8 Tips for Choosing the Right Support Worker

Finding the right support worker or workers can make a significant difference in your capacity to live a full life and accomplish your goals.

Support workers become members of your crew. While they are paid to assist you with your disability-related support requirements, you will likely spend a lot of time with them, so it’s critical that you get along with and trust them.

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Support workers might be independent contractors or employees of a company that provides various disability-related services.

If your NDIS Plan contains funds for Core Supports, you can use it to hire support workers for any reasonable and necessary disability-related services.

What support workers can do for you:

Personal care such as showering, dressing, and eating
Help in getting around at home or in the neighbourhood.
Support participation in work or community activities.
Assist with household activities such as cooking, cleaning, and laundry.
Drive you around or assist you in using public transportation.
Assist you in learning new skills.

How to choose the best support worker

Make a list

The list of your assistance requirements, such as those listed above. The second list of qualities you want in a support worker, such as a friendly demeanour, a driver’s licence, or specific abilities. These lists can be helpful when speaking with support workers or organisations who provide them.

Consult your contacts.

Request suggestions from friends, trusted providers, or others in your network. It’s important to note that NDIS funds cannot be used to employ a family member as a support worker.

Have a conversation with someone before hiring them.

Take the time to conduct phone, email, or in-person interviews with possible support workers. Inquire about their qualifications and also experience working with people with disabilities. To see if you’ll get along, find out about their hobbies or interests.

Find out if they work on a flexible schedule.

NDIS participants may be required to work a certain number of hours per week by some providers. Make sure you choose a provider who is adaptable to your preferences.

Create a team.

It may be more appropriate to have several support workers with varied skills than to rely on one person to accomplish everything. You’ll have a backup person to call if someone is sick or unavailable if you build a team.

Review credentials and references.

Inquire about qualifications, first-aid training, and police clearances. You might also want to get references so you can chat with individuals they’ve previously worked with.

Create a service contract.

We recommend that each support worker sign a Service Agreement. In writing, a Service Agreement outlines both parties’ expectations, including the types of services you will receive, fees, and cancellation rules.

Check the NDIS for compliance actions.

If a provider fails to follow the NDIS Code of Conduct, the NDIS keeps track of any actions taken against them. Before hiring a new service provider, go over this list.

Make the most of your NDIS plan’s flexibility.

It’s not uncommon for individuals to find a support worker with whom they have a strong bond. As a result, it’s critical to build your NDIS Plan so that you can work with the right person or team.

How you manage your NDIS Plan might considerably impact the support workers you can hire.

This is why:

Participants in the NDIS who an agency administers are limited to using only NDIS-registered support workers.

You can use your plan-managed budget to fund registered and unregistered support workers if you have plan management (or a combination of Agency managed and plan management).

This flexibility is especially crucial if you reside in an area with a strong demand for support workers or a shortage of them.

When you’re choosing a support worker, you should talk with them and learn as much as you can about their experience and personality. This way, you can find the best match for your disability and specific needs. You should ask questions that will help you get the most out of your new employee. Here are eight tips to help you choose the right one. Follow these guidelines and you’ll be on your way to a more fulfilling life.

Interview your prospective support worker. You should ask them about their qualifications and experience, as well as whether they have experience caring for people with disabilities. You should also ask them about their hobbies and interests. After interviewing several people, decide on the one that’s most suitable for you. Once you’ve made a decision, you should develop a Service Agreement with your support worker, which will clearly outline your expectations. Be sure to ask about the provider’s cancellation policy. Read reviews and complaints against potential providers.

Know your disability. It’s important to choose someone who understands your needs and preferences. Depending on your disability, you may need to hire a full-time or part-time support worker. If you need assistance from a full-time or part-time worker, you can hire a part-time support worker to help you. However, NDIS funding cannot be used to hire family members as support workers.

Combination Plan

People sometimes choose to self-manage their NDIS Plan to pay their support worker more than the maximum NDIS fee. It is critical that this option be available to those who desire it.

However, when you self-manage, you must handle everything yourself, including budgeting and invoicing.

Combination plans, in which some of your funds are self-managed, and a plan manages some, are becoming more common. As a result, you can:

Self-manage your budgets if you want the freedom to hire the support worker you choose at a discounted rate.
Allow your plan manager to handle all of your other budget’s administrative operations and paperwork.

Better Support with Ebenezer

As an NDIS registered provider, Ebenezer Mission firmly believes in empowering and equipping people with disability to be active participants in a society without barriers. We support children, youth, and adults (predominantly from ages 7 to 25) with severe disabilities, regardless of background, religion, or denomination. We provide programs that meet their needs and promote community and social inclusion through music, arts, and various other activities.