NDIS Worker Screening Policy Example (Filled-In Sample)

Why SIL Providers Must Have a Written Worker Screening Policy

Under the NDIS (Procedural Rules — Worker Screening) Rules 2018 and the strengthened NDIS Practice Standards (effective 2026), every registered NDIS provider must have a documented policy governing how they screen, verify, and maintain records of worker clearances. For Supported Independent Living (SIL) providers, where workers deliver personalised support in participants' homes, this obligation carries heightened weight: inadequate screening is one of the most commonly cited non-conformances at re-registration audits.

The policy is not just a checkbox. It creates the internal accountability chain — from the board or executive, to HR, to frontline supervisors — that ensures no worker commences participant-facing duties before their clearance status is confirmed and recorded.

What the NDIS Commission Expects to See

An approved quality auditor reviewing your worker screening policy under the Core Module of the NDIS Practice Standards will look for evidence of the following elements:

• A clear statement of which roles require an NDIS Worker Screening Check (versus an equivalent state-based Working with Children Check or police check, where applicable).
• The process for verifying a clearance before a worker commences duties — including how verification is recorded.
• How the provider monitors ongoing clearance status (the NDIS Worker Screening Database is updated in real time when a clearance is revoked or suspended).
• What happens when a worker's clearance is revoked, suspended, or expires — including immediate-removal-from-duties and notification obligations.
• Responsibility assignment: who is accountable for each step (HR Manager, Practice Leader, Team Leader).
• Record-retention requirements aligned with NDIS Commission guidance.
• A review cycle, typically annual or triggered by legislative change.

Filled-In Policy Sample: NDIS Worker Screening

The following is a realistic example of a completed worker screening policy for a fictitious SIL provider, Clearpath Support Services Pty Ltd. Adapt it to your organisation's name, structure, and state/territory context.

1. Purpose

This policy establishes the requirements for NDIS Worker Screening at Clearpath Support Services Pty Ltd. It ensures that all workers engaged in roles with more than incidental contact with NDIS participants hold a valid NDIS Worker Screening Check clearance prior to commencing duties and maintain that clearance throughout their engagement.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all employees, contractors, volunteers, and labour-hire workers engaged by Clearpath Support Services, whether in permanent, casual, or fixed-term arrangements.

3. Roles Requiring an NDIS Worker Screening Check

The following roles are classified as risk-assessed roles under the NDIS (Procedural Rules — Worker Screening) Rules 2018 and require a clearance before any participant contact:

• Support Worker (SIL, community access, personal care)
• Team Leader / Shift Supervisor
• Practice Leader
• Behaviour Support Practitioner
• Allied Health professionals engaged by the organisation
• Any other role where the worker will have more than incidental contact with a participant

Administrative and corporate roles with no direct participant contact are not required to hold a clearance but may be required to hold a National Police Check at the discretion of the People and Culture Manager.

4. Pre-Commencement Verification Procedure

1. The hiring manager notifies the People and Culture Manager of any new engagement in a risk-assessed role at least five business days before the proposed start date.
2. The People and Culture Manager requests the worker's NDIS Worker Screening Check clearance number and verifies it in real time against the NDIS Worker Screening Database before the first day of duties.
3. The clearance number, clearance status (Active), and verification date are recorded in the HR system (Employment Hero) and the worker's personnel file.
4. If a clearance cannot be verified, the worker must not commence participant-facing duties until verification is confirmed. The worker may be engaged in back-of-house tasks only, at the discretion of the CEO.
5. An interim arrangement (in alignment with state/territory rules) may apply for workers who have applied for a clearance but have not yet received a decision, only where permitted by the relevant state screener and only for the maximum permitted interim period.

5. Ongoing Monitoring

The People and Culture Manager is responsible for monitoring the NDIS Worker Screening Database at least monthly to check for any changes in clearance status (suspended, revoked, or expired) for current workers. Automatic notifications from the database, where enabled, are treated as triggering an immediate review.

If a worker's clearance is revoked or suspended:

1. The worker is immediately removed from all participant-facing duties.
2. The CEO and the relevant Team Leader are notified within two hours of the discovery.
3. The matter is reviewed by the CEO to determine ongoing employment status in accordance with the organisation's HR policies and applicable industrial instruments.
4. Where required, the incident is reported to the NDIS Commission in accordance with the organisation's Incident Management Policy (HR-007).

6. Record-Keeping

Clearpath Support Services retains records of each worker's clearance verification for a minimum period aligned with NDIS Commission guidance on record retention. Records are stored securely in Employment Hero (access restricted to People and Culture Manager and CEO) and are available for inspection by an approved quality auditor on request.

7. Responsibility Matrix

8. Policy Breaches

Any worker found to have commenced or continued participant-facing duties without a valid clearance, or any manager who knowingly permitted this to occur, may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment or engagement. Clearpath Support Services will also consider its notification obligations to the NDIS Commission where a breach has occurred.

Common Gaps Auditors Find in Worker Screening Policies

Based on the NDIS Commission's published audit findings and sector guidance, the most frequent non-conformances in worker screening policies are:

• No documented verification step: The policy states workers must hold a clearance but does not describe how verification is performed or recorded.
• No process for revocation/suspension: Many policies cover pre-commencement but are silent on what happens if a clearance is withdrawn mid-engagement.
• Interim arrangements not defined: Providers allow workers to commence under an interim arrangement without documenting the permitted period or state-territory rules governing it.
• Responsibility not assigned: The policy uses passive voice ("clearances must be verified") without naming an accountable role.
• Out-of-date policy: Policies referencing superseded state-based checks rather than the NDIS Worker Screening Check, particularly for providers that have not updated documents since national harmonisation.

How This Policy Connects to Other Compliance Documents

Your worker screening policy does not stand alone. It should cross-reference your Incident Management Policy, Complaints Management Policy, and your Code of Conduct — all of which are required under the NDIS Practice Standards. Auditors look for a coherent, internally consistent document set, not isolated policies.

If your organisation is preparing for registration or re-registration audit and needs a complete, audit-ready document suite, the 74-document SIL compliance kit at ndiscompliant.com.au covers all Core Module and SIL-specific Standard requirements, including the worker screening policy template used as the basis for the example above.

Quick Implementation Checklist

• Policy names all risk-assessed roles at your organisation
• Pre-commencement verification step is documented with a named accountable person
• NDIS Worker Screening Database is the verification source (not self-declaration alone)
• Revocation/suspension response procedure is documented
• Record retention approach is documented and aligns with Commission guidance
• Policy has an annual review date and a named policy owner
• Policy is cross-referenced with your Incident Management and HR policies