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Dear MTAQ

I have just received this response from theI have just received this response from the Commission regarding registered teachers and blue cards.The upshot appears to be that anyone working under private contract in a school, regardless of the hours or their registration status, needs a blue card.  Likewise, any registered member of staff in a school who teaches out of prescribed hours also needs  blue card.This is the answer I expected, but not one that all my colleagues would have anticipated!Thanks again for all of your work, and that of the MTAQ in general, regarding the blue card and RMS.

MTAQ member

From: CCYP_Web Master

To: MTAQ member-autospace: none"> Sent: Friday, February 09, 2007 9:59 AM

Subject: RE: Registered teachers and blue cards

Dear member

 Thank you for your email enquiry relating to the Blue Card.

In response to your enquiry whether registered Music Teachers, teaching in a school environment outside of school hours require a Blue Card, we can advise that a Blue Card is required if the teacher is acting outside their capacity as a paid employee of a school and conducting private instrumental music teaching as this is considered to be 'private teaching, coaching or tutoring' and they are carrying on a regulated business for the purposes of the Commission's Act. Accordingly, a Blue Card is required regardless of the fact that they have already been screened by the Queensland College of Teachers.

 To apply for a Blue Card the teacher needs to complete a Business (B) Application Form and have their identity verified by a Justice of the Peace, Lawyer, Police Officer of Commissioner for Declarations and lodge their application together with the $40 fee to the Commission. A person carrying on a regulated business must hold their Blue Card before they engage in regulated child-related activities.

A Blue Card is current for a period of 2 years and during that time the Commission undertakes ongoing monitoring. Where a cardholder's criminal history changes (charges and convictions), including where they didn't previously have a history and they acquire one, the Commission is notified by the Queensland Police Service through information sharing arrangements.

The Queensland College of Teachers criminal history screening occurs once every 5 years. Currently the screening arrangements are not comparable.

However, we can advise that this is currently being considered as part of the legislative review of the Commission's Act.

 We hope this information is of assistance. Further information and application forms are available from www.blue Card  card.old.go.au or by telephoning the Blue Card Contact Centre on 1800 611 113 or 3247 5145.

Yours sincerely

The Commissioner for Children and Young People and Child Guardian