The blue card system
The blue card system is Queensland's Working with Children Check.
Blue Card Services run the system. It helps keep children safe by screening and monitoring people who work or volunteer with children.
Why the blue card system matters
Every child in Queensland has the right to be safe, supported and protected from harm.
For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, this also includes staying connected to:
- family
- community
- culture
- traditions
- language.
How the blue card system works
The blue card system helps keep children safe by:
- checking people before they work or volunteer with children
- monitoring card holders and applicants
- helping organisations meet their child safety responsibilities.
The system is regulated under the:
- Working with Children Check Act 2000 (the Act)
- Working with Children (Risk Management and Screening) Regulation 2020.
If someone has a blue card, it means they have passed the blue card check and can work with children in regulated work or run a regulated business, if eligible.
The four parts of the blue card system
The blue card system has 4 parts:
- Identify who needs a blue card.
- Complete the blue card check.
- Monitoring applicants and card holders everyday.
- Make sure organisations meet their legal obligations.
Each part helps keep children and young people safe. The system works best when all four parts work together.
1. Identify who needs a blue card
A blue card or exemption card is required for anyone in regulated child-related work or business in Queensland.
There are:
- 18 categories of regulated employment
- 15 categories of regulated businesses.
You only need a blue card if your work, volunteer role, or business is in one of these categories.
Organisations should only ask someone to get a blue card or exemption card if the role is covered by the blue card system.
Whether you need a blue card depends on:
- the work you do
- where you do the work
- whether an exemption applies.
2. Blue card check
The blue card check looks at more than a police check.
We assess information that may show a risk to children, including:
- criminal history
- disciplinary information
- child protection information
- domestic and family violence information
- working with children check outcomes from outside Queensland.
If we find assessable information, we may complete a risk assessment before making a decision.
What happens next
If you are a disqualified person, we must refuse your application and issue a negative notice.
If you have any other assessable information, we must complete a risk assessment.
If there is no assessable information, we can issue a blue card.
Learn more about
3. Ongoing monitoring
Applicants and card holders are monitored every day through information provided by the Queensland Police Service.
If new police or other assessable information becomes available, we may review the person’s eligibility and complete another risk assessment.
Applicants and card holders must tell us about change to their police information or other disclosable information.
Read more about individual rights and obligations.
4. Organisation responsibilities
Organisations and business operators help keep children safe.
A blue card is only one part of creating a child-safe organisation.
Organisations must:
- make sure workers and volunteers have a blue card or exemption card when required
- link workers to the organisation before they start regulated work
- keep employee records up to date
- meet their reporting and compliance obligations.
Learn more about organisation obligations.
More information
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