Upcoming changes to the blue card system for registered teachers and police officers
From 1 July 2010, a new exemption will apply to police officers and registered teachers in Queensland under the blue card system.
Police officers and registered teachers currently do not require a blue card for duties that relate to their role, but are required to hold a blue card for activities that fall outside of this, such as volunteering at a sporting club or community group.
From July, they will no longer apply for a blue card and must instead apply to the Commission for an exemption card.
Some of the benefits for registered teachers and police officers are:
- There is no fee to apply for an exemption card.
- Exemption cards have no expiry date and you do not need to reapply.
- Exemption cards are transferrable so you can use it for all types of child-related work, including volunteering or running your own business.
| I am a… | What do I do? |
|---|---|
| Registered teacher working in a school or boarding facility | You do not need to apply for an exemption notice. |
| Registered teacher who provides any other services to children such as private tutoring, working in a child care centre or volunteering at a sporting or community group. | You need to apply for an exemption notice. Please note, if you already hold a current blue card, you can continue to use it until its expiry date. |
| Police officer who interacts with children as part of my role as a police officer, but doesn’t do any additional work with children. | You do not need to apply for an exemption notice. |
| Police officer who provides any other services to children such as private tutoring or volunteering at a sporting or community group. | You need to apply for an exemption notice. Please note, if you already hold a current blue card, you can continue to use it until its expiry date. |
The Commission is liaising with the Queensland Police Service and College of Teachers to implement this change and is in the process of creating specific application forms and resources for registered teachers and police officers.
