From 1 February, 2021, the NDIS Workers Screening Check (WSC) was introduced as part of the National Disability Insurance Scheme Quality & Safeguard Framework. This is a national approach to how workers are screened for risk-assessed roles.
There are transitional arrangements in place before a worker will be required to get an NDIS WSC. In Victoria, these arrangements are:
- Workers who hold a valid police check and Disability Worker Exclusion Scheme (DWES) Check have until 31 July, 2021to get a to get WSC Clearance.
- Workers who hold a valid police check, DWES Check and Working with Children (WWC) Clearance have until their WWC Clearance expires to get an NDIS WSC Clearance.
Workers who meet the transitional arrangements for providing Early Intervention Supports for Early Childhood (ECIS) and community mental health services in Part B of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Safety Screening Policy for registered NDIS providers operating in Victoria, have until 31 July 2021 to get an NDIS WSC Clearance. If they have a WWC Clearance, they will have until it expires to get an NDIS WSC Clearance.
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FAQ's
What is the NDIS worker screening check Victoria for?
The NDIS screening check Victoria assesses whether you will be a safe, respectful and adequately-equipped individual for working with people with disabilities. It also asses whether individuals will pose an unacceptable risk to participants, in which case, they will be ineligible to provide support.
You can submit a worker screening check application – Victoria – form by checking the NDIA Service website in your state or territory.
How long do National Disability Insurance Scheme screening checks last for?
An NDIS screening check is valid for 5 years and enable screened workers to work across all positions in an organisation and within the states and territories.
You can check out the other processes for registration and funding for separate states here:
Talk to an NDIS Consultant at Provider+ today.
What were the 1 February 2021 updates to the NDIS Worker Screening Check Victoria?
The NDIS Workers Screening Check (WSC), a component of the National Disability Insurance Scheme Quality & Safeguard Framework, went into effect on February 1, 2021. This is a national strategy for selecting candidates for roles with risk assessments.
Before a worker is forced to obtain an NDIS WSC, there are transitional arrangements in place in Victoria. In Victoria, these arrangements are:
- The deadline for obtaining WSC Clearance for employees who have current police clearances and Disability Worker Exclusion Scheme (DWES) clearances is July 31, 2021.
- Working with Children (WWC) Clearance, DWES Check, and Police Check holders have till their current WWC Clearance expires to obtain an NDIS WSC Clearance.
What is the NDIS worker screening database?
The NDIS worker screening database is a new national system that helps to keep children and young people safe from harm. The database will help organisations to check the suitability of workers who want to work with children and young people. This will be undertaken by a specialised worker screening unit.
The system will also provide a register for organisations to reference when recruiting new staff. In order to be listed on the database, workers will need to undergo a criminal history check and working with children check. The database will be accessible by organisations that work with children and young people, as well as state and territory governments, to check whether someone is a registered NDIS provider with an NDIS workers screening check Victoria– or from anywhere else in Australia.
What do self managed NDIS participants do?
Self managed participants manage NDIS funding on their own. A self managed participant will be able to decide which supports they need and how to use funds to meet individual requirements.
Can unregistered NDIS providers give disability support?
In short, yes. However, only an NDIS registered provider will be able to give specialist disability support to NDIS-managed participants. This is because each registered provider needs to have met certain NDIS practice standards via an NDIS check, giving them certain levels of certification which unregistered providers don’t have.
You can find out more about NDIS worker screening check Victoria– and Australia-wide by contacting an Provider+ for an appointment today.
