What are screening requirements
Screening clearances determine if someone is suitable to work in an aged care setting. These processes protect the health, safety and wellbeing of aged care recipients.
They often include an assessment of:
- a person’s national criminal history
- relevant reportable incidents
- relevant disciplinary proceedings or complaints.
Types of screening
There are 2 types of screening requirements for the aged care workforce:
- Police certificates
- National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Worker Screening clearances.
Police certificate
A police check is the process of checking a person’s criminal history.
A police certificate is a report of a person’s criminal history.
The 2 terms are often used interchangeably in aged care.
NDIS Worker Screening clearance
An NDIS Worker Screening check determines whether a person who works, or seeks to work, with people with disability poses a risk to them.
If an individual’s screening check is successful, they will receive an NDIS Worker Screening clearance.
Since 16 June 2021, NDIS worker screening checks have been recognised in aged care. An aged care worker will need an NDIS worker screening check if they work in an aged care environment that supports NDIS participants.
Screening requirements for aged care workers
The screening requirements are different, depending on which provider you work for, and who you provide care to.
|
Type of role |
Screening requirement |
|
New or ongoing staff who will work with NDIS participants. |
NDIS worker screening clearance. |
|
New or ongoing staff who will not work with NDIS participants. |
Police certificate. |
|
Type of role |
Screening requirement |
|
New or ongoing staff member who will not work with NDIS participants. |
Police certificate. |
|
New or ongoing staff member who previously worked with NDIS participants. |
Police certificate. If you hold an NDIS worker screening clearance that is less than 5 years old, this can be recognised by the aged care provider. |
Resources for workers and providers
For more details about the screening requirements for aged care workers, see: