Girls playing cricket

In the Northern Territory, key child protection responsibilities for sport and recreation relate to:

Working with Children Clearances (Ochre Cards)

What are the screening requirements for sporting organisations?

Since 1 July 2011, it is mandatory for people who have contact or potential contact with children in certain specified areas of employment to hold a Working with Children Clearance Notice (Ochre Card).

The screening process has been established under the Northern Territory’s Care and Protection of Children Act and is conducted by SAFE NT, a unit of the Northern Territory Police.

What does the screening assess?

The Working with Children Clearance screening is a criminal and employment record check that ensures there is nothing in the candidate’s history which may constitute a serious risk of harm to children. Some candidates who apply for a Working with Children Clearance will have a criminal history. However, this does not automatically mean they will be disqualified from obtaining a Clearance.

Please note that this information remains guidance only. You should check with the relevant State/Territory organisations local to you to ensure you are accessing up to date information. 

It remains the responsibility of each individual club/sporting organisation to ensure that their club policies and procedures are contemporary, up to date and meet your compliance and legal requirements.  PBTR takes no responsibility for any content that is out of date or inaccurate due to the passage of time.

Updated: November 2021 - in conjunction with Department of Territory, Family, Housing and Community