Who can I employ as my Support Worker?

Before beginning the process of sourcing and employing new Support Workers, it’s important to think about what skills, personality and traits your are looking for in a potential Support Worker. 

Define your support needs

• What specific tasks or activities do you need assistance with?
• What hours and frequency of support are needed?
• What are your expectations regarding reliability and commitment?
• What level of support do you require?

Maybe it’s someone like our Partner Anne, who met her daughter’s Support Worker Wendy at her local post office. They don’t need previous experience as a Support Worker for you to employ them, as long as they can satisfy mandatory requirements relevant to the State you live in. 

Where do you start searching if no one immediately comes to mind?

The great thing about our unique Direct Employ service, is that you have the power to employ whoever you choose to support you or your loved ones.

There really are countless possibilities of who you could employ and so we encourage you to ‘think outside the square’ when trying to expand your support team. Often, the best Support Workers are closer than you might think!

Try tapping into your existing networks and community

Here are just a few suggestions to get you started;

Reach out to friends, family and neighbours

Inform them about your support needs and ask if they or someone they know would be interested in being a Support Worker.

Utilise community groups and platforms

• Advertise on community noticeboards, local newspapers, social media groups, or other online platforms.
• You could publish a shareable post on Facebook or other social media platforms (be careful not to share too much information publicly).
• Advertise on Gumtree, in your local paper, or through employment websites.

Attend community events or local support groups

Participate in community events, disability support groups, or workshops where you can connect with individuals who may be interested in providing support.

Don’t be afraid to ask the question to members of your community

Some great suggestions of potential Support Workers in your community include;

• Hospitality or supermarket workers
• OSH (Out of School Hours) care workers or teachers’ aides
• Childcare educators
• University or TAFE student associations
• Even your local hairdresser!

Having two autistic children, Carer Solutions Partner Amanda, needed Support Workers she could not only trust, but who Alex and Erica felt relaxed and comfortable with.

She was looking to expand her team, but she was struggling to find someone who was the perfect fit. Little did she know that person was closer than she thought.

Zoe is Amanda’s hairdresser, and she has been cutting Amanda’s hair for many years. It wasn’t until Amanda took Erica to Zoe to have her hair cut, that she had a light bulb moment. She saw the great rapport that Zoe had with Erica, so decided to ask Zoe the question.

Amanda asked Zoe if she would be interested in being employed to be a Support Worker for Alex and Erica, and she jumped at the opportunity.

“Are you looking to get some extra cash? ‘Cause I’ve got a job for you!”

Amanda says the greatest benefit of Carer Solutions Direct Employ service is that she is in control of employing people herself, people that she knows, who her kids know and who understand the mechanisms of their family.

“This is why it is so much harder with an agency because you’re getting what someone else thinks you need – not what you actually need.“