Changes to Registration to Work with Vulnerable People requirements are here

Changes to the Registration to Work with Vulnerable People (RWVP) Scheme (the Scheme) are being implemented from 1 April 2025.

The purpose of expanding the Scheme is to strengthen the protections in place for vulnerable people, including children.

In late 2024, the Registration to Work with Vulnerable People Regulations 2024 were amended to remove two exemptions from the requirement to hold registration: the 7-day exemption and the emergency management worker exemption.

What the changes mean

The new Regulations that came into effect on 1 April 2025 mean that:

• workers and volunteers who used the 7-day exemption will need to apply for RWVP
• organisations will no longer need to track the number of days a person is volunteering in a regulated activity while unregistered.

Previously, the 7-day exemption allowed people to work or volunteer in regulated activities for up to 7 days in a calendar year without needing a RWVP. Removing this exemption from the Regulations aims to strengthen protections in child-related activities.

The exemption for emergency management workers is also being removed. This exemption is not required as it does not relate to a regulated activity.

You can find more information on these changes and what they mean for your sector in our RWVP Expansion Fact Sheet, which is just one of the resources available on the Department of Justice website.

What’s next

Over the next year, the RWVP team will be working hard on delivering phase two of the expansion project. This will include:

• changes to the RWVP Regulations to include broader categories of vulnerable adults to be protected under the RWVP Scheme
• a new information technology system to improve scheme administration. This will include a new online registration system to provide a better user experience for both registrants and employers.

The new RWVP website launched on 31 March and is now live at justice.tas.gov.au/rwvp. Whether you’re an individual applying or renewing your RWVP, or an employer checking the status of new workers or volunteers, the new website will provide faster and easier access to everything you need to know about RWVP.

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