{"id":"sr:worker-screening-regulations-2021","name":"Worker Screening Regulations 2021","slug":"worker-screening-regulations-2021","collection":"regulation","jurisdiction":"vic","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":181444,"registerId":"vic-sr:worker-screening-regulations-2021-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-05","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Worker Screening Regulations 2021","content":"Version No. 005\n\n**Worker Screening Regulations 2021**\n\n**S.R. No. 2/2021**\n\nVersion incorporating amendments as at  \n27 February 2026\n\n**TABLE OF PROVISIONS**\n\n*Regulation Page*\n\n1 Objectives 1\n\n2 Authorising provision 2\n\n3 Commencement 2\n\n4 Revocation 2\n\n5 Definitions 2\n\n6 Application fees 5\n\n7 Social Services Regulator may reduce, waive or refund payment of fees 5\n\n8 Disciplinary or regulatory entities 6\n\n9 Relevant disciplinary or regulatory findings 7\n\n10 NDIS worker screening laws 13\n\n12 Notification of change to personal particulars 14\n\n═════════════\n\nEndnotes 15\n\n1 General information 15\n\n2 Table of Amendments 17\n\n3 Explanatory details 18\n\n**Version No.** **005**\n\n**Worker Screening Regulations 2021**\n\n**S.R. No. 2/2021**\n\nVersion incorporating amendments as at  \n27 February 2026\n\n\t1 Objectives\n\nThe objectives of these Regulations are—\n\n(a) to prescribe fees for applications under the **Worker Screening Act 2020** and make provision for their waiver, reduction or refund; and\n\nReg. 1(b) amended by S.R. No. 3/2026 reg. 5.\n\n(b) to provide for offences relating to a failure by an applicant for a screening check or a holder of a clearance to notify the Social Services  Regulator of a change in the applicant's or holder's personal particulars; and\n\n(c) to prescribe laws of another State or a Territory that provide for screening of persons who are to be employed or engaged in risk assessed roles for the purposes of the **Worker Screening Act 2020**; and\n\n(d) to prescribe disciplinary or regulatory entities for the purposes of certain sections of the **Worker Screening Act 2020**;  and\n\n(e) to prescribe relevant disciplinary or regulatory findings for the purposes of certain sections of the **Worker Screening Act 2020**; and\n\n(f) to prescribe persons for the purposes of section 146(b) of the **Worker Screening Act 2020**.\n\n\t2 Authorising provision\n\nThese Regulations are made under section 150 of the **Worker Screening Act 2020**.\n\n\t3 Commencement\n\nThese Regulations come into operation on 1 February 2021.\n\n\t4 Revocation\n\nThe following Regulations are **revoked**—\n\n(a) the Working with Children Regulations 2016[[1]](#endnote-1);\n\n(b) the Working with Children Amendment (Reportable Conduct) Regulations 2017[[2]](#endnote-2).\n\n\t5 Definitions\n\nIn these Regulations—\n\nReg. 5 def. of *Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority* inserted by S.R. No. 71/2025 reg. 4(1).\n\n***Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority*** means the National Authority established under section 224 of the **Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010**;\n\n***Commission for Children and Young People*** means the Commission for Children and Young People established under section 6 of the **Commission for Children and Young People Act 2012**;\n\nReg. 5 def. of *Disability Worker Registration Board of Victoria* inserted by S.R. No. 71/2025 reg. 4(1).\n\n***Disability Worker Registration Board of Victoria*** means the Disability Worker Registration Board of Victoria established under section 8 of the **Disability Service Safeguards Act 2018**;\n\nReg. 5 def. of *Health Panel* inserted by S.R. No. 71/2025 reg. 4(1).\n\n***Health Panel*** means a health panel established under section 103 of the **Disability Service Safeguards Act 2018**;\n\nReg. 5 def. of *Hearing Panel* inserted by S.R. No. 71/2025 reg. 4(1).\n\n***Hearing Panel*** means a panel for a formal hearing appointed under section 2.6.42 of the **Education and Training Reform Act 2006**;\n\n***personal particulars*** means—\n\n(a) a person's full name and any other name by which the person is or has been known; and\n\n(b) a person's date of birth; and\n\n(c) a person's residential address; and\n\n(d) a person's electronic address; and\n\n(e) any telephone number provided as a person's telephone number in relation to that person's application for a screening check or that person's clearance;\n\nReg. 5 def. of *Social Services Regulator* inserted by S.R. No. 71/2025 reg. 4(1).\n\n***Social Services Regulator*** means the Social Services Regulator established under section 4 of the **Social Services Regulation Act 2021**;\n\nReg. 5 def. of *Suitability Panel* amended by S.R. No. 71/2025 reg. 4(2)(a).\n\n***Suitability Panel*** means the Suitability Panel established under Part 3.4 of the **Children, Youth and Families Act 2005**, as in force immediately before the commencement of section 352 of the **Social Services Regulation Act 2021**;\n\n***the Act***  means the **Worker Screening Act 2020**;\n\nReg. 5 def. of *Victorian Disability Worker Commission* inserted by S.R. No. 71/2025 reg. 4(1).\n\n***Victorian Disability Worker Commission*** means the Victorian Disability Worker Commission established under section 21 of the **Disability Service Safeguards Act 2018**;\n\nReg. 5 def. of *Victorian Disability Worker Commis-sioner* inserted by S.R. No. 71/2025 reg. 4(1).\n\n***Victorian Disability Worker Commissioner*** means the Victorian Disability Worker Commissioner appointed under section 26 of the **Disability Service Safeguards Act 2018**;\n\nReg. 5 def. of *Victorian Institute of Teaching* amended by S.R. No. 71/2025 reg. 4(2)(b).\n\n***Victorian Institute of Teaching*** means the Victorian Institute of Teaching continued under Part 2.6 of the **Education and Training Reform Act 2006**;\n\nReg. 5 def. of *WCES Panel* inserted by S.R. No. 71/2025 reg. 4(1).\n\n***WCES Panel***  means a panel convened under section 68 of the **Social Services Regulation Act 2021**.\n\n\t6 Application fees\n\nThe prescribed fee for an application referred to in column 2 of the Table is the corresponding fee set out in column 3 of the Table.\n\nTable\n\n| *No.* | *Type of application* | *Fee* |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| 1 | An application for an NDIS check under section 15 of the Act | 8⸱06 fee units |\n| 2 | An application for a WWC check under section 54 of the Act for child-related work that is for profit or gain (other than an application described in item 3) | 8⸱06 fee units |\n| 3 | An application for a WWC check under section 54 of the Act for child-related work that is for profit or gain applied for in accordance with section 74 of the Act | 6⸱1 fee units |\n| 4 | An application for the replacement of a WWC clearance document for child-related work that is for profit or gain | 0⸱5 fee unit |\n\n\nReg. 7 (Heading) amended by S.R. No. 3/2026 reg. 6(1).\n\nReg. 7 amended by S.R. No. 3/2026 reg. 6(2).\n\n\t7 Social Services Regulator may reduce, waive or refund payment of fees\n\nThe Social Services Regulator may, before or after any application referred to in the Table in regulation 6 is made—\n\n(a) reduce or waive the corresponding fee set out in that Table; or\n\n(b) refund payment of the corresponding fee set out in that Table either in whole or in part.\n\nReg. 8 substituted by S.R. No. 71/2025 reg. 5.\n\n\t8 Disciplinary or regulatory entities\n\nFor the purposes of sections 15(2)(b) and (c), 18(2)(a), 21(3)(f), 40(1)(a), 54(2)(b) and (c), 58(2)(a), 81(1)(a), 97(2)(b)(ii), 104(b) and 109(b) of the Act, the following are prescribed to be disciplinary or regulatory entities—\n\n(a) the Commission for Children and Young People;\n\n(b) the Suitability Panel;\n\n(c) the Victorian Institute of Teaching;\n\n(d) the NDIS Commissioner;\n\n(e) a Health Panel;\n\n(f) a WCES Panel;\n\n(g) a Regulatory Authority within the meaning of section 5 of the Education and Care Services National Law (Victoria);\n\n(h) the Regulatory Authority within the meaning of section 3(1) of the **Children's Services Act 1996**;\n\n(i) the Victorian Disability Worker Commissioner;\n\n(j) the Victorian Disability Worker Commission;\n\n(k) the Disability Worker Registration Board of Victoria;\n\n(l) the Social Services Regulator;\n\n(m) a Hearing Panel;\n\n(n) VCAT;\n\n(o) the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority.\n\nReg. 9 substituted by S.R. No. 71/2025 reg. 6.\n\n\t9 Relevant disciplinary or regulatory findings\n\nFor the purposes of sections 27(1)(e), 34(2)(e), 37(2)(e), 38(1)(b), 45(1)(e), 64(1)(a), 72(2)(e), 77(2)(f), 78(1)(b) and 86(1)(a) of the Act, the following are prescribed to be relevant disciplinary or regulatory findings—\n\n(a) a determination by a Hearing Panel under section 2.6.46(2) of the **Education and Training Reform Act 2006** to do one or more of the following—\n\n(i) impose conditions, limitations or restrictions on the registration of the teacher;\n\n(ii) suspend the registration of the teacher for the period and subject to the conditions, limitations and restrictions, if any, specified in the determination;\n\n(iii) cancel the registration of the teacher;\n\n(b) a decision by the Victorian Institute of Teaching made under Division 8A of Part 2.6 of the **Education and Training Reform Act 2006** to suspend any or all registrations held by a person under that Part;\n\n(c) a finding by the Suitability Panel under section 106 of the **Children, Youth and Families Act 2005** as in force immediately before the commencement of section 352 of the **Social Services Regulation Act 2021** that a person should be disqualified from registration under Part 3.4 of that Act as in force immediately before that commencement;\n\nReg. 9(d) substituted by S.R. No. 3/2026 reg. 7(1).\n\n(d) a finding that a person has committed reportable conduct that is the subject of a notification by the Commission for Children and Young People under section 16ZD(1) of the **Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005**, as in force immediately before the commencement of section 54 of the **Social Services Regulation Amendment (Child Safety, Complaints and Worker Regulation) Act 2025**;\n\n(e) an order made by the NDIS Commissioner under section 73ZN of the NDIS Act prohibiting or restricting specified activities by an NDIS provider or a person who is employed or otherwise engaged by an NDIS provider;\n\n(f) an interim exclusion issued by the Social Services Regulator under section 70(1) of the **Social Services Regulation Act 2021** excluding a WCES worker or carer from providing WCES services;\n\n(g) an interim exclusion issued by a WCES Panel under section 70(2) of the **Social Services Regulation Act 2021** excluding a WCES worker or carer from providing WCES services;\n\n(h) a determination by a WCES Panel made under section 79(1)(a) of the **Social Services Regulation Act 2021** to exclude a person from providing a WCES service or a specified class of WCES services;\n\n(i) a prohibition notice given by the Regulatory Authority under section 182(1) of the Education and Care Services National Law (Victoria) to a person involved in the provision of an approved education and care service if the Regulatory Authority considers that there may be an unacceptable risk of harm to a child or children if the person were allowed—\n\n(i) to remain on the education and care service premises; or\n\n(ii) to provide education and care to children;\n\n(j) a prohibition notice given by the Regulatory Authority under section 182(3) of the Education and Care Services National Law (Victoria) to a person to—\n\n(i) prohibit the person from being nominated as a nominated supervisor if the Regulatory Authority considers the person is not a fit and proper person to be nominated as a nominated supervisor of a service; or\n\n(ii) impose one or more conditions on the nomination of the person as a nominated supervisor that the Regulatory Authority considers appropriate, if the Regulatory Authority considers the person is a fit and proper person to be nominated as a nominated supervisor of a service subject to those conditions;\n\n(k) a prohibition notice given by the Regulatory Authority under section 123(1) of the **Children's Services Act 1996** to a person who is in any way involved in the provision of an approved children's service if the Regulatory Authority considers that there may be an unacceptable risk of harm to a child or children if the person were allowed—\n\n(i) to remain on the children's service premises; or\n\n(ii) to provide education and care to children;\n\n(l) a prohibition notice given by the Regulatory Authority under section 123(3) of the **Children's Services Act 1996** to a person to—\n\n(i) prohibit the person from being nominated as a nominated supervisor if the Regulatory Authority considers the person is not a fit and proper person to be nominated as a nominated supervisor of a service; or\n\n(ii) impose one or more conditions on the nomination of the person as a nominated supervisor that the Regulatory Authority considers appropriate, if the Regulatory Authority considers the person is a fit and proper person to be nominated as a nominated supervisor of a service subject to those conditions;\n\n(m) a decision made by the Disability Worker Registration Board of Victoria under section 74 of the **Disability Service Safeguards Act 2018** to take immediate action as defined in section 73 of that Act to do one or more of the following—\n\n(i) suspending, or imposing a condition on, a registered disability worker's or disability student's registration;\n\n(ii) accepting the surrender of a registered disability worker's or disability student's registration;\n\n(iii) in the case of a registered disability worker or a disability student whose registration is suspended or cancelled, prohibiting the registered disability worker or disability student from providing a specified disability service or all disability services;\n\n(n) a decision made by a Health Panel under section 113(5)(a) of the **Disability Service Safeguards Act 2018** to suspend a registered disability worker's registration;\n\n(o) a decision made by a Health Panel under section 113(6) of the **Disability Service Safeguards Act 2018** to suspend a disability student's registration;\n\n(p) an interim prohibition order made by the Victorian Disability Worker Commissioner under section 130(1) of the **Disability Service Safeguards Act 2018** prohibiting or imposing conditions upon the provision of disability services by an unregistered disability worker for a period of up to 12 weeks;\n\n(q) a prohibition order made by the Victorian Disability Worker Commissioner under section 132(1) of the **Disability Service Safeguards Act 2018** prohibiting or imposing conditions upon the provision of disability services by an unregistered disability worker for a specified period or permanently;\n\n(r) an order made by VCAT under section 213(2) of the **Disability Service Safeguards Act 2018** after making a determination referred to in section 213(1)(b) of that Act to do one or more of the following—\n\n(i) impose a condition on a disability worker's registration;\n\n(ii) suspend a disability worker's registration for a specified period;\n\n(iii) cancel a disability worker's registration;\n\nReg. 9(s) amended by S.R. No. 3/2026 reg. 7(2).\n\n(s) an order made by VCAT under section 214(2) of the **Disability Service Safeguards Act 2018** to suspend or impose a condition upon a disability student's registration;\n\nReg. 9(t) inserted by S.R. No. 3/2026 reg. 7(3), amended by S.R. No. 3/2026 reg. 8(1).\n\n(t) a finding that a person has committed reportable conduct within the meaning of Part 5A of the **Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005**;\n\nReg. 9(u) inserted by S.R. No. 3/2026 reg. 8(2).\n\n(u) a notice given by the Regulatory Authority under section 178(4)(c)(i) of the Education and Care Services National Law (Victoria) to an approved provider directing the provider to suspend the provision of education and care of children by a family day care educator;\n\nReg. 9(v) inserted by S.R. No. 3/2026 reg. 8(2).\n\n(v) a notice given by the Regulatory Authority under section 178A(1) of the Education and Care Services National Law (Victoria) to an approved provider directing the provider to suspend the provision of education and care by a staff member of an education and care service (other than a family day care educator), or by a volunteer at a service;\n\nReg. 9(w) inserted by S.R. No. 3/2026 reg. 8(2).\n\n(w) a notice given by the Regulatory Authority under section 178B(1) of the Education and Care Services National Law (Victoria) to an approved provider of an education and care service directing the provider to suspend the provision of education and care by a nominated supervisor of the service;\n\nReg. 9(x) inserted by S.R. No. 3/2026 reg. 8(2).\n\n(x) a notice given by the Regulatory Authority under section 178BA(2) of the Education and Care Services National Law (Victoria) to a person directing the person to cease providing education and care;\n\nReg. 9(y) inserted by S.R. No. 3/2026 reg. 8(2).\n\n(y) a notice given by the Regulatory Authority under section 178C(1) of the Education and Care Services National Law (Victoria) to an approved provider of an education and care service directing the provider to ensure that a staff member of the service (other than a family day care co-ordinator), or a volunteer at the service, is directly supervised while providing education and care to children as part of the service;\n\nReg. 9(z) inserted by S.R. No. 3/2026 reg. 8(2).\n\n(z) a prohibition notice given by the Regulatory Authority under section 182(4) of  the Education and Care Services National Law (Victoria) to an approved provider if a related provider of the approved provider is subject to a prohibition notice that is in force under the Education and Care Services National Law (Victoria) as applying in any participating jurisdiction.\n\n\t10 NDIS worker screening laws\n\nFor the purposes of the Act, the following are prescribed to be corresponding NDIS worker screening laws—\n\n(a) the National Disability Insurance Scheme (Worker Checks) Act 2018 of New South Wales;\n\n(b) the Disability Inclusion Act 2018 of South Australia;\n\n(c) the Registration to Work with Vulnerable People Act 2013 of Tasmania;\n\n(d) the Working with Vulnerable People (Background Checking) Act 2011 of the Australian Capital Territory;\n\n(e) the National Disability Insurance Scheme (Worker Clearance) Act 2020 of the Northern Territory;\n\n(f) the National Disability Insurance Scheme (Worker Screening) Act 2020 of Western Australia;\n\n(g) the Disability Services Act 2006 of Queensland.\n\nReg. 11 revoked by S.R. No. 3/2026 reg. 9.\n\n* * * * *\n\n\t12 Notification of change to personal particulars\n\nReg. 12(1) amended by S.R. No. 3/2026 reg. 10.\n\n(1) A person who has made an application for a screening check and the application is still pending must notify the Social Services Regulator of any change to the applicant's personal particulars within 21 days of becoming aware of the change.\n\nPenalty: 1 penalty unit.\n\nReg. 12(2) amended by S.R. No. 3/2026 reg. 10.\n\n(2) A person who holds a clearance must notify the Social Services Regulator of any change to the person's personal particulars within 21 days of becoming aware of the change.\n\nPenalty: 1 penalty unit.\n\n═════════════\n\nEndnotes\n\n1 General information\n\nSee [www.legislation.vic.gov.au](http://www.legislation.vic.gov.au) for Victorian Bills, Acts and current Versions of legislation and up-to-date legislative information.\n\nThe Worker Screening Regulations 2021, S.R. No. 2/2021 were made on 27 January 2021 by the Governor in Council under section 150 of the **Worker Screening Act 2020**, No. 34/2020 and came into operation on 1 February 2021: regulation 3.\n\nThe Worker Screening Regulations 2021 will sunset 10 years after the day of making on 27 January 2031 (see section 5 of the **Subordinate Legislation Act 1994**).\n\nINTERPRETATION OF LEGISLATION ACT 1984 (ILA)\n\nStyle changes\n\nSection 54A of the ILA authorises the making of the style changes set out in Schedule 1 to that Act.\n\nReferences to ILA s. 39B\n\nSidenotes which cite ILA s. 39B refer to section 39B of the ILA which provides that where an undivided regulation, rule or clause of a Schedule is amended by the insertion of one or more subregulations, subrules or subclauses the original regulation, rule or clause becomes subregulation, subrule or subclause (1) and is amended by the insertion of the expression \"(1)\" at the beginning of the original regulation, rule or clause.\n\nInterpretation\n\nAs from 1 January 2001, amendments to section 36 of the ILA have the following effects:\n\n• Headings\n\nAll headings included in a Statutory Rule which is made on or after  \n1 January 2001 form part of that Statutory Rule. Any heading inserted in a Statutory Rule which was made before 1 January 2001, by a Statutory Rule made on or after 1 January 2001, forms part of that Statutory Rule.  \nThis includes headings to Parts, Divisions or Subdivisions in a Schedule; Orders; Parts into which an Order is divided; clauses; regulations; rules; items; tables; columns; examples; diagrams; notes or forms.  \nSee section 36(1A)(2A)(2B).\n\n• Examples, diagrams or notes\n\nAll examples, diagrams or notes included in a Statutory Rule which is made on or after 1 January 2001 form part of that Statutory Rule. Any examples, diagrams or notes inserted in a Statutory Rule which was made before 1 January 2001, by a Statutory Rule made on or after 1 January 2001, form part of that Statutory Rule. See section 36(3A).\n\n• Punctuation\n\nAll punctuation included in a Statutory Rule which is made on or after  \n1 January 2001 forms part of that Statutory Rule. Any punctuation inserted in a Statutory Rule which was made before 1 January 2001, by a Statutory Rule made on or after 1 January 2001, forms part of that Statutory Rule.  \nSee section 36(3B).\n\n• Provision numbers\n\nAll provision numbers included in a Statutory Rule form part of that Statutory Rule, whether inserted in the Statutory Rule before, on or after  \n1 January 2001. Provision numbers include regulation numbers, rule numbers, subregulation numbers, subrule numbers, paragraphs and subparagraphs. See section 36(3C).\n\n• Location of \"legislative items\"\n\nA \"legislative item\" is a penalty, an example or a note. As from 13 October 2004, a legislative item relating to a provision of a Statutory Rule is taken to be at the foot of that provision even if it is preceded or followed by another legislative item that relates to that provision. For example, if a penalty at the foot of a provision is followed by a note, both of these legislative items will be regarded as being at the foot of that provision. See section 36B.\n\n• Other material\n\nAny explanatory memorandum, table of provisions, endnotes, index and other material printed after the Endnotes does not form part of a Statutory Rule. See section 36(3)(3D)(3E).\n\n2 Table of Amendments\n\nThis publication incorporates amendments made to the Worker Screening Regulations 2021 by statutory rules, subordinate instruments and Acts.\n\n–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––\n\nWorker Screening Amendment (Risk of Harm to Children) Regulations 2025, S.R. No. 71/2025\n\n| *Date of Making:* | 29.7.25 |\n| --- | --- |\n| *Date of Commencement:* | 29.7.25 |\n\n\nWorker Screening Amendment Regulations 2026, S.R. No. 3/2026\n\n| *Date of Making:* | 3.2.26 |\n| --- | --- |\n| *Date of Commencement:* | Regs 5, 6, 9, 10 on 9.2.26: reg. 3(1); reg. 7 on 23.2.26: reg. 3(2); reg. 8 on 27.2.26: reg. 3(3) |\n\n\n–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––\n\n3 Explanatory details\n\n1. Reg. 4(a): S.R. No. 9/2016 as amended by S.R. No. 59/2017. [↑](#endnote-ref-1)\n\n2. Reg. 4(b): S.R. No. 59/2017.\n\n  ——\n\n  **Fee Units**\n\n  These Regulations provide for fees by reference to fee units within the meaning of the **Monetary Units Act 2004**.\n\n  The amount of the fee is to be calculated, in accordance with section 7 of that Act, by multiplying the number of fee units applicable by the value of a fee unit.\n\n  The value of a fee unit for the financial year commencing 1 July 2025 is $16.81. The amount of the calculated fee may be rounded to the nearest 10 cents.\n\n  The value of a fee unit for future financial years is to be fixed by the Treasurer under section 5 of the **Monetary Units Act 2004**. The value of a fee unit for a financial year must be published in the Government Gazette and a Victorian newspaper before 1 June in the preceding financial year.\n\n  **Penalty Units**\n\n  These Regulations provide for penalties by reference to penalty units within the meaning of section 110 of the **Sentencing Act 1991**. The amount of the penalty is to be calculated, in accordance with section 7 of the **Monetary Units Act 2004**, by multiplying the number of penalty units applicable by the value of a penalty unit.\n\n  The value of a penalty unit for the financial year commencing 1 July 2025 is $203.51. The amount of the calculated penalty may be rounded to the nearest dollar.\n\n  The value of a penalty unit for future financial years is to be fixed by the Treasurer under section 5 of the **Monetary Units Act 2004**. The value of a penalty unit for a financial year must be published in the Government Gazette and a Victorian newspaper before 1 June in the preceding financial year. [↑](#endnote-ref-2)","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"Unauthenticated. Configure AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY or use a provider module. Learn more: https://ai-sdk.dev/unauthenticated-ai-gateway","source":"analysis-cron"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The regulations have expanded significantly beyond the original 2021 version. The 2025 and 2026 amendments added numerous new entities (Disability Worker Registration Board, Health Panels, WCES Panels, Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority) and substantially expanded the list of 'relevant disciplinary or regulatory findings' from a handful to 26 distinct categories. The 2026 amendments also introduced new notification offences and expanded reportable conduct findings. What began as a relatively straightforward fee-setting and entity-listing instrument has grown into a comprehensive cross-referencing mechanism capturing disciplinary actions from at least 6 different regulatory regimes (teaching, childcare, disability services, social services, NDIS, and children's services)."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple cross-references to other Acts (Worker Screening Act 2020, Social Services Regulation Act 2021, Disability Service Safeguards Act 2018, Education and Training Reform Act 2006, etc.)","Fee calculation requires external lookup (fee units under Monetary Units Act 2004, requiring annual Gazette publication)","Penalty calculation requires external lookup (penalty units under Sentencing Act 1991)","26 distinct disciplinary/regulatory findings listed in Regulation 9 with specific section references to multiple parent Acts","15 different disciplinary/regulatory entities prescribed in Regulation 8","Nested temporal conditions (e.g., references to provisions 'as in force immediately before commencement of section X')","Dual notification offences (pending applicants vs. clearance holders) with identical penalties but distinct factual triggers"],"plain_english_summary":"These regulations set the rules for background checks on people who work with vulnerable groups in Victoria—specifically children and people with disabilities.\n\n**What it does:**\n- **Sets fees** for applications to get a Working with Children (WWC) check or an NDIS worker screening check. Fees are calculated in \"fee units\" (a dollar amount set by the government each year—currently about $16.81 per unit). For example, a standard NDIS check costs 8.06 fee units (roughly $135).\n- **Allows fee relief**: The Social Services Regulator can reduce, waive, or refund these fees for people who can't afford them.\n- **Lists \"red flag\" bodies**: It names government agencies and professional boards whose disciplinary decisions count against you in a background check. These include the Commission for Children and Young People, teaching regulators, disability worker boards, and VCAT.\n- **Defines serious findings**: It spells out exactly what kind of trouble gets reported—things like being suspended as a teacher, getting kicked out of disability work, being found to have harmed a child, or being banned from childcare.\n- **Recognises other states' checks**: It lists which other Australian states and territories have equivalent NDIS worker screening laws, so clearances can work across borders.\n- **Requires you to keep details updated**: If you apply for a check or hold a clearance, you must tell the regulator within 21 days if your name, address, phone number, or email changes. Breaking this rule is a criminal offence (1 penalty unit, currently about $203).\n\n**Who it affects:**\n- Anyone applying to work with children or people with disabilities in Victoria.\n- Employers in childcare, schools, disability services, and NDIS providers.\n- The Social Services Regulator, who runs the screening system.\n\n**Why it matters:**\nThese rules create the practical machinery for Victoria's worker screening system. They decide who pays what, whose disciplinary history gets looked at, and what behaviour will block someone from getting clearance to work with vulnerable people. The 21-day notification rule means applicants and clearance holders have a legal duty to keep their contact details current—or face a fine."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":6,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The instrument has been expanded since original making. Amendments (S.R. No. 71/2025 and S.R. No. 3/2026) add new prescribed entities, panels and numerous specified disciplinary findings (see regs 5, 8 and 9) and adjust fee and notification provisions. Those changes broaden which findings and bodies can affect clearances and add definitional detail, increasing the Regulations' reach beyond the 1 February 2021 version described in reg 1."},"complexity_factors":["Extensive cross-references to multiple external Acts and bodies (see regs 5, 8, 9, 10) which require users to consult other statutes to understand effect.","Detailed, nested catalogue of prescribed disciplinary/regulatory findings with many subclauses and specific statutory triggers (reg 9).","Discretionary administrative power to reduce, waive or refund fees vested in the Social Services Regulator (reg 7) — creates case-by-case variability.","Fee schedule expressed in fee units and linked to Treasurer-set values, introducing variable monetary amounts across years (reg 6; Explanatory details).","Criminal/penalty element for notification failures with monetary calculation by penalty units (reg 12; Explanatory details on penalty unit value).","Multiple amendments over time that alter definitions, add entities and findings (Table of Amendments; S.R. No. 71/2025; S.R. No. 3/2026), complicating historical comparison.","Inter-jurisdictional recognition of corresponding NDIS laws (reg 10) requiring cross-jurisdictional legal alignment for screening outcomes.","Revocation of predecessor regulations (reg 4) and insertion of many new defined terms (reg 5) affecting interpretation and scope."],"plain_english_summary":"These Regulations set the practical rules for worker screening under the Worker Screening Act 2020: they fix application fees (paid by applicants), allow the Social Services Regulator to reduce, waive or refund those fees, prescribe which disciplinary or regulatory bodies and findings affect clearance decisions, and require applicants and clearance-holders to notify changes to personal particulars within 21 days (penalty: 1 penalty unit). Mechanically, the instrument shifts direct costs and a short statutory compliance duty onto applicants while giving the Regulator targeted administrative discretion over fee relief and processing."},"summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Insufficient content was provided to assess whether the scope of this regulation changed from its original intent. The document contains only version history and legislative metadata, with no substantive provisions available for comparison."},"complexity_factors":["The document provided contains only metadata, version history, and structural headers — no substantive regulatory content was included","Unable to assess true complexity without the actual provisions of the regulations","Worker screening frameworks can involve cross-jurisdictional elements (state and federal interaction) which can add complexity in practice","Score of 2 reflects the minimal content available for analysis, not necessarily the complexity of the full instrument"],"plain_english_summary":"These regulations set out the practical rules for screening workers who will work with vulnerable people (children, people with disabilities, aged care), specifying how background checks, applications, fees, timeframes and administration are handled. They affect workers, employers who must verify clearances, and screening authorities, and matter because lacking a valid clearance can bar work and expose employers to penalties.\n\nNote: only metadata/version history was provided; this summary is based on typical content."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/worker-screening-regulations-2021","history":"/api/acts/worker-screening-regulations-2021/history","analysis":"/api/acts/worker-screening-regulations-2021/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/worker-screening-regulations-2021/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/worker-screening-regulations-2021/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/worker-screening-regulations-2021/documents"}}