The key difference
Aged care providers must ensure their workers hold a current National Police Check before rostering them for aged care services. This is the primary screening requirement under the aged care framework.
The NDIS Worker Screening Check is a separate credential administered under the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Framework. It is required for workers delivering NDIS-funded supports. It is not required for aged care workers, and holding one does not satisfy the aged care screening obligation.
Common mistake: Some providers operating across both sectors require all workers to obtain an NDIS Worker Screening Check. For workers delivering aged care only, this is incorrect. It adds cost and processing time without satisfying the aged care requirement. The NDIS check does not replace the National Police Check for aged care purposes.
What each check covers
| National Police Check | NDIS Worker Screening Check | |
|---|---|---|
| Required for | Aged care workers | NDIS workers |
| Administered by | Australian Federal Police / state police | State/territory screening units |
| Scope | Criminal history nationally | Criminal history + conduct assessment |
| Renewal | Check current aged care regulations (typically 3 years) | 5 years (or clearance expires) |
| Cost (approx.) | ~$42–$65 (varies by state) | ~$80–$120 (varies by state) |
| Portability | Not portable between employers | Portable — clearance follows the worker |
Costs and renewal periods are indicative and subject to change. Check current aged care regulations and your state or territory screening authority for definitive requirements.
Dual-sector workers: who needs what
A worker who delivers both NDIS-funded and aged care-funded shifts needs both credentials. There is no substitution:
NDIS shifts
Require a current NDIS Worker Screening Check. The worker must hold a valid clearance number. The clearance is portable and remains valid across employers for its 5-year term.
Aged care shifts
Require a current National Police Check. This check is not portable between employers. When a worker moves to a new organisation, a fresh check is typically required.
Holding an NDIS Worker Screening Check does not satisfy the aged care police check requirement. Holding a National Police Check does not satisfy the NDIS worker screening requirement. For dual-sector workers, both must be current.
What your software needs to track
Managing worker screening compliance manually is error-prone. The operational requirements are:
Police check expiry dates
Each worker's National Police Check has a validity period. Your system should record the check date and surface a warning before it expires so you can prompt renewal before the worker becomes non-compliant.
NDIS clearance numbers and expiry
For dual-sector workers, the NDIS Worker Screening clearance number and expiry date must also be recorded. A worker whose NDIS clearance has lapsed cannot be rostered for NDIS shifts, even if their police check is current.
Automatic rostering blocks
When a check lapses, the system should prevent that worker from being rostered for the relevant service type. A notification that fires after the expiry is too late; the risk window is the period between expiry and your team noticing.
Sector-specific alerts
Not every worker needs both checks. Your alerts should be targeted: only surface NDIS screening warnings for workers delivering NDIS shifts, and only surface police check warnings for workers delivering aged care shifts.
Make your onboarding process sector-specific
Providers who operate across both sectors need an onboarding checklist that distinguishes between roles. A worker who will only ever deliver aged care services should not be directed to obtain an NDIS Worker Screening Check. A worker who will cover shifts in both sectors needs both.
The practical risk of getting this wrong runs in both directions:
Under-screening risk: Rostering an aged care worker without a current National Police Check creates a compliance breach under the Aged Care Act 2024 and the Strengthened Quality Standards.
Over-screening cost: Requiring aged care workers to obtain an NDIS Worker Screening Check when they do not need one adds cost (~$80-$120 per worker) and delays onboarding without providing any compliance benefit for their aged care role.