Contractors going into schools and/or an education and care premises or child care centres
I have a contracting business and will be going into schools and/or an education and care premises or child care centres. Will I need a blue card?
Generally contractors going into schools (excluding school cleaners and grounds people) will not be required to obtain blue cards. Examples of school contractors that do not require blue cards include electricians, builders and other tradespeople where the individual is providing services to the school and not to children.
However, if the contractor provides services at an education and care premises or child care centre when children are present and the services are considered to be part of the contractor’s usual business activities, then the individual requires a blue card.
The distinction between the two scenarios are as follows:
Individuals going into school environments can only be captured by the 'Schools - employees other than teachers and parents' category of regulated employment.
To be captured under the 'Schools - employees other than teachers and parents' category, the individual is required to provide services or to conduct an activity at the school directed mainly toward children.
Under the 'Education and care services and similar employment' category and the 'Child care services and similar employment' category, there is no requirement for the specific provision of a service directed mainly toward children but rather just a service to occur within the education and care premises or child care centre when children are present.
What if I am a paid employee of a contractor?
In order to be captured under the 'Education and care services and similar employment' category or 'Child care services and similar employment' category of regulated employment, the individual would need to be working within the child care environment 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.
Employees of contractors who work within schools that do not provide services directed mainly towards children or conduct activities mainly involving children are not required to hold a blue card, with the exception of school cleaners and groundspeople.
Last Updated: 8 January, 2016
