Statutory Declaration
A signed legal statement sometimes required alongside screening, including for time lived overseas or a pending check.
A statutory declaration is a written statement that you sign and declare to be true in front of an authorised witness, such as a pharmacist, justice of the peace or other prescribed person. Making a false declaration is an offence, which is why it carries legal weight in screening contexts.
In Aged Care, a statutory declaration is sometimes used to fill a gap that a standard check cannot cover. A common example is time spent living overseas, where an Australian police check does not capture that period and the worker declares any relevant history themselves. It can also be used as an interim measure while a screening clearance is still pending, depending on the provider's policy.
For workers, the key thing is that a statutory declaration supports but does not replace a formal clearance: you will still need the underlying check completed. For providers, the declaration is part of the evidence trail, so it should be dated, properly witnessed and stored against the worker's record. See the overseas-trained care workers guide for how this fits into bringing international experience into an Australian role.
This is general information, not compliance advice. Always confirm requirements with the relevant regulator, and remember that providers keep the legal responsibility to sight credentials and decide who can work.
We work hard to keep it accurate, but the rules change and we will not always get every detail right. If you think something here needs updating, email us at resources@koora.care. We would genuinely rather know, because we all do better when we help each other get it right.
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