The Importance of Ongoing Credential Screening

Ensuring compliance & safety is an ongoing responsibility for organisations in the care sector.

For organisations working with children, the elderly, or people with disabilities, maintaining rigorous credential checks is a regulatory requirement and a social responsibility. But these checks cannot be a one-off procedure. Ongoing credential screening is crucial to ensure that workers continue to meet the necessary standards over time.

Why Ongoing Screening?

Ongoing credential screening involves regularly re-verifying the registrations and right-to-work credentials for workers in care roles.

This process is essential for the protection of vulnerable people, as it ensures employees remain fit to work throughout tenure.

One-time checks upon hire, while necessary, are not enough.

A worker’s situation may change after their initial screening, potentially through expired licenses, disqualifying criminal offenses, or lapsed certifications. In these situations, employers need to be aware immediately to take appropriate action and mitigate risks for the organisation and the people.

Legislation: What’s Required?

Across Australia, legislative requirements underscore the importance of continued monitoring. Each state has its own regulations and frameworks governing who can work in sectors such as childcare, disability services, aged care, and healthcare.
For example:

• Working with Children Checks (WWCC): In states like New South Wales and Victoria, workers and volunteers in child-related sectors must hold a valid Working with Children Check.
  These checks are valid for up to five years, but ongoing screening allows employers to be notified if there are significant changes during that period, such as a new criminal conviction.

• NDIS Worker Screening: For workers in the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), a worker screening check is mandatory.
  Regular verification ensures any changes in their criminal record or compliance status are flagged to employers.

• AHPRA Registrations: In healthcare, the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) mandates that medical professionals remain registered and meet certain requirements to continue practicing.
  Regular checks ensure that their licenses and qualifications remain current, and employers are aware of the conditions placed on an AHPRA registration, ensuring organisations are meeting their legal obligations.

Insights from the Royal Commission into Institutional Child Sexual Abuse

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse highlighted systemic failures across organisations to maintain proper oversight of staff and volunteers. One of the key findings was that inconsistent or outdated credential checks allowed individuals with inappropriate backgrounds to continue working in vulnerable environments.

The Commission stressed the need for more robust systems in place. Employers have a duty of care to protect their people, and relying on initial background checks without periodic reviews can expose vulnerable people to unnecessary risk.

Real-World Consequences

Several tragic cases have illustrated the harm that can arise from lapses in credential monitoring:

• In 2021, Directors of Integrity Care SA were charged with Criminal Neglect as a result of an investigation into the death of Ann Marie Smith. The disability services company had a duty of care for Ann Marie Smith which was not met.
• A recent case in Kyneton involved a childcare worker allegedly providing fake qualifications in order to gain employment.

These cases demonstrate the need for proactive systems that alert employers, allowing them to take timely action to protect those in their care.

Ongoing Screening with Oho

At Oho, we understand the importance of ongoing credential screening in creating safer environments for vulnerable Australians.

Our platform continuously monitors the credentials of employees, volunteers and contractors, ensuring that organisations are notified immediately if a worker’s status changes.

By automating the verification process for both initial recruitment screening and ongoing screening for Working with Children Checks, NDIS Worker Cards, and professional licenses like AHPRA registrations, Oho takes the guesswork out of compliance, helping organisations meet their compliance obligations.