Blue cards for local government
Learn when local government employees, mayors, councillors and executives may need a blue card.
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Local government employees
Not all local government employees need a blue card.
You need a blue card if you do regulated child-related work for more than 7 days in a calendar year.
Common blue card categories include:
Health, counselling and support services
For example, employees who work in:
- youth centres
- online counselling service
- community pools as a lifeguard.
Education and care services
For example, employees who work in:
- childcare centres
- outside school hours care service
- kindergarten.
Sport, active recreation, gyms and play facilities
For example, employees who work in:
- aquatic centres
- sport and recreation facilities
- play centres.
Churches, clubs and associations
For example, employees who run:
- children's reading groups
- cultural activities
- art classes
- children's library programs.
Under the Local Government Act 2009 (Qld), the council Chief Executive Officer (CEO) must work out which jobs need a blue card.
A council should only ask employees to apply for or hold a blue card if their job needs one under the blue card system.
Jobs that usually do not need a blue card
These jobs usually do not need a blue card:
- administration
- communications
- records and information management
- grants administration
- roads and maintenance
- wastewater operations
- property maintenance
- animal control
- local laws work.
You may still need a blue card if you do this work at a regulated child-related place that is covered by the blue card system.
This can apply during the site’s normal operating hours.
This may include:
- education and care services
- school boarding facilities
- youth justice and detention centres
- youth crisis accommodation.
Local government elected officials
Mayors and councillors do not need a blue card because they hold elected office.
They also do not need a blue card when they visit these places as an invited guest in their official role:
- schools
- sporting clubs
- youth program
- community events.
Council Executive Management Committee
A council may operate a regulated child-related business.
Council staff or Councillors who choose to help control or manage that business must hold a blue card as a business operator.
This may include a:
- CEO
- mayor
- councillor.
This can apply when they are members of a council’s executive management team or committee for that business.
For example, a mayor, councillor or CEO may need a blue card if they:
- are a direct executive member of a council run youth advisory program
- are a direct executive member of a council run childcare centre.
The role may fall under a regulated category, such as health, counselling and support services or education and care services.
CEO responsibilities
Council CEOs are responsible for helping the council meet its blue card requirements.
This includes:
- making sure workers hold a valid blue card before they start regulated work
- linking and de-linking card holders
- keeping an employee register of council workers
- responding to compliance and audit requirements
- telling Blue Card Services about relevant organisational changes.
More information
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