Starting November 1, 2025, aged care providers must follow new worker screening rules to protect ageing Australians. These rules cover all aged care workers, including subcontractors, associated providers, or digital platform staff. Non-compliance may lead to regulatory action, reputational harm, and risks to people. Here’s a quick guide to the five core requirements and how providers can prepare.
1. Police Certificates & NDIS Clearances
All workers must have a police certificate (issued within 3 years) or a NDIS worker screening clearance (issued within 5 years). This applies to employees, contractors, health professionals, and kitchen, cleaning, or admin staff. Workers hired through third parties or paid by providers for self-directed care are also included.
Action: Verify certificates or clearances before work begins. For pending clearances, ensure supervision and a statutory declaration are in place.
2. Statutory Declarations
Statutory declarations are required for workers who:
- Lived overseas after age 16.
- Are awaiting a police certificate or NDIS clearance.
These declarations confirm no precluding offences but don’t replace the need for valid clearances.
Action: Supervise workers with pending clearances and complete declarations before work starts.
3. Precluding Offences
Certain convictions, like murder, sexual assault, or (for some programs) crimes involving dishonesty or child abuse, disqualify individuals from aged care roles.
Action: Review police certificates carefully, develop policies for assessing non-precluding offences, and ensure workers report new convictions.
4. Record Keeping
Providers must maintain detailed records for each worker, including name, date of birth, address, clearance details, and statutory declarations. Records must be kept for 7 years, even if the worker leaves.
Action: To streamline compliance, create a centralised register with reference numbers, issue/expiry dates, and verification details.
5. Future Screening Reforms
From mid-2026, a national aged care worker screening check will align with the NDIS model, offering ongoing monitoring and cross-sector recognition.
Action: Stay updated on reforms and plan for ICT system upgrades to support the new process.
Why It Matters
These reforms improve protections for ageing Australians and align with the Aged Care Quality Standards, including the Code of Conduct, Serious Incident Response Scheme, and more. By acting now, providers can ensure compliance, boost safety, and prepare for future changes.
Stay proactive! Review your processes, train staff, and maintain robust records to meet these obligations and protect those in your care. For up-to-date information and training, your staff can enrol in these NGO Training Centre courses:
The Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards – Part 1
The Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards – Part 2
The Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards Bundle (Parts 1 and 2)
Or for organisations needing to train their aged care staff, take a look at our variety of Training Packages we offer for any sized provider, from 1 to 1,000+ team members. Make your organisation’s training more effective, easier, and more affordable than ever!
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Author: Cathy Kerr BANurs, GDAET, Cert IV Training and Assessment.
Cathy brings over three decades of expertise to the field of nursing education, with a distinguished career as a registered nurse, educator, and now aged care consultant. Her extensive experience spans clinical practice, training, and consultancy, where she has dedicated herself to improving care standards and supporting both ageing individuals and healthcare professionals. With a deep understanding of the sector’s challenges and opportunities, Cathy combines her nursing background with a passion for education to drive positive outcomes in aged care.
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