Blue cards for childcare services
You will need a blue card if you are a person or business owner/operator providing childcare services.
Employees
If you are paid to provide childcare services you will require a blue card. Childcare is care of a child provided:
- by someone other than a relative or guardian of the child
- for reward
- part of a service for regularly providing care of children.
Examples
A blue card is needed for a:
- babysitter (including babysitters under the age of 18) who babysits the neighbour’s children for payment.
- nanny or au pair employed by an agency or a family
- a person employed to chaperone children. For example, looking after child actors on the set of a film or television show.
- a person who receives free or subsidised accommodation in return for looking after children, as this is considered a reward.
- a person employed by a facility that operates a crèche service to care for children while parents are attending classes or programs. For example, a hotel kids club or gym creche.
- a registered nurse who also independently provides nanny services to children. As this falls beyond their professional duties as a registered health practitioner a blue card is required.
A blue card is not needed for:
- a relative babysitting a child.
For services such as day care, kindergartens, family day care, outside school hours care etc please refer to the Education and care services category.
Business owners or operators
If you are a business operator or owner, you will need a blue card if:
- your business includes providing childcare on a commercial basis, or
- your business will be carrying out activities in a place or vehicle where childcare is being provided
Examples
A blue card is needed for a:
- a business owner of a cleaning business contracted to clean the hotel kid’s club facilities.
- person starting their own business to provide babysitting and nanny services to children.