Suspended and cancelled cards

To help keep children in Queensland safe, all blue card applicants and holders are monitored for changes to their police information by the Queensland Police Service.

We may also get told about:

disciplinary information
adverse interstate working with children decisions
other relevant information, like child protection information.

Depending on the information that is received, we will act quickly in some cases to either suspend or cancel your blue or exemption under the Working with Children (Risk Management and Screening) Act 2000 (the Act).

When is a card suspended?

Your card will immediately be suspended if:

you have been charged with a serious or disqualifying offence
you are a registered teacher and your Queensland College of Teachers registration is suspended under the Education (Queensland College of Teachers) Act 2005
you hold a working with children clearance from another state and this clearance is suspended or an interim bar is placed on this clearance
we receive other relevant information and consider that you would pose a risk to the safety of children if allowed to engage in activities regulated under the Act while your eligibility is reassessed.

What happens if your card is suspended?

If your card is suspended:

you will need to return your blue card to us immediately
you will be a restricted person while your card is suspended, and
you and any of your linked organisations will be notified and told that you cannot do child-related work (paid or unpaid) regulated by the Act while the suspension is in effect.
You must not start or continue work in regulated employment and penalties apply.

When can I have my suspension removed?

You can apply to end the suspension of your card after 6 months. However, we do not have to take any action and may continue the suspension if:

you have an outstanding charge for an offence
an appeal relating to a conviction or sentence has not been decided, or the appeal period is ongoing
your Queensland College of Teachers registration remains suspended
your interstate working with children clearance remains suspended, or
you are subject to an interim bar in relation to an interstate working with children check application.

Otherwise, when you apply, we will reassess your eligibility by conducting a risk assessment.

If we decide you do not pose a risk to the safety of children, we will end the suspension of your card and return it to you if it has not expired. Otherwise, we will cancel your card and you will get a negative notice.

We will tell you and your linked organisations whether your blue or exemption card is continued or cancelled and you are issued with a negative notice.

Download the application to end a suspension form.

When would a card be cancelled?

Your blue or exemption card will be cancelled if you are issued with a negative notice. In some cases, we cancel a blue or exemption card without issuing a negative notice.

Your card will be cancelled if:

you are prohibited from working with children check in another state or territory
we are doing a risk assessment to reassess your eligibility and invite you to make a submission, but cannot be satisfied you received our request, or
you ask us to cancel your card – you can call or write to us.

We will tell you and your linked organisations if your card is cancelled.

You will need to return your blue card to us immediately.

More information

Last updated:: 22 September 2025