Criminal History Screening
Criminal history screening is one part of a range of safeguards that facilitates the recruitment of suitable and appropriate workers and volunteers. When you self-direct your support under Your Life Your Choice (YLYC) host provider or direct payments person engaged to work for you may be required to undergo national criminal history screening, including:
- workers engaged by your host provider to provide services to you
- workers you get from Disability Services funded providers
- persons assisting you to manage your funds (referred to in YLYC as 'relevant person')
- workers you engage directly, including workers that you get through community organisations
- contractors you engage
- volunteers you engage.
There are many types of criminal history screening a worker may undergo in Queensland. Some of these include:
- a yellow card or a yellow card exemption (for working with adults with a disability)
- a blue card (for working with children)
- a National Police Certificate
Each type of criminal history screening focusses on the risk to the target group and therefore on different types of criminal activity. A blue card assesses criminal history in relation to risk posed to a child, while a yellow card assesses risk posed to an adult with disability. For example, if a worker is engaged to work with an adult with disability and their duties would include managing the adult's money, a blue card would not provide protection against past fraudulent activity or bankruptcy.
If you have a host provider, as part of your agreement with them they are required to provide you with information about the risks and safeguards associated with purchasing supports and services.
The links below outline some of the criminal history screening requirements that are necessary when:
