The Disability Worker Registration Board of Victoria has set three registration standards that disability workers must meet to become registered. Registered workers must continue to meet these standards while registered. These are:

  • Criminal history registration standard

  • English language registration standard

  • Continuing professional development (CPD) registration standard

The Board applies registration standards to assess whether an individual is suitable for registration because they can demonstrate they can practice competently and safely.

 

Current registration standards (applicable until 30 September 2025)

These standards apply to 30 September 2025.

Competency in English

  • Registered disability workers must be competent in speaking or communicating in English to practise as a disability worker as required by section 156(c) of the Disability Service Safeguards Act 2018.
  • Disability work is diverse and wide ranging and the levels of English competency required to perform certain roles and types of work may vary. But the Act requires all registered workers to be competent in speaking or otherwise communicating in English to provide safe and quality services.

Applicants must declare in their registration application whether or not they are competent in speaking, reading, writing or otherwise communicating in the English language.

Criminal history

  • The Board checks an applicant's criminal history or, if they hold a NDIS clearance, confirms the status and details of their NDIS clearance before deciding an application for registration (as required under section 152 of the Act). The criterion for assessing criminal history are consistent with those for the NDIS worker screen.

Applicants are asked if they have pleaded or been found guilty of, been charged with or convicted of any offence)s) in Victoria or elsewhere.

For more information on the criminal history assessment, including frequently asked questions, please visit the Criminal History Assessment page.

Continuing professional development (CPD)

  • The Board requires registered disability workers to complete a minimum of 10 hours of continuing professional development each year.
  • Continuing professional development activities are expected to support workers to keep up and improve their knowledge and skills to practise safely, recognise relevant learning and promote their future employability.

All registered workers are asked to make a declaration that they have completed 10 hours of relevant CPD when they apply to renew their registration.

For more information about CPD, including guidance and fact sheets, please visit the Continuing Professional Development page. 

 

Revised registration standards (applicable from 1 October 2025)

Revised registration standards take effect on 1 October 2025 for all disability workers applying for or renewing their registration, and those workers who are registered.

These registration standards were updated after a review of the registration standards, which included public consultation. The consultation report provides an overview of the consultation process and the rationale for the updates. Click here to view an accessible version of the report.

Click here to watch a short video on the consultation and the revised standards.

 

English language registration standard

This registration standard sets the minimum English language requirement for registered disability workers. The standard provides information on:

  • how a disability worker can assess their English language competency, and
  • in what circumstances an applicant who may not meet the minimum level of English language competency can become registered, and how to apply.

This standard applies to all disability workers applying for registration.

Click here to read an advance copy of the English language requirement registration standard PDF/Word

Criminal history registration standard

This registration standard sets the requirements for considering a disability worker's criminal history and their disability worker registration. The Board must check an applicant's criminal history or NDIS worker screening clearance for all applicants for disability worker registration to ensure only disability workers who are suitable and safe to practise are granted registration.

To be registered a disability worker must:

  • undertake a criminal history check, or
  • have a current NDIS clearance, and 
  • keep us informed of any changes to their criminal history or NDIS clearance status while they are registered.

The standard explains how the Board considers a disability worker's criminal history when assessing suitability for registration.

This standard applies to all workers applying for registration, during registration and renewing their registration.

Click here to read an advance copy of the Criminal history registration standard PDF/Word

Continuing professional development registration standard

This registration standard sets the requirements for continuing professional development (CPD) for registered disability workers.

Registered disability workers must complete at least 10 hours of CPD each registration year (1 October to 30 September). Registered workers must declare and provide details of their CPD activities when they apply to renew their registration. If a worker has been registered for less than a year, the number of CPD hours required is reduced based on the proportion of the year they were registered.

Training and development activities that are relevant to your practice as a disability worker count as CPD.

This standard applies to all registered disability workers.

Click here to read an advance copy of the Continuing professional development standard PDF/Word

Start your application