VoRTCS - Volunteer Refugee Tutoring & Community Support Program

Suitability and Blue Cards

Queensland Law requires anyone working with children to hold a current, valid blue card.

What is a blue card?
A blue card is issued by the Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian. The Commission conducts the Working with Children Check to determine whether a person is eligible for a blue card. If a person is considered eligible they are issued with a positive notice letter and a blue card.

What is the Working with Children Check?
A Working with Children Check is 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 (into allegations of serious child-related sexual offences, even if no charges were laid because the child was unwilling or unable to proceed).

Who needs a blue card?
A person will need a blue card if they propose to work, in a paid or voluntary capacity, or to carry on a business, in a child-related area regulated by the Commission’s Act.

What child-related activities are regulated?
Both paid employees and volunteers may need a blue card if they fall under one of the following categories:

residential facilities
schools - boarding facilities
schools – employees other than teachers and parents

childcare
churches, clubs and associations involving children
counselling and support services
private teaching, coaching or tutoring
education programs conducted outside of schools
child accommodation services, including homestays
religious representatives
sport and active recreation
emergency services cadet programs
school crossing supervisors

The VoRTCS Refugee Tutoring program falls into the ‘private teaching, coaching or tutoring’ category. Even though tutoring is always done in small groups, volunteers still require a valid blue card under Queensland law.

A volunteer, unless exempt, must have a blue card before they start volunteering in one of the above categories.

Is anyone exempt from holding a blue card?
Where registered teachers are employed in their capacity as a teacher they do not need a blue card. However, if they are employed under other categories of regulated employment or regulated business, for example, as scout masters, club coaches, counsellors or self-employed tutors, they need a blue card unless exempt under the relevant category. Therefore, VoRTCS requires all volunteers involved in our programs to hold valid blue cards, regardless of their current teacher registration.

How to apply
To apply for a blue card you need to lodge an application form with the Commission. The application forms are available from VoRTCS and are supplied at the intake sessions. VoRTCS will then submit the application on your behalf.

A VoRTCS Committee or Staff member is responsible for certifying to the Commission that they have sighted the applicant’s identification documents specified on the application form.

This includes one of the following:

Current drivers licence/proof of age card, with photo;
Current passport; or
Birth Certificate (only acceptable if photo ID is also provided);

PLUS one of the following:

Current Centrelink concession or benefit card;
Current Credit Card or account card with name and signature;
Current student identification card with photo and signature;
Current Medicare Card; or
Bank statement from the past 6 months.

All documents must be originals, as photocopies are not sufficient. However, we will need to attach a photocopy of the documents to your application. If any document is in a former name, you will need to provide proof of your former name (includes where your surname has changed due to marriage etc).

You will therefore need to complete the blue card application form at one of our regular information or training sessions so that the proper identification can be sighted.

How much does the blue card cost?
A blue card is free for volunteers.

How long does the application take to be processed?
A blue card application, once submitted, takes approximately 4-6 weeks to be approved. This wait is due to the thorough checks conducted by the Commission, and VoRTCS cannot shorten this time. We recommend that you undertake the compulsory tutor training session during this wait, so that you can commence tutoring as soon as your blue card arrives.

How long is a blue card valid?
The blue card is valid for two years from the date of issue unless it is cancelled earlier by the Commission. This may occur where there has been a change in police information or the card has been suspended because the holder has been charged with an excluding offence.

The blue card is transferable across all categories of employment and businesses screened by the Commission. For example, if a person applies for the card as a paid employee and subsequently volunteers to work with children and young people in another capacity, the blue card will be valid for that purpose.

Three months before your blue card expires, the Commission will post you a renewal form that must again be signed by VoRTCS. It is important to notify the Commission of any changes in your address so that this notice will reach you. If your blue card expires, you must not continue your involvement in VoRTCS programs until you receive a valid renewal notice.

Further information
For more information about blue cards, please visit the Commission’s website at www.bluecard.qld.gov.au or phone the Commission on freecall 1800 113 611 or (07) 3247 5145.

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