Blue card for carers
A blue card is a card issued by the Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian (CCYPCG) and indicates that a person is eligible to work with children and young people in Queensland.
To determine a person's eligibility to hold a blue card, the commission conducts a 'Working with children check'. This is a detailed national check of a person's criminal history, including any charges or convictions, as well as any disciplinary information held by certain professional organisations and police investigation information into allegations of serious child-related sexual offences.
Some frequently asked questions about blue cards for carers:
- Does anyone else in my household require a blue card?
- How do I apply for a blue card?
- What happens if I am refused a blue card?
- What happens if an adult member of my household is refused a blue card?
- Should I be worried if I have a criminal history?
- What if I already have a blue card?
- How is the implementation of the blue card requirements better for carers and children?
Does anyone else in my household require a blue card?
All adult members who live in your household will need to apply for and receive a blue card before you can be approved as a carer. If you are already an approved carer, all adult members of your household require a blue card.
Regular visitors to your home may be required to obtain a blue card depending on the regularity of the visits. This will be determined by rules contained in the Child Protection Act 1999 as well as our departmental policy. This is called a 'frequency test'.
You should talk to your child safety officer about any regular visitors to your household to determine if they also require a blue card.
How do I apply for a blue card?
When you apply to become a carer, or your blue card is due for renewal, your child safety officer will provide you and the other adult members of your household with application forms for the blue card.
It is important that you use the blue card application forms that are provided to you by our department. Our application forms are different from the 'standard' blue card application forms from the commission. If you use the wrong form, your application will be delayed.
What happens if I am refused a blue card?
Carers and the other adult members of their household must have a blue card before they can be approved as carers by our department.
If you are refused a blue card, you will be informed of your rights to have the decision reviewed by the Children Services Tribunal. In some circumstances, depending on the nature of the offence that has resulted in the refusal of the blue card, applicants will not have a right of review.
If your application is refused, and a review by the tribunal is unsuccessful, you will be unable to be approved as a carer by our department.
What happens if an adult member of my household is refused a blue card?
You cannot be approved as a carer unless you and all adult members of your household have a blue card. If you are faced with a situation where an adult member of your household is unable to obtain a blue card, you should talk to your child safety officer.
Should I be worried if I have a criminal history?
A person with a criminal history will not necessarily be refused a blue card.
The commission considers a number of factors when determining a person's eligibility to hold a blue card, including the nature of any charge or conviction and its relevance to working with children or young people.
If you want to talk about any criminal history you may have and how it may impact on your blue card application, you should contact the commission.
What if I already have a blue card?
We will check with the commission to determine whether your blue card is still valid. In this instance, you will be required to complete an authorisation form that allows us to undertake this check. However you will not have to apply for a new blue card.
How is the implementation of the blue card requirements better for carers and children?
The commission will apply the same standards of eligibility to work with children to all members of the community providing services to Queensland's children and young people.
It makes sense that people caring for children and young people in out-of-home care have a blue card, similar to the way it is required for other people in the community who have regular contact with children, for example, child care staff or non-teaching staff at schools.
Also, the commission will monitor the criminal histories of blue card holders on a daily basis, so if there are any changes, they can advise us immediately.
Further information
For further information about applying for a blue card when you are a carer, contact your local child safety service centre.
For general information about the blue card, or to discuss your criminal history or application, contact the commission's employment screening area.
- Last updated
- 27 September 2007
