The NDIS Worker Screening Check: Guide for Providers
April 1, 2025
What is the NDIS Worker Screening Check?
The NDIS Worker Screening Check assesses whether a person seeking to work, or already working, in certain NDIS roles does not present an unacceptable risk of harm to people with disability. The application process involves several steps, including verifying the applicant’s identity, requiring them to apply online and submit multiple identity documents. The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission plays a crucial role in verifying applications and ensuring compliance for both employers and workers within the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
The presence or absence of a criminal history can significantly influence the timeframe for processing applications. Only individuals in designated risk-assessed roles or those meeting specific conditions are eligible for the NDIS Worker Screening Check.
A worker will either be cleared or excluded from working in certain roles with people with disability. The NDIS worker check is a requirement under the National Disability Insurance Scheme for employees, contractors, and volunteers working with registered NDIS providers.
An NDIS Worker Screening Check is valid for 5 years and can be used across Australia with any NDIS employer and in any NDIS role. Workers do not need to reapply if they move to a different state or change employers or roles.
Who Needs an NDIS Worker Screening Check
Anyone working in a risk assessed role where that person:
- Is likely to have more than incidental contact with people with disability
- Involves the direct delivery of specified supports and services to people with disability
- Is Key Personnel
Note: Contact can be physical, face-to-face or oral, written or electronic communication.
State-Based Requirements
State/Territory
Requirement
Victoria
No check, no work
South Australia
No check, no work
Queensland
No check, no work
Western Australia
Can work under supervision if a check has been applied for
New South Wales
Can work under supervision if a check has been applied for
Tasmania
Can work under supervision if a check has been applied for
Northern Territory
Can work under supervision if a check has been applied for
For those states with a work on application jurisdiction, workers can begin employment while their application is under review, provided that they comply with specific regulations and follow strict conditions related to working under direct supervision.
It is also important to note for providers operating in these jurisdictions that robust human resource policies and procedures must be in place to manage the potential situation where a worker has commenced work and then is issued with an exclusion.
Obtaining an NDIS Worker Screening Check
How to Apply
To obtain an NDIS Worker Screening Check, you need to complete the application form, which requires your employer’s NDIS employer ID. This ID is crucial for both online and manual submissions.
Follow the links below to go to the worker screening unit in your state or territory:
- Australian Capital Territory: Access Canberra
- New South Wales: Service NSW
- Northern Territory: SAFE NT
- Queensland: Disability Worker Screening
- South Australia: Department of Human Services Screening Unit
- Tasmania: Consumer, Building and Occupational Services
- Victoria: Department of Justice and Community Safety
- Western Australia: Department of Communities
To apply for an NDIS Check, ensure you meet the eligibility criteria and have the necessary identification documents. If the names on your identification do not match, a marriage certificate issued by Births, Deaths and Marriages is required to validate the name change. The online application is the fastest method, but if you encounter issues, you can use a manual application form.
Requirements for Employers to Verify Employment
A worker must nominate their NDIS provider and provide the employer’s NDIS Employer ID when applying for an NDIS Worker Screening Check. The employer will then receive notification to verify the application. It is also crucial to provide accurate contact details, especially for applicants under 18, to facilitate the verification process.
If a worker already has a check and is not linked to your organisation, you need to link them as an employee and then check their clearance status with the registered NDIS provider.
NDIS Worker Screening Database
The National Worker Screening Database (NWSD) is a national register of all NDIS workers who have completed or applied for the NDIS Worker Screening Check. Providers and self managed participants must manage access for staff.
Self managed participants have the authority to verify workers' NDIS Check clearances and other screening details.
Employers are required to:
- Manage access for staff
- Complete NDIS Worker Screening Check verification requests
- Link workers
- Find workers and check their clearance status
- Unlink workers at the end of the employment relationship
You can access the Worker Screening Quick Reference Guides here
If a worker is issued an exclusion:
- They are unable to work in the NDIS in roles that require a clearance
- They are not permitted to reapply for five years
Human Resource Policies and Procedures
Human Resource policies and procedures should include all processes related to NDIS Worker Screening, specifically:
- Requirements for risk assessed roles and the requirements for worker screening
- Worker checks, including no check, no work, or work on application
- Processes for when a worker is issued with an exclusion
Participant Safeguarding
NDIS Worker Screening Checks are a key part of keeping participants safe, protecting them from potential harm and creating a safe, respectful and trustworthy environment. At the end of the day, it's about giving participants and their families confidence in the people they’re relying on for support.
The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission plays a crucial role in maintaining NDIS quality standards for participant safeguarding, ensuring compliance with national regulations and providing resources for worker screening processes.
References
