How much will I get paid as a Support Worker?

Pay rates can vary depending on your role, location and local office, so it's best to check the specific job listing when you apply. Just Better Care pays on a weekly basis to make life easier, enabling staff to manage their income and expenditure. Visit our careers page to view current openings and pay details for roles in your area.

Do I need experience to become a disability Support Worker?

If you have experience caring for someone, then this can mean you have the relevant skills to be a Support Worker. It can also help to have qualifications like a Certificate III or IV in Home and Community Care, Individual Support or Disability Services. The requirements for a Support Worker role will vary for each type of role and will be outlined in the job description or job advertisement.

Why should I become an independent Support Worker with Just Better Care?

Just Better Care offers the benefits of flexible hours, weekly pay, local work close to home, access to a free employee assistance program, training opportunities and access to free online learning tools and resources to support your career development. Just Better Care is the only home care provider to receive a Best Workplaces status across the Healthcare and Social Assistance category.

What qualification do I need to become a Support Worker, and how long does it take?

You do not always need a formal qualification to start, but most customers and employers prefer one, and it builds your confidence and employability. The common entry qualification is a nationally recognised Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing or Disability), which includes supervised work placement of around 120 hours. Many people finish it within a matter of months, and some employers will take you on while you complete it.

What is the NDIS Worker Screening Check, and do I need one?

The NDIS Worker Screening Check is a national background check that assesses whether a person is safe to work with people living with disability. If you work in a risk-assessed role for a registered NDIS provider, you need a clearance. You apply through the worker screening unit in your state or territory, usually once you have a prospective employer, and a clearance lasts up to five years and is recognised Australia-wide. It is more than a standard police check, as it includes ongoing monitoring.

Can I be paid to support my own family member?

Generally no. Government-funded programs such as the NDIS and aged care do not usually pay family members to provide support, other than in limited and exceptional circumstances. The good news is that the experience you have built caring for a loved one is exactly the kind of background that helps you step into a paid Support Worker role supporting others. For your own situation, it is best to check with the NDIS or My Aged Care.

Is there demand for Support Workers in Australia?

Yes. Australia's ageing population and the continued growth of the NDIS mean demand for aged care and disability Support Workers keeps rising, with thousands of new roles needed across the country in the years ahead. For people with caring experience, that means real opportunities for flexible, local work close to home. You can see current openings on the Just Better Care careers page.

From Carer to Support Worker: How to Make the Move

Article highlights

If you already care for a loved one, you have much of what it takes to build a paid Support Worker career. Carers can transfer their caring nature, lived experience and everyday skills into a professional role, and with a few qualifications and checks, they can begin providing in-home aged care and disability support that helps people live independently.

Making the move from an unpaid Carer to a paid Support Worker is more achievable than many people realise. This article walks through how to become a disability or aged care Support Worker step by step: the difference between a Carer and a Support Worker, what the role involves day to day, the personality traits, training and background checks you will need, and how to apply for your first role.

It only takes a few steps to transfer your skills and lived experience as a Carer into a paid Support Worker role and start a fulfilling, rewarding career.

Carers and Support Workers each play an essential role in helping older family members or loved ones living with disabilities with support needs at home.

2.65 million

Australians care for someone with a disability, medical condition, mental illness, or who is frail due to ageing

Just Better Care People & Culture Business Partner, Elham Samei, says Carers are ideally suited to the role of a Support Worker, and there is growing demand for their skill set.

“We know that more people are opting to receive support at home to allow them to live independently for longer if they can. This means we need more Support Workers in Australia to fulfill these roles and the experience they can bring.”
— Elham Samei, People & Culture Business Partner

What is the difference between a Carer and a Support Worker?

Carers Australia defines a ‘carer’ as a partner, family member, friend or neighbour who provides unpaid care and support to family members and friends who have a disability, mental illness or chronic condition. Read Mary John's story.

Carers might help with:

Physical and personal care (like dressing, lifting, showering, toileting, feeding)
Providing transport
Managing medications
Organising and attending appointments
Providing emotional and social support.

Aged care or disability Support Workers get paid by people who need support with their health, social and independence goals. They can provide support very similar to that of a Carer and often have qualifications.

Support workers can work for a company or for themselves and be registered or unregistered.

Read here what a disability support worker does day to day.

What does a Support Worker do?

Support Workers assist older Australians and people living with disabilities to live independently in their own homes and local communities. This support can be done flexibly, on a part-time or casual basis that fits around family, study or other commitments. See here the support worker training and checks.

At Just Better Care, Support Workers are valued members of local teams, providing in-home aged care and disability support services like: