Blue card obligations for organisations
Organisations, business operators and self-employed business operators have obligations under the blue card system. If you don’t comply with these obligations you could face penalties for non-compliance.
An employer must:
- not start a person in child-regulated work without a valid card
- take reasonable steps to confirm the card holder’s identity
- link a card holder when they start with your organisation
- maintain an employee register the people engaged in your organisation
- develop and implement a child and youth risk management strategy
- comply with any compliance or audit requests
- tell us when there is a change in your organisation’s information.
Individuals also have obligations under the blue card system. Read more about blue card rights and obligations for individuals.
Valid card
If you are engaging someone in child-regulated work it is your responsibility to make sure they have a valid blue card. We have an online validity tool you can use to check if a blue card is valid.
If your organisation uses the Organisation Portal, linking an applicant or card holder through the portal, will enable you to check whether a person holds a valid blue or exemption card.
Linking applicants and card holders
You must link blue or exemption card holders and applicants before they begin child-related work. Linking can be done through the Organisation Portal or by submitting a paper link form.
Students and volunteers are able to obtain a card for free provided they are studying/volunteering and linked to their training/volunteer organisation.
Just as an organisation links card holders and applicants prior to the commencement of child-related work, organisations are encouraged to delink card holders when they cease employment.
Learn more about linking requirements for organisations.
Employee register
Your organisation must create and maintain an employee register. This is a written record or register of all business operators, paid employees, and volunteers in your organisation.
You must record these details for all employees and volunteers:
- name
- date of birth
- whether they need a blue or exemption card
If they do need a blue or exemption card, you must also record:
- their application status (e.g., no application made, has applied, or has a blue or exemption card
- the number and expiry date of their blue or exemption card.
If they do not need a blue or exemption card, you must also record if they:
- are engaged in regulated employment
- work under restricted employment (relying on an exemption)
- have an exemption applied due to their profession.
If your organisation relies on the Organisation Portal, some of this information will be captured for existing blue or exemption card holders. However, you will need to maintain a separate employee register for any individuals relying on exemptions or otherwise permitted to work in child-related activities without a blue card. You can download our template employee register to help meet your obligations.
We can audit an organisation to ensure they maintain an employee register. If asked by a Blue Card Services officer, you must provide a copy of your register in either electronic or hard copy format.
Monitoring and compliance
We monitor and audit organisations and individuals for compliance with the blue card system. Organisations and individuals must comply with a lawful request to provide information or documents requested by Blue Card Services unless they have a reasonable excuse not to. There are penalties for non-compliance.
Change in information
You must advise us whenever your organisation’s details change, including its:
- name
- address or contact details
- authorised contact people (including when a contact person changes their name).
You can do this via our online form or by submitting a paper form.
As a self-employed business operator, you must notify us within 7 days if:
- your details change
- you cease carrying on a regulated business
- you start to carry on another regulated business.
Changes to police information
You do not need to notify us when an applicant or card holder employee or volunteer has a change in their police information. Instead, applicants and blue or exemption card holders must immediately let us know if their police information changes by completing a change in police information notification.
Existing workplace requirements for employees to report a change in their police information to their employer may remain. For example, your organisation may have a policy that requires all employees to report a change in their police information, such as a drink driving charge.
We will notify you of a card holder's change in police information when the change is considered relevant to child-related employment
Suspension of blue or exemption card
If your organisation is advised that a person’s blue or exemption card is suspended, you must not:
- allow the person to start or continue undertaking child-related activities within your organisation
- engage the person in restricted employment, or
- terminate the person’s employment solely or mainly because their blue card is suspended.
We will notify you if the card holder’s suspension ends or if the card is cancelled.
If, as a business operator or self-employed business operator, you are advised your blue or exemption card has been suspended, you must:
- not start or continue child-related work
- not start or continue a child-related business
- return your card to us immediately unless already surrendered to the Queensland Police Service.
If the suspension was based on a court matter, once the court finalises your charge, you can ask us to re-assess your eligibility to hold a blue or exemption card.
Whilst a blue card is suspended, the person is considered a restricted person.
Cancellation of blue or exemption card
If your organisation is advised a person’s blue or exemption card is cancelled, you must ensure that they:
- do not start or continue child-related work
- engage in restricted employment within your organisation.
If, as a business operator or self-employed business operator, your blue or exemption card is cancelled you must:
- not start or continue child-related work
- not start or continue a child-related business
- return your card to us immediately.
If a person has been issued with a negative notice, they are considered a restricted person.
Restricted person in restricted employment
There are exemptions that allow certain people to work or volunteer with children without a blue or exemption card in specific circumstances, such as a parent volunteering as a coach at their child’s sporting club.
As an organisation or business operator, you must not employ or continue to employ a restricted person.
Restricted person in restricted employment
There are exemptions that allow certain people to work or volunteer with children without a blue card in specific circumstances, such as a parent volunteering as a coach for their child’s sporting team.
As an organisation or business operator, you must not allow a restricted person to rely on an exemption.
Restricted person
A restricted person is a person who either:
- has been issued a negative notice
- has a suspended blue or exemption card
- is a disqualified person
- has been charged with a disqualifying offence that has not been finalised, or
- is the subject of an adverse interstate Working with Children Check decision that is in effect.
Restricted employment
Restricted employment refers to the situations or exemptions that allow a person to work with children without a blue card, such as if they are:
- a volunteer parent
- a volunteer who is under 18
- paid or unpaid staff who work in regulated child-related employment for not more than 7 days in a calendar year
- a person with disability who is employed at a place where the person also receives disability services or NDIS supports or services
- a secondary school student on work experience who carries out disability related work under the direct supervision of a person who holds a blue or exemption card.
Allowing a restricted person to engage in regulated or restricted employment is an offence subject to severe penalties.
More information
- Blue card resources for organisations.
- Understand linking requirements for organisations.
- Check when you don’t need a blue card.
- Check who cannot apply for or hold a blue card.
- Learn how to apply for a blue or exemption card.