NDIS Worker Screening Checks

People living with a disability require little assistance in carrying out their daily activities, including non-domestic. Many agencies and organisations invest in risk assessed roles and it has become quite an industry.

However, people who work closely to people with a disability mustn't pose any risk to them. The NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme) supports people who live with a disability (permanent and significant) including their non-domestic welfare. Activities of the NDIS are managed and enforced by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA).

When an individual applies in any role under the National Disability Insurance Scheme, they must undertake a risk assessment check for the NDIS to make informed decisions whether a person poses unacceptable risks to people with disability.

The check is quite distinct from the Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Checks (NPC). And it is handled by the government screening units of the NDIS.

This newly improved NDIS Worker screening check is valid for up to 5 years from the point of issue.

It is important to note that a police check and an NDIS Worker Screening Check are two different checks.

There are various differences between the checks and chief of them is that an NDIS worker screening check takes into account more information about an individual than just their criminal record.

A Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check is a point in time check; it contains a list of all Disclosable Court Outcomes (DCOs) of an individual in Australia.

On the other hand, the NDIS Worker screening Check helps mitigate and expunge the risks to people with disability from the people who provide them with assistance. An NDIS check takes into account more risk factors than a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check. The factors considered in an NDIS Check consider criminal history, workplace misconduct, AVOS, information about past employment, juvenile offences and any other relevant information that may determine whether a worker poses a risk to a person with disability. The NDIS workers screening check is only useful for people who apply for roles under the NDIS.

All workers seeking to work in roles that involve care for people with a disability (irrespective of the degree) must approach the NDIS for a worker screening check. The checks are also national and will enable screened workers to deliver support services in other states and territory in Australia. The NDIS workers screening check is the priority document for those involved in NDIS related work.

The NDIS is an assessment of the potential risks in employing people for roles that have to do with the care of people with disability. These people are vulnerable and need all the assistance they can get, including assessing those who work with them.

As an organisation that provides services under the NDIS, ensure that all employeess under your organisation undergo the mandatory clearance by the NDIS worker screening units in charge of the relevant State or Territory. The worker screening units also make decisions on whether a person is cleared, excluded or prohibited.

However, if the NDIS Worker Screening Check has not commenced or is temporarily unavailable, registered NDIS providers should ensure their workers in risk assessed roles have an acceptable check. "Acceptable Checks" for workers in the NDIS roles must conform with the transitional and special arrangements that apply to the State or territory where they provide support and services.

Workers who do not have an NDIS worker screening certificate can apply for an acceptable check. It allows the individual to temporarily work in certain roles without NDIS screening. Also, it is only valid in the state or territory where the check was issued.

Only in special circumstances, the acceptable checks remain valid after the commencement of the NDIS worker screening check (transition period).

The transition period is a period where the transitional and special arrangements will begin to apply for each State or Territory. NDIS workers or providers are encouraged to do away with acceptable checks and embrace the new and comprehensive NDIS worker screening checks.

and SA; the transition period commenced on 1st July, 2018 and in other states (asides WA), 1st July 2019. The transition period for all states and territory will expire 31st January 2021.

Acceptable checks are not transferable or portable through the different states in Australia. Until a worker gets their NDIS worker screening clearance, they must have an "acceptable check" in any State where they seek to provide support and services to people with disabilities.

Both workers engaged in NDIS services, unregistered NDIS providers and self-managed providers will be able to apply for an NDIS Worker Screening Check through their state or territory government screening unit.

All of these agencies have a 'worker screening unit'. The unit is responsible for accepting and processing all NDIS Worker screening check applications from workers and conducts the risk assessment or tests to determine whether a worker should receive clearance.

• The application process for an NDIS worker includes a submission of the applicants (worker) contact and information details at the NDIS Worker screening units and completing the rest of the application form.
• Workers also have to prove their identity for the information they have provided via legal IDs in Australia. However, these processes may vary among states and territories where they make the application.
• There is a fee that every applicant for the NDIS workers screening check must pay during/before applying. This fee is set by the State or Territory where the application is made.
• During the application process, workers will also nominate or provide information about the NDIS provider or the self-managed participant who engages or intends to engage them for NDIS support and services.
• The NDIS provider or self-managed participant must equally verify the claim of the applicant that the worker is either engaged by them or is an intended employee.

The NDIS has a worker screening database which will hold the register of workers who have applied for an NDIS worker screening check. Also, registered NDIS providers will be able to access the commission portal of the NDIS to view the clearance status of workers in the database.

The option is equally available to self-managed participants and unregistered providers. However, they will need to complete an application form to request access to the NDIS worker screening database. These forms are available in all state and territory NDIS worker screening units.

All registered NDIS providers must request an NDIS worker screening check from their workers or accept checks in Australia.

Acceptable checks include a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check done before the 1st of July 2018, and shows that the person has not committed a criminal offence within the meaning of the inclusion act 2014.

Risk assessment checks such as a current NSW working with children check obtained during the transition period can be an acceptable check.

NDIS support workers can register and request a Check from https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/ndiswc

Workers who seek to work in NDIS included roles must obtain NDIS workers screening Check from this portal https://screening.sa.gov.au/applications

However, some acceptable checks before the transition periods include;

• Must be cleared under a Department of Human Services Disability Services Employment Screening Check
• Must not have violated any care for vulnerable, children related law or offence.

Registered NDIS agencies in Victoria must ensure their workers must obtain an NDIS worker screening Check before or while employed in roles covered by the NDIS regulations.

Persons involved in NDIS roles should apply for NDIS workers screening Check through this website https://www.service.vic.gov.au

Acceptable checks include;

• Complying with the Safety screening Policy
• Has a current working with children check issued before the end of the transition
• Made an application for the NDIS worker screening check

Anyone in Queensland (QLD) seeking to work in roles subsumed in the NDIS, they must obtain the NDIS worker screening check. It is issued by the agency present in your state and is mandatory. No acceptable checks are valid after the transition period except on special conditions.

Workers based can get their NDIS worker screening check from the following link: https://workerscreening.dsdsatsip.qld.gov.au

All registered NDIS providers that deliver support and services in Tasmania must ensure that all their workers provide or have registered for their NDIS workers screening Check. Acceptable checks will remain valid if it is obtained during the transition period.

You can obtain an NDIS screening check Tasmania from https://www.cbos.tas.gov.au/topics/licensing-and-registration/work-with-vulnerable-people/rwvp-ndis-worker-screening

People who want to provide support and services included in the NDIS must register for their NDIS workers screening check. You can access registration via the website https://www.accesscanberra.act.gov.au/s/article/national-disability-insurance-scheme-ndis-tab-overview

An acceptable check must include the "working with vulnerable people check (WWVP)" and this registration should allow them to engage in the role.

All registered NDIS providers must ensure that any of their workers in a risk-assessed role should provide or have registered for NDIS workers screening Check. All unregistered workers engaged in risk assessed roles can register through this website https://pfes.nt.gov.au/NDISCheck

Workers involved in all NDIS stipulated roles must ensure that their workers especially those in risk assessed roles obtain an NDIS worker screening Check. The checks can be obtained from https://www.wa.gov.au/organisation/department-of-communities/ndis-worker-screening-check

Acceptable checks can include;

A WA Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check certificate:

• It should contain no “relevant offence”
• It should have no conviction of which their employer is not aware of
• Should be less than 3 years for workers who commenced before December 1, 2020, or else should be 12 months old.

In some states and territories, police checks are considered as acceptable checks where there is no NDIS Check.

Australian National Character Check is an efficient federal government accredited agency and returns most Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check applications within 24 to 48 hours. 70 percent of police checks are returned to applicants within 24 hours. Approximately 30 percent of checks may be referred to one or more police agencies and can take longer than 10 business days to be returned, due to the manual nature of this process.

We help organisations, individuals and government agencies to provide authentic and timely nationally coordinated criminal history checks (NCCHC).

Business, enterprise and Australian government agencies can order Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Checks for their employees through our police check business portal.

Australian National Character Check does not offer or provide NDIS worker screening check services.