Blue Card Information

Requirements for working with children

The Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian Act (2000) (the Act) applies to all pre-service teachers and child care workers who will be working with children/students under the age of 18 in Queensland settings as a mandatory component of their course.

Under the terms of the Act, students undertaking professional experience are considered to be volunteers engaged in regulated employment. As such, all students must apply to the Commission to be issued with a positive notice (blue card) that they are eligible to work in regulated child-related employment.

Blue Cards are issued by the Commission once it has carried out the Working with Children Check to determine if a person is eligible to engage in regulated employment. As part of this application, the students must consent to the Commission conducting a police information check as the key element of the process of determining eligibility. If a person is eligible, they are issued with a positive notice letter and a Blue Card.

Students must hold a Blue Card before starting their placement. Students who do not make an application, or who do apply but are ineligible to hold a Blue Card, will not be able to undertake the professional experience components of the program.

University Authorisation

If you have lodged an application form or already have a Blue Card obtained through another organisation, you must have lodged an application form or complete an 'Authorisation to confirm a valid blue card / application' and return to the university contact person.

This will ensure your university is advised of the current status of your Blue Card, the validity of your Blue Card and any changes to the status of your Blue Card application. This form may be downloaded directly from the Commission's website at www.bluecard.qld.gov.au

How to apply:

Your university has been issued with a pre-filled application form with your Education provider's details.  These application forms can be found in the Professional Experience Office area in G30, rooms 311 to 3.14.

• Part A has been pre-filled with your university details.
• Part B must be completed in full by you.
• Part C must be completed either by the university contact person or by a prescribed person if you live more than 50 kilometres from the university.
• Part D must be completed by the university contact person.
• Part E must be completed by the prescribed person if you live more than 50 kilometres from the university.

When the form is complete, please return to the university contact person listed on the application form, for lodgement with the Commission. Please do not send the form directly to the Commission.

Disqualified persons

Certain people are disqualified upfront from applying for a blue card. It is an offence for a 'disqualified person' to apply for a blue card. Penalties of up to 5 years imprisonment or a fine of up to $37,500 may apply if a 'disqualified person' signs a blue card application form.

Education providers are required to provide all students with a warning that it is an offence for a disqualified person to apply for a blue card.

For information regarding disqualifying offences, please telephone the Blue Card Contact Centre on 1800 113 611 or go to www.bluecard.qld.gov.au

Renewal of your Blue Card

If you hold a valid blue card, the Commission will notify you 16 weeks before your card is due to expire. After you receive this notification, please go to the Professional Experience Office area in G30, rooms 311 to 3.14 for another form.  After completing the form, return it to you university contact person to lodge with the Commission.

It is important to note that a student holding a valid Blue Card can continue to carry on a regulated activity after the expiry of their Blue Card, provided their card was not suspended or cancelled and they lodge a renewal application at least 30 days prior to the expiry of their card.

To ensure that you receive your invitation to renew your blue card, don't forget to notify the Commission of any change in your postal address.

Further Information

For further information please refer to the Commission's Information Sheet for students located at
http://www.bluecard.qld.gov.au/pdf/bluecard/info_sheet_student.pdf