Care of children under Child Protection Act 1999
Who needs a blue card?
Paid employees need a blue card if their work:
- is carried out, or is likely to be carried out, inside a licensed residential facility, or
- includes, or is likely to include, providing support for an approved carer in their capacity as an employee of a licensed care service, or
- involves directly managing a licensed care service, or
- includes providing care to a child as part of a licensed care service
for at least:
- eight consecutive days, or
- once a week, each week, over four weeks, or
- once a fortnight, each fortnight, over eight weeks, or
- once a month, each month, over six months
unless an exemption applies.
Information for people who provide approved foster or kinship care (other than provisionally approved carers) and adult members of a house in which foster or kinship care can be found on the foster and kinship care section of this site.
Police officers and registered teachers do not apply for a blue card and should instead apply for an exemption card under this category if they are providing child-related services which are outside of their professional duties. Read more about applying for an exemption card (PDF, 231KB).
Find out more about the application process for disability service providers (PDF, 287KB)
If you are a state government employee there are specific application forms which can be obtained from your Department's HR or Screening area.
Who doesn't need a blue card?
Certain people are exempt and do not require a blue card, including:
- Registered health practitioners, if the work they are doing relates to their function as a registered health practitioner.
If you require a blue or exemption card under this category you will need to complete and submit an application form.
Last Updated: 30 June, 2014
