1 February 2021

Provider alert: NDIS Worker Screening Check and Database

From today, the NDIS Worker Screening Check starts in most states and territories. This alert explains what this means for you, your workers and the people with disability you support. 

Key points

• From today, the NDIS Worker Screening Check starts replacing the different screening arrangements in each state and territory.
• When fully rolled out, the Worker Screening Check will set a single national standard for all NDIS workers, helping to improve participants’ choice and control, and the quality and safety of their NDIS supports.
• Workers who receive an NDIS Worker Screening clearance to work in certain roles will be subject to ongoing monitoring against police and other information.
• If workers hold a valid acceptable check in accordance with state and territory transitional arrangements, they do not need to apply for an NDIS Worker Screening Check straight away. 

NDIS Worker Screening Check

From today, the NDIS Worker Screening Check (Worker Screening Check) begins replacing the different screening arrangements operating in each state and territory. When it starts in the Northern Territory (no later than 1 July 2021), the Worker Screening Check will set a single national standard for all NDIS workers. 

The 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. It aims to ensure workers who pose an unacceptable risk of harm to NDIS participants are not engaged by registered providers to work in, ‘risk assessed roles.’

The NDIS Worker Screening Check will:

• support registered providers’ recruitment, selection and screening processes, and assist in the ongoing review of the suitability of workers
• increase self-managed participants’ choice and control by giving them the option to ask that the workers who provide them with supports and services obtain an NDIS Worker Screening clearance before engaging them
• allow workers with an NDIS Worker Screening clearance to work in risk assessed roles  with registered NDIS providers in any state or territory across Australia
• assist in improving the quality and safety of NDIS supports to NDIS participants. 

As a registered NDIS provider, you must only engage workers who have been cleared in any role that is risk assessed. However, workers in risk assessed roles do not need to apply for an NDIS Worker Screening Check immediately if they currently hold a valid acceptable check, as these will continue to be recognised for a period of time. This gives you and your workers time to transition to the new arrangements.

Unregistered NDIS providers and self-managed participants can ask workers to undertake a Worker Screening Check and obtain an NDIS Worker Screening clearance, but this is not a requirement. 

NDIS Worker Screening Database 

Also commencing operation today is the NDIS Worker Screening Database, which:

• holds a register of cleared and excluded workers 
• supports national ongoing monitoring of the criminal history records of workers with NDIS Worker Screening clearances
• means NDIS providers across the country can use a single online portal to verify their workers’ Worker Screening Check applications, and review the NDIS Worker Screening clearances of prospective workers, without needing to contact individual state and territory WSUs
• helps NDIS providers with record-keeping requirements. 

Registered providers have automatic access to the NDIS Worker Screening Database  through a new tile on the NDIS Commission Portal. This means there is no need for registered providers to apply for access. 

Self-managed participants and unregistered providers will need to apply to the NDIS Commission to access information stored on the NDIS Worker Screening Database. 

More information and resources

More information about the Worker Screening Check, including a number of fact sheets, flowcharts, and quick reference guides, is available on the NDIS Commission website.

Contact Us

Call: 1800 035 544 (free call from landlines). Our contact centre is open 9am to 4.30pm in the NT, 9.00am to 5.00pm in all other states and territories Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays.

Email: contactcentre@ndiscommission.gov.au

Website: www.ndiscommission.gov.au