What is a risk assessment?
When you apply for a RWVP, you will undergo a background check and risk assessment. This is to make sure you are suitable to work or volunteer with vulnerable people (including children).
A risk assessment will determine if you pose no risk, an acceptable risk, or an unacceptable risk of harm to vulnerable people, including children.
You may be asked for additional information during the risk assessment.
Depending on the outcome of the risk assessment, you will be registered, registered with conditions, or refused registration.
What is assessed
Your national police history records (past and current) will be assessed to see if you have any relevant charges or convictions. This includes looking at:
- convictions for criminal offences
- all spent convictions (convictions that don’t ordinarily need to be declared)
- any pending charges (charges that haven’t yet been decided by the court)
- all non-conviction charges (charges that have been finalised by the court but didn't result in a conviction).
Other information we assess includes criminal (police) intelligence, family violence history, child protection history, and any other relevant information that is revealed during the assessment process. We are also notified when someone is prohibited from working with children in another state or territory.
How we assess the information
When assessing this information, we will consider:
- seriousness of the conduct (nature, severity and circumstances)
- length of time since the conduct occurred
- age and vulnerability of the victim(s)
- relationship between you and victim(s)
- age difference between you and victim(s)
- whether your history shows a pattern of concerning conduct
- all other circumstances we consider relevant.
Disqualifying offences
Disqualifying offences are those offences that automatically stop someone from holding a RWVP.
Disqualifying offences (listed in the Registration to Work with Vulnerable People (NDIS Disqualifying Offences) Order 2020) include:
- murder, a homicide-related offence or attempting to commit murder under section 299 of the Criminal Code
- serious assault against a child or at-risk person
- sexual assault or incest of a child or at-risk person, or rape
- a child pornography-related offence
- an abduction or kidnapping offence, against a child or at-risk person involving a sexual or abusive element
- a bestiality offence.
This also includes any similar offence to those listed above under a similar law of another state or territory.
If our background checks find that you have been found guilty of or convicted of these disqualifying offences, you will be issued a Negative Notice and refused registration. You cannot appeal this decision.
See our fact sheet on disqualifying offences for examples (PDF, 366.4 KB).
Other offences
Other offences may mean you can hold a RWVP but have conditions placed on you, restricting the work or volunteering that you can do.
Non-relevant offences mean those that do not pose a risk to vulnerable people, such as minor traffic offences.
Ongoing monitoring
Once you have a RWVP, you will be monitored throughout your registration for any new information about your conduct.
Some information will trigger a new risk assessment. You will be notified in writing if this is required, and you may be asked for additional information or have your RWVP suspended or cancelled.
Is RWVP different to a police check?
Yes, the RWVP background check and risk assessment is different to a national police check. And as explained above, once registered, you will be monitored for any new and relevant information about your conduct.
See Part 5 of the Registration to Work with Vulnerable People Act 2013 for more information about the risk assessment process.
See our fact sheet on how a RWVP is different to other checks (PDF, 820.4 KB) and watch our short video below.
How is a RWVP different to other checks animated video July 2025.