1. Protecting children from harm: the blue card
Nikki Wright
Manager, Client Services and Information Quality

2. The Commission – key role
The Commission is an independent statutory authority
It promotes and protects the rights, interests and wellbeing of children in Qld, particularly our most vulnerable.

3. The Commission – key functions
The Commission contributes to these outcomes
through:
Child Guardian - oversees the safety and wellbeing of children and young people in the child safety and juvenile justice system
Strategic Policy and Research - advocates for all children and young people’s rights and interests, particularly re: improving access to services

4. The Commission – key functions cont.
Employment Screening Services
providing training to employers to develop a child protection risk management strategy to manage the risks to children in service environments
undertaking the Working with Children Check where people propose to engage in certain essential and developmentally focussed child-related activities
educating the community about these child protection initiatives

5. A safe service environment
Identification of risks, clear policies and
procedures and enhanced awareness in service
environments is one of the ways to create a safe
service environment. This includes a range of child
protection measures including employment screening
i.e. The Working with Children Check

6. The Working with Children Check
Positive notice
If the Commissioner considers a person eligible to work with children and young people a positive notice letter and blue card are issued.
Negative notice
If the Commissioner considers a person should not work with children and young people a negative notice is issued.

7. The Working with Children Check cont.
A detailed national check of a person’s criminal history, including any charges or convictions. Also considered is:
disciplinary information held by certain professional organisations (teachers, child care service providers, foster carers, nurses, midwives and certain health practitioners)
police investigation information (where there has been an allegation of a serious child-related sexual offence which did not result in a charge because the child was unwilling or unable to proceed)

8. The Working with Children Check cont.
In deciding whether or not to issue a positive notice blue card the following factors are taken into consideration:
whether there are charges or convictions
if so, whether they are serious offences or excluding offences
when the offending occurred or allegedly occurred
the nature of the offending and its relevance to working with children

9. The Working with Children Check cont.
where a conviction resulted – the penalty imposed and the reasons for the penalty
anything else the Commissioner reasonably considers is relevant
The Act specifies other similar factors to be taken
into consideration when assessing disciplinary
or investigative information

10. Blue cards for students
All students (unless exempt) must have a blue card before they commence their student placement in regulated child-related fields regardless of how often they come into contact with children and young people.
If they already hold a blue card, they do not need to re-apply, but they do need to lodge an ‘Authorisation to confirm a valid blue card application form’ with the Commission.

11. The role of education providers
Education providers assist students in completing their
blue card application however they are not the
‘employer’ under the Commission’s Act

12. Education provider notifications
The outcome of an employment screening decision
A change in police information that the Commissioner considers is relevant to child related work– i.e. charged or convicted with a serious offence or serious child-related sexual offence
Cancellation of a card where convicted of an excluding offence resulting in imprisonment or a disqualification order
Suspension of card

13. Cardholders responsibilities
Currency of card - Blue cards are current for 2 years
Renewal - The Commission sends a reminder to renew letter 16 weeks prior to the expiry of the card
Continuation of child-related activities - Students can continue to engage in regulated activities after the expiry of the card provided they have lodged a completed renewal application with the Commission 30 days prior to the cards expiry

14. Cardholders responsibilities
Change in personal details - cardholders must notify the Commission within 14 days of any change in their personal details (i.e. name, address, contact details)
Lost/stolen card - cardholders must notify the Commission within 14 days if their card has been lost or stolen

15. Cardholders responsibilities
Change in criminal history - a cardholder must immediately notify their education provider of a change in police information and they cannot continue regulated child-related activities unless they lodge a ‘Change in criminal history – application for review form’ with the Commission. Failure to do so may attract a penalty.
They do not have to disclose any particulars about the change, merely that there has been a change

16. Community of care Working together to create a community of care
Having a shared objective to create and maintain child-safe and child-friendly environments
Children being highly valued and well protected.
So that we can help achieve these positive outcomes for our children, we must work together to create a community of care. As partners, we can help create and maintain child-safe and child-friendly environments, so that our children experience a sense of being valued, protected and listened to.
The Commissioner is providing this training free of charge, so that we can create safe environments as partners.
We have taken these statements from messages the Commissioner is giving consistently to stakeholder groups.
A good way of developing a RMS is to get input and feedback form stakeholder (staff, parents and children) this will give them ownership
It also give them a sense of WHY you are developing a RMS
If they are involved in the development of the RMS they are more likely to adhere than criticise
Know that if children are listened to that they are more likely to trust and talk to somebody in times of crisis/stress

17. Our contact details Commission for Children and Young People
and Child Guardian
T&G Building
141 Queen Street Brisbane
P O Box 12671
Brisbane George Street
Queensland 4003
Ph: (07) or
Internet:
Thank you for attending!
Please fill in Evaluations and leave them on your table.
Hand out Certificates.
Remember, if you’re interested in organising an Extension Workshop or a Closed Workshop, see me before you leave, or take one of the business cards on the table here and give me a call.
Thanks again for coming along today.

18. Website: www.bluecard.qld.gov.au