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Do I need to register to work with vulnerable people?

You may need to apply for registration if you:

  • are 16 years of age and over
  • work or volunteer with children (that is, anyone under 18 years of age)
  • would be expected to have more than incidental contact with children as a normal part of your duties
  • provide supports and services to a person with a disability under the NDIS in Tasmania

Examples of roles that are likely to require registration in child related sectors are listed below. Exemptions apply in certain circumstances. See exemptions from registration for more information.

For information on providing supports and services to a person with a disability under the NDIS in Tasmania, see Registration to Work with Vulnerable People and the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Worker Screening.

An employer or volunteer organisation may also require a person to be registered.

For the legal definitions of each regulated activity, see the Registration to Work with Vulnerable People Regulations 2014.

Education

Teachers

Registration is required in order for a person to maintain the status of Registered Teacher or Limited Authority to Teach under the Teachers Registration Act 2000.

Child education service (Government Schools)

Examples of roles where registration is likely to be required:

  • volunteer members of the parent management committee
  • school health staff
  • all office employees
  • mentors and tutors
  • instructors or leaders of after-school activity programs organised in conjunction with the school for its students and that take place at the school or its oval
  • TAFE lecturers who have contact with children as part of their usual duties
  • non-teaching staff who work with children (e.g. parent help)
  • canteen or tuck-shop staff who have contact with children
  • school-crossing services
  • gardeners, cleaners, cooks and Education Facility Attendants
  • school bus drivers.

Child education service (Non-Government Schools)

Examples of roles where registration is likely to be required:

  • all office staff at a school
  • school health staff
  • staff and volunteers that assist with the canteen, uniform shop, library or school administration
  • non-teaching staff who work with children (e.g. parent help)
  • instructors or leaders of after-school activity programs organised in conjunction with the school for its students and that take place at the school or its oval
  • gardeners, cleaners, cooks (utility officers) etc. whose employment is at the institution
  • canteen or tuck shop staff who have contact with children
  • school boards, councils, or committees (includes parents and friends committees)
  • mentors and tutors
  • staff or volunteers that assist with sacramental programs
  • staff or volunteers that assist with billeting of students
  • school bus drivers.

Vocational education and training service

Examples of roles where registration is likely to be required:

  • Registered Training Organisations and other private providers staff who have contact with children as part of their usual duties
  • non-teaching staff who work with children
  • gardeners, cleaners, cooks etc. whose employment is at the institution and who do their work while children are likely to be present and contact with a child occurs as part of their usual duties.

State library service

Registration is required by people that work or volunteer in a State Library Service as defined in the Libraries Act 1984.

Child and youth services

Adoption service

Registration is required for people providing an adoption service for a child under the Adoption Act 1988.

Guardianship service

Registration is required for any custodian to a non-citizen child under the Immigration (Guardianship of Children) Act 1946 of the Commonwealth.

Child protection service

Examples of roles where registration is likely to be required:

  • a kinship carer
  • a foster carer
  • a person working with children in a residential care service
  • a person providing for respite, refuge, shelter or other temporary accommodation facilities used by a child at risk as defined by the Act and in out of home care
  • a family group conference facilitator
  • a person administering, or exercising a function under, the Act including carer approval
  • front line staff of Children and Youth Services (DHHS) providing or contributing to a service or activity such as intake assessment, case management trauma informed counselling, leaving care support or service, reunification support or service
  • members of the board of management, or a committee, of the organisation or other body providing services/activities if they are in direct contact with children
  • people employed by a family-based service provider and/or residential care service provider who do their work while children are likely to be present and contact with children occurs as part of their usual duties such as students on placement, gardeners, cleaners, cooks and others
  • mentoring and/or advocacy services and programs run by employees/volunteers for children.

Child accommodation service

Examples of roles where registration is likely to be required:

  • residential accommodation for children (i.e. school boarding house workers who have contact with a child as part of their usual duties)
  • camp caretakers whose usual duties involve contact with a child
  • country school hostel workers who have contact with a child as part of their usual duties
  • youth refuge workers
  • persons who provide accommodation and care for exchange students under 18 years of age
  • persons providing home billeting to children under 18 years of age
  • staff and volunteers of overnight camps for children.

Child mentoring service (includes youth worker service)

Registration is required where an emotional support, mentoring or pastoral care service is conducted specifically for, or provided only or mainly to children.

Child health program and child health service

Examples of roles where registration is likely to be required:

  • child health nurse
  • school health nurse
  • a service provided to a child at a child health centre
  • speech pathologists, occupational therapists who as part of their services provide counselling to assist children to emotionally manage their conditions.

Child disability service

Examples of roles where registration is likely to be required:

  • an activity or service that provides home help, home maintenance or modification, personal care, food services, assessment or referral of support needs, information services, coordination or employment services to children with a disability
  • an activity or service provided in association with the use of premises for the care, treatment or accommodation of children with a disability.

Youth justice service

Examples of roles where registration is likely to be required:

  • a counselor, a support worker, and/or a driver transporting children to and from, the Ashley Youth Detention Centre and/or other approved places of custody
  • a worker routinely contacting a child detained at a prison (within the meaning of the Corrections Act 1997)
  • a person providing a service or activity to a child who is the subject of an Order under the Act
  • a person administering, or exercising a function under, the Act and front line staff of Children and Youth Services (DHHS) who provide or contribute to a service or activity under the Act
  • a member of the board of management, or a committee, of the organisation or other body providing services/activities under the Act or to a child who is the subject of an Order under the Act, if they are in direct contact with children
  • students on placement, gardeners, cleaners, cooks and others who are employed by a custodial facility for children who do their work while children are likely to be present and contact with children occurs as part of their usual duties
  • employees/volunteers involved in mentoring and/or advocacy services for children who work directly with children who are the subject of an Order under the Act.

Child transport service

Child transport service includes all public passenger vehicle ancillary certificate holders.

Examples of roles where registration is likely to be required:

  • school bus services
  • all holders of an Ancillary Certificate to drive a Public Passenger Vehicle
  • school-crossing service (school crossing patrol officer)
  • a person (who is not a parent of a child at the school) who volunteers as a school crossing attendant
  • drivers of a children’s party limo
  • private coach hire services that service schools on school excursions and camps
  • parents of a child at the school who volunteer as a school crossing attendant.

Child care service

Examples of roles where registration is likely to be required:

  • managerial officers
  • individual licensees
  • child care workers
  • nanny services and other child minding services
  • babysitting services (unless the services are provided under a private arrangement)
  • au pair work (if children are involved)
  • nominated supervising officers
  • students on placement over 18 years of age
  • gardeners, cleaners, cooks etc. (employed at the child care centre and likely to be in contact with children)
  • self-employed people or their employees who attend a centre to provide classes to children.

Child-related religious activity

Examples of roles where registration is likely to be required:

  • religious leaders including Ministers of Religion, Chaplains, Rabbis, Priests, Muftis, Acolytes and other like religious leaders or spiritual officers where the usual duties of these leaders involves contact with children
  • adults who volunteer their services for Sunday school, church youth activities, children’s religious story-telling
  • adults engaged in any other role in the organisation involving activities primarily related to children, including youth groups, youth camps, teaching children and child care
  • adults that deliver children’s religious story telling.

Club or association activity

Examples of roles where registration is likely to be required:

  • sports coaches, team managers and committee members for a club that primarily involves the participation of children
  • playgroup facilitators and staff
  • member protection information officers
  • guides and scout leaders
  • committee members or members of a board of management or similar
  • track officials
  • first aid officers.

Coaching or tuition service

Coaching or tuition service means a service involving coaching or tutoring children including, but not limited to, coaching and tutoring in a sport, driving, signing, a musical instrument, dance or educational matters

Examples of roles where registration is likely to be required:

  • private coaches and tutors for children (including private sports coaches)
  • driving instructors who teach children under 18 years of age
  • music, dance school teachers or educational tutors for children.

Legal practitioner

Registration is required by people that work or volunteer in a child legal service (an activity conducted specifically for, or a service provided specifically to, a child by a separate representative or an independent children's lawyer).

Child-related commercial service

Examples of roles where registration is likely to be required:

  • adults that work at sporting, cultural or other entertainment venues where the services, activities or entertainment is provided on a commercial basis primarily for children
  • individual workers in agencies that provide employment agency services to children
  • adults that provide entertainment services primarily for children on a commercial basis
  • adults providing an entertainment or party service
  • adults providing a gym or play facility
  • adults providing a photography service
  • adults running a talent or beauty competition
  • magicians/clowns who provide public entertainment services specifically for children if they have physical contact with children
  • animal farm shows that visit schools or provide private children’s parties
  • Santa and Santa's helpers (for example elves) and the children’s photographer when they have physical contact with a child.

Related links

Last updated: 11 Aug 2023

This page has been produced and published by the Consumer Building and Occupational Services Division of the Department of Justice. Although every care has been taken in production, no responsibility is accepted for the accuracy, completeness, or relevance to the user's purpose of the information. Those using it for whatever purpose are advised to verify it with the relevant government department, local government body or other source and to obtain any appropriate professional advice. The Crown, its officers, employees and agents do not accept liability however arising, including liability for negligence, for any loss resulting from the use of or reliance upon the information and/or reliance on its availability at any time.