What is changing for CHSP screening from 1 July 2025?

From 1 July 2025, CHSP providers will face tighter rules on worker checks. Right now, providers only need to make sure workers don’t have certain serious offences like murder or sexual assault. After July, your staff need to get a police check against the same offence list already used in the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program (NATSIFACP).

The government is making this change to close gaps between aged care and disability worker screening. It also sets the stage for a new national aged care worker screening system, planned for 2026, which will line up more closely with the NDIS Worker Screening Check.

Which checks are accepted today, and what stays the same?‍

Two checks are still counted. You can accept either:

• A national police certificate that’s less than 3 years old and shows no precluding offences, or
• A valid NDIS Worker Screening Check (clearance).
  

What doesn’t change on 1 July 2025:

• The two-check pathway remains. Police certificate or NDIS Worker Screening. The validity periods stay the same: renew police every 3 years and NDIS Worker Screening every 5 years—before expiry.
• If a police certificate “expires” after 1 July 2025 but before the new screening system starts in 2026, the worker must get a new police certificate for re-assessment.
• A recorded conviction for murder, sexual assault, or imprisonment for any other assault still stops a person from working for a registered provider.
• Immediate notification is still required. Workers and responsible persons must tell you right away if they’re charged with listed offences, or if their NDIS clearance is suspended or cancelled—so you can reassess.
  

If you deliver both NDIS and CHSP, nothing changes about holding one of these two checks and keeping them valid. What changes in 2025 is the offence list you assess against for CHSP roles, not the types of checks you can accept.

Which offences will stop staff working for CHSP after 1 July 2025?

From 1 July 2025, CHSP will use the same offence list as the NATSIFACP program. That means a person cannot work for a CHSP provider if any of the following apply.

• Conviction for an offence involving the death of a person.
• In the past 5 years, a conviction with a prison sentence of 12 months or more for any of:
  • A sex-related offence (including sexual assault, whether against an adult or a child)
  • Child pornography offences
  • An indecent act involving a child
  • A dishonesty offence that is not minor.
  
  

‍Who does this apply to? New starters from 1 July 2025 and existing workers who renew their police certificate on or after that date.

If someone is charged with one of these offences after you’ve assessed their certificate, they must tell you immediately; depending on the outcome, they may no longer be able to work in the sector.

Who needs new CHSP screening?

Yes. Everyone who works for you must be screened, and that includes “responsible persons” such as your CEO and board members. You must keep either a current police certificate or a valid NDIS Worker Screening Check for each person.

Who must be screened?

• All staff who are likely to have access to care recipients (supervised or not) need a police certificate that’s no more than 3 years old.
• Volunteers with unsupervised access to care recipients also need a police certificate.
• Key responsible persons like the CEO and board members must be screened, with the same obligation as workers.
• Contractors working under your control are treated like staff for screening—build screening duties into your contracts and keep evidence. If a contractor is truly independent, you still have a duty to supervise them appropriately.
  

If you are a registered NDIS provider, Anyone in a risk-assessed role (this includes key personnel like the CEO/board) must hold a valid NDIS Worker Screening clearance. You can rely on that clearance in place of a police certificate for aged care.

What must a police certificate for aged care show?

A valid police certificate must be a nationwide criminal-history check and clearly identify the person.

What the certificate must show:

• It must be a National Police Certificate (NPC) from AFP or state/territory police, or a National Police History Check (NPHC) from an ACIC-accredited organisation.
• It must record the full name and date of birth, the date of issue, and a reference number (printed or electronic format is fine).
• You must be satisfied that the certificate is genuine and issued by the police/ACIC or an ACIC-accredited body. Keep evidence of your check.
• Best practice: ask for the check for the purpose of aged care (other national checks generally still meet the requirement).
• The certificate may disclose convictions, findings of guilt without conviction, and pending charges, subject to spent conviction rules.
  
  

How to assess it (simple, defensible steps)

Rule out automatic bars (precluding offences): If the certificate shows a conviction for murder or sexual assault, or a conviction with a prison sentence for any other form of assault, the person must not work or volunteer in Commonwealth-subsidised aged care. Record your decision.

If other offences appear, do a risk assessment: Make a documented, job-related call using these factors:

• Access: how close the role is to care recipients, their homes, belongings, and records; supervision level; setting (home, community, residential).
• Relevance: link between the offence and the inherent requirements of the job.
• Proportionality and timing: seriousness and how long ago it occurred.
• Employment history & references since the offence.
• Individual factors: treatment/rehab reports, references, attitude to behaviour.
• Pattern, likelihood, consequences: is it isolated, how likely is recurrence, and what could happen if it did? Consider duty modifications to reduce risk.
  

Document, sight, and store properly.

• Write down the decision, date, reasons, and who was involved—so an auditor can follow your logic.
• Sight the original or a certified copy, record the reference number, and keep it on file. Maintain a register with reference numbers/IDs and expiry dates.
• Handle all records in line with the Privacy Act 1988 and your internal privacy controls.
  

Renewal and practical tip: Police certificates must be renewed every 3 years—before they expire. If you can’t assess a certificate (e.g., it’s unclear or incomplete), ask for a new one.

Keep track of your worker screening effectively with Pnyx

Using the Pnyx Quality Management System puts all your staff clearances in one secure place. Here are the benefits you get:

• Keep track of the check type, issue date, and expiry date for every worker in one register.
• Schedule reminders so no clearance slips past its expiry.
• Let staff upload the original or certified copy of their clearance, so verified documents are always ready for audit.
• Store the NDIS Worker Screening ID, issue/expiry, and your verification evidence, so you’re always ready when audits come.
  

If you want to learn more about Aged Care QMS, call us now at +61 2 8378 1818 or book a demo so we can walk you through the system.

FAQ

1. Do CHSP workers still need a police check after 1 July 2025 if they already have an NDIS Worker Screening?

No. A valid NDIS Worker Screening Check is still accepted as an alternative to a police certificate for CHSP. If a worker already holds an NDIS clearance, you don’t need to ask them for a separate police check. Just make sure their clearance is current (valid up to 5 years) and keep the details in your register.

2. What happens if a worker’s clearance expires after 1 July 2025?

If a police certificate expires, the worker must get a new certificate before continuing in their role. For renewals after 1 July 2025, the stricter NATSIFACP offence list will apply. If the worker holds an NDIS Worker Screening, you just need to ensure it’s renewed on time (every 5 years).

3. Do board members and executives also need to be screened?

Yes. The screening rules apply not only to frontline staff but also to responsible persons—this includes the CEO and board members. Every person in your organisation who has authority or unsupervised access to clients must hold a valid police certificate or NDIS Worker Screening clearance.