Blue cards for religious representatives

You will need a blue card if you are a religious representative and your work includes providing services or activities with children.

Employees and volunteers

If you provide services to children as a representative of a religious or spiritual organisation, you will need a blue card.

Examples

A blue card is needed for a:

  • religious representative (such as a priest, chaplain, minister, monk, nun) whose role includes, or may include, providing religious instruction to children.
  • employee of a religious organisation that runs children's activities. For example, a youth leader running children's worship groups or Sunday school activities.
  • employee of a business promoting spiritual beliefs and guidance to children, even if you don't consider yourself to be part of an organised religion.

A blue card is not needed:

  • if you are providing a public sermon, not directed solely towards children.
  • if you perform administrative tasks within the church, mosque, or other place of worship.
  • if you provide bible or other religious studies to adults.
  • if you are providing tea or coffee services after a congregation.

If you represent your church or other religious entity as a religious leader (e.g. bishop, reverend, cardinal, imam, rabbi) you may apply for a blue card as a business operator instead of as an employee—see below.

Business owners and operators

If you are a religious representative and the usual activities of your business include providing services to or conducting activities with children a blue card is required.

Examples

A blue card is needed for a:

  • a religious leader (such as a priest, chaplain, imam, minister or rabbi) whose role includes or may include providing religious instruction to children.
  • a person in charge of a religious organisation that runs children’s activities. For example, if your organisation runs children’s worship groups or Sunday school activities.
  • an operator of a business promoting spiritual beliefs and guidance to children, even if you don’t consider yourself to be part of an organised religion.

A blue card is not needed for a:

  • person that operates a religious or spiritual organisation that provides services to adults.
  • person that operates a religious or spiritual organisation that provides services to the public at large, not mainly involving or targeted towards children. For example, the organisation attends a public community event in which they hand out food parcels to those in need.

Contact us

Call us on 1800 113 611 or (07) 3211 6999 or send us an email.