Disability Intermediaries Australia welcomes the roll out of a national standard for all NDIS workers, the NDIS Worker Screening Check, and national register of cleared or excluded workers, The NDIS Worker Screening Database.
From February 1st 2021, the NDIS Worker Screening Check replaces all prior screening arrangements in all states and territories except the Northern Territory (where it will be implemented no later than July 2021).
Participants will have improved choice and control, and a greater assurance of quality and safety of their NDIS supports, knowing workers have been assessed for whether they pose an unacceptable risk to them.
The NDIS Worker Screening Check will:
- Support registered providers recruitment, selection and screening processes;
- Assist with ongoing review of worker suitability;
- Increase participants’ choice and control, particularly self-managed participants, by giving them the option to ask all workers that provide them with services or supports to obtain an NDIS Worker Screening clearance;
- Allow workers with a current NDIS Worker Screening Clearance to work in risk assessed roles with registered NDIS providers in any state or territory across Australia; and
- Contribute to improving the quality and safety of NDIS supports to NDIS participants.
Registered NDIS providers:
- Can only engage workers who have been cleared in any role that is risk assessed;
- Do not need to immediately apply for a NDIS Worker Screening Check for current workers in risk assessed roles with a valid acceptable check. Transition periods apply slightly differently for each state and territory, and can be accessed here.
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.
The NDIS Worker Screening Database will:
- Hold a single, national register of cleared and excluded workers;
- Support national ongoing monitoring of the criminal history records of workers with NDIS Worker Screening clearances;
- Allows NDIS providers nation-wide to 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; and
- Assist NDIS providers with record-keeping requirements.
Registered Providers:
- Will have automatic access to the NDIS Worker Screening Database through a new tile on the NDIS Commission Portal
Unregistered Providers:
- Will need to apply to the NDIS Commission to access information stored on the NDIS Worker Screening Database
More information about the Worker Screening Check, including fact sheets and flow charts for providers, are now available on the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission website.