Sneak Peak at the NDIS Worker Screening Database

The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission (NDIS Commission) has released new information regarding the highly anticipated NDIS Worker Screening Database—coming soon to a screening unit near you. We’ve saved you a day’s work of navigating the maze by providing hyperlinks to where you can find the critical details.

What is the NDIS worker screening check again?

I know we have been waiting for so long that some of us might have already forgotten. The NDIS Worker Screening Check is an assessment of whether a person who works, or seeks to work, with people with disability poses a risk to them. The assessment will determine whether a person is cleared or excluded from working in certain roles with people with disability.[1] If you want more background information regarding this Check, we wrote about it way back in 2018.

These Checks will be conducted by worker screening units in the state or territory where the application is made. The worker screening unit will make the decision on whether a person is cleared or excluded.

Who needs the NDIS worker screening check?

It will be mandatory for all workers of registered providers who are engaged in risk assessed roles, whilst unregistered providers and self-managing participants have the option to require their workers to undergo the Check.

What is the NDIS worker screening database?

From 1 February 2021, access to the NDIS Commission’s NDIS Worker Screening Database will be made available to support the NDIS Worker Screening Check.

The database will:

have a register of cleared and excluded workers from all states and territories to enable national portability of clearances;
support the ongoing national monitoring of the conduct of workers with clearances;
mean that NDIS providers and self-managed participants across the country can sponsor workers’ applications for a Check and thereafter check the clearances of prospective workers through the NDIS Worker Screening Database without having to contact individual state and territory worker screening units; and
help NDIS providers with record-keeping requirements[2].

We wrote a more in-depth article about the NDIS Worker Screening Database back in 2019.

Requesting access

Unregistered providers and self-managing participants (or their representative/nominee) can now request access via the online application form, but they must have a PRODA account. Anyone who does not have one can register here. As we mentioned in an article last year, it is important for self-managing participants to have access to this fundamental safeguard, so please spread the word. Registered providers do not need to make a request; they will be automatically granted access and will be able to login via the NDIS Commission Portal.

Applications for the clearance will be made by individual workers who must nominate the provider or self-managing participant to verify the application. The self-managing participant or provider then needs to access the database to advance the worker’s application. This workflow means that providers can stay informed about the screening status of their workers. The database links the workers to the employing participant or provider to enable email updates on any changes to the worker’s status.

Navigating the database

The Commission has put out a number of Quick Reference Guides to support self-managing participants and providers in navigating the database. Getting your head around these now might facilitate a smoother transition and update of worker screening procedures.

Registered providers

Unregistered providers

Self-managing participants

Do all workers need to be re-screened on 1 February 2021?

No, this doesn’t seem likely. Some states and territories have begun to release information about the next transitional period. For example, NSW, QLD, WA and SA have announced that if the existing checks meet the acceptable interim requirements for an NDIS Check, these would remain valid until their expiry. VIC has announced a slightly different transitional arrangement (of course). If a worker holds the acceptable interim checks, he/she has until 31 July 2021 to undergo an NDIS Worker Screening. However, if the worker also holds a Working with Children clearance, he/she can wait until that expires. At the time of writing, we couldn’t locate this information specifically for the other states.

From 1 February 2020 the NDIS Worker Screening Check must be used for all new checks. The NSW Screening website has just gone live with further information for those in the jurisdiction.

What will it cost?

The cost for the Worker Screening Check is set by the state and the territory worker screening units, many of which have advised that this information is yet to be disseminated. Our sleuthing has only found costs for NSW - $80 and QLD - $117 (or $127 joint application for a blue card). Notably, it may be administered for free to volunteers in both states. And no, the NDIS Commission is not going to pay for these.

We will keep you up-to-date with all of the finer details in our quality and safeguarding newsletter as the information becomes available. If you have not yet subscribed to our nerdy Q&S updates, you can sign your life away here. In the meantime, spread the word and make sure that all NDIS participants using unregistered providers or workers know that from 1 February, they can require their workers to undergo an NDIS Worker Screening Check.

[1]https://www.ndiscommission.gov.au/workers/worker-screening-workers

[2]https://www.ndiscommission.gov.au/participants/worker-screening-self-managed-participants