemption card if you do not have any police or disciplinary information which suggests that they are not eligible to work with children, or
  • negative notice if you have police or disciplinary information that suggests that you are not eligible to work with children. Negative notice holders are prohibited from working in regulated employment or carrying on a regulated business.

Service type

Licence

A licence defines the need to obtain recognition / certification and registration to undertake a certain business activity.

Exemptions

Registered teachers and sworn police officers may need to apply for an exemption card.

Eligibility requirements

To be eligible for a blue card, you must not have been convicted of a disqualifying offence.

The agency constantly monitors police information of all blue card holders and applicants and if a relevant change occurs that might affect your eligibility to work with children, then your application or status as a cardholder will be reassessed.

Ongoing eligibility requirements

You must immediately notify the agency if there is a change in your police information.

Duration

3 years

Fees

Fees Details for this service in table format.

Task Type Business Structure Amount Description
Apply Application All $101.30

Blue card application (excluding volunteers, students or exemption card applicants). Fees for 2024-25
Apply Application All -

No fees are required for volunteers, students or exemptions.
Apply Application All $15.00

Existing disability worker screening clearance applying for a blue card using the DWS form. Fees for 2024-25
Apply Miscellaneous All $101.30

Eligibility declaration. Fees for 2024-25
Cancel Cancellation All $101.30

Cancel a negative notice. Fees for 2024-25
General Duplicate Certificate All $15.30

Replacement card. Fees for 2024-25
Vary Variation All $101.30

Change from volunteer or student to paid employment or business operation. Fees for 2024-25

Application process

Apply

You can apply for a blue card or exemption card by using the online applicant portal or downloading the paper form.

Renew

The agency will send a renewal notice to the cardholder approximately 10 weeks prior to the expiry date of the card. If the cardholder provided a mobile phone number, they will receive the reminder notice via text message, unless they have elected not to receive text messages. If the cardholder has not provided a mobile phone number, or has opted out of text message notifications, they will receive the courtesy renewal reminder by a letter sent to their postal address. It is therefore important that a cardholder notify the agency of any change in their contact details.

Paid employees, volunteers, students and persons carrying on a regulated business must submit their renewal application to the agency prior to their blue card's expiry date in order to continue in child-related work, even if their blue card expires before a new card is issued.

Approval time

28 business days

Disqualified persons or entities

A person is disqualified if they either:

  • have been convicted of a disqualifying offence (including a child-related sex or child-related pornography offence, or murder of a child)
  • are a reportable offender with current reporting obligations
  • are subject to a child protection offender prohibition order
  • are subject to a sexual offender order
  • are subject to a disqualification order from a court prohibiting them from applying for, or holding, a blue card.

A person issued with a negative notice is prohibited from working in the particular categories of employment / business for a period of 2 years. After expiration of 2 years, they may apply to have the negative notice cancelled. Employers also have an obligation to ensure that paid employees and volunteers with a negative notice or suspended blue card do not continue working in the regulated employment, and ensure they have appropriate risk management strategies in place to protect the safety and well-being of children and young people in their regulated service environment.

Administering agency

Department of Justice and Attorney-General

Contact details

Contact Email, Phone and Address Details for this service in simple two column table format, header then data.