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What Does a Support Worker Do? A Complete Guide for Families and Carers

what does support worker do

Estimated reading time: 9 minutes

Inviting someone new into your loved one’s life ranks among the most significant decisions you’ll make as a family member or carer. This is because the  right support worker transforms daily challenges into opportunities for growth, independence, and joy. The wrong fit causes stress and disappointment for everyone involved.

At The SALT Foundation, we understand this decision demands clarity, confidence, and trust. As an NDIS provider serving Melbourne, and the Mornington Peninsula, we’ve supported hundreds of families through this exact process.

This guide unpacks exactly what support workers do, how they help, and what qualities distinguish exceptional support from merely adequate assistance. Whether you’re exploring options for the first time or reassessing current arrangements, this information equips you to make choices that truly serve your loved one’s needs and aspirations.

Table of contents

Key Takeaways

  • Support workers provide personalised assistance across daily living activities, community participation, and personal care based on individual needs and goals.
  • The role extends beyond practical tasks to include emotional support, skill building, and advocacy.
  • Quality support workers balance promoting independence with providing necessary assistance.
  • NDIS funding covers different types of support work through Core Supports and Capacity Building categories
  • Support workers differ from nurses or allied health assistants by focusing on everyday functioning rather than medical or therapeutic interventions.
  • Professional boundaries, consistent communication, and cultural sensitivity form the foundation of effective support relationships.

The Fundamental Role of a Support Worker

At its core, a support worker helps people with disabilities live their best possible lives. This deceptively simple description encompasses an extraordinarily diverse range of responsibilities tailored to each person’s unique situation, preferences, and goals.

Support workers assist with practical tasks, yes—but they also serve as coaches, companions, advocates, and bridges to community participation. The best support relationships balance fostering independence with providing necessary assistance, always guided by the participant’s choices and aspirations.

Daily Living Assistance

Support workers help with the everyday tasks that maintain a comfortable, functional home environment. This assistance varies widely based on individual needs but commonly includes:

Household Management

  • Meal planning and preparation, from simple sandwiches to complete dinners
  • Grocery shopping and pantry organisation
  • Light housekeeping such as vacuuming, dusting, and bathroom cleaning
  • Laundry and clothes organisation
  • Bill payment and basic budget management

Personal Administration

  • Scheduling and keeping track of appointments
  • Medication reminders (note: support workers typically don’t administer medications)
  • Organising transportation
  • Assistance with correspondence and paperwork
  • Technology support for communication devices or home systems

The ultimate goal of this assistance extends beyond completing tasks. Support workers aim to build skills, establish routines, and create systems that maximise independence wherever possible.

For example, rather than simply cooking meals, a skilled support worker might help develop pictorial recipes, teach kitchen safety, and gradually transfer cooking responsibilities to the participant based on their abilities and goals.

Community Access and Social Participation

Meaningful community connection forms a cornerstone of wellbeing for everyone. Support workers play a crucial role in bridging barriers to participation through:

Community Engagement

  • Transportation to and support during social events, religious services, or community gatherings
  • Assistance with library visits, museum outings, or other cultural activities
  • Support for volunteering opportunities aligned with interests and abilities
  • Help accessing community resources like support groups or recreational facilities

Social Development

  • Practice with conversation skills and social cues in real-world contexts
  • Support to maintain and develop friendships and relationships
  • Assistance with planning and hosting social gatherings
  • Companionship during activities that might otherwise be inaccessible

Recreational Activities

  • Support during sports, fitness classes, or physical activities
  • Assistance with hobbies and special interests
  • Help exploring new leisure opportunities
  • Accompaniment to entertainment venues like cinemas or concerts

This support fosters genuine inclusion rather than mere presence in community spaces. As research from the University of Melbourne shows, quality social participation correlates strongly with improved mental health outcomes and overall life satisfaction for people with disability.

Personal Care and Wellbeing

Some participants require assistance with intimate personal care tasks. Support workers approach these responsibilities with professionalism, dignity, and respect for privacy and preferences.

Physical Wellbeing

  • Assistance with showering, bathing, and personal hygiene
  • Help with dressing and grooming
  • Toileting support when needed
  • Mobility assistance such as transfers or positioning
  • Support with eating and drinking

Emotional Support

  • Active listening and genuine presence during difficult times
  • Recognition and appropriate response to emotional needs
  • Consistent, reliable relationship-building
  • Creation of psychologically safe environments

Health Monitoring

  • Observing and reporting changes in physical or mental wellbeing
  • Supporting attendance at medical appointments
  • Helping implement healthcare recommendations
  • Promoting healthy lifestyle choices through nutrition and activity

The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission emphasises that personal care must always be delivered with the highest standards of respect for dignity, privacy, and personal choice. At The SALT Foundation, our support workers receive comprehensive training in these critical aspects of care.

Skill Building and Capacity Development

Beyond day-to-day assistance, quality support workers actively foster skill development and increased independence. This focus on capacity building transforms support from maintenance to growth-oriented.

Independence Skills

  • Teaching household management techniques
  • Developing money management and budgeting abilities
  • Building travel training and community navigation skills
  • Fostering decision-making and choice-making opportunities

Communication Development

  • Supporting use of communication devices or systems
  • Practicing social communication in various contexts
  • Building confidence in self-advocacy
  • Developing digital literacy for online communication

Goal Achievement

  • Breaking long-term goals into achievable steps
  • Celebrating progress and milestones
  • Providing encouragement during challenges
  • Adjusting support as capabilities develop

The NDIS specifically recognises this aspect of support through Capacity Building funding, which aims to help participants build their independence and skills over time. The most effective support workers continually look for opportunities to step back as participants step forward into greater capability.

Professional Qualities of Exceptional Support Workers

Not everyone possesses the unique combination of personal qualities and professional skills that exceptional support work demands. When The SALT Foundation recruits support workers, we prioritise these essential characteristics:

Personal Attributes

  • Empathy and genuine care for others’ wellbeing
  • Patience and resilience during challenging situations
  • Flexibility and adaptability to changing needs
  • Reliability and consistency in commitments
  • Respect for diversity in all its forms

Professional Capabilities

  • Strong communication skills across various contexts
  • Excellent problem-solving abilities
  • Appropriate maintenance of professional boundaries
  • Cultural competence and sensitivity
  • Commitment to ongoing learning and development

Ethical Standards

  • Unwavering respect for dignity and human rights
  • Protection of privacy and confidentiality
  • Recognition of each person’s autonomy and right to choice
  • Commitment to duty of care
  • Honesty and transparency in all interactions

A 2023 NDIS participant survey found that these human qualities often matter more to participants than specific technical skills or experience. 

How Support Workers Differ from Other Professionals

Families sometimes confuse support workers with other professionals in the disability and healthcare sectors. Understanding these distinctions helps set appropriate expectations:

Support Worker vs. Nurse

Support workers assist with daily living and social participation but don’t perform medical procedures, administer medications, or provide health assessments. Nurses have clinical qualifications and focus primarily on healthcare needs.

Support Worker vs. Allied Health Assistants

Allied health assistants work under the direct supervision of therapists like physiotherapists or speech pathologists, implementing specific therapy programs. Additionally, support workers have broader roles across all life domains and typically work more independently.

Support Worker vs. Case Manager/Support Coordinator

Support coordinators plan and organise services but don’t provide direct assistance. They deliver the hands-on, day-to-day support outlined in these plans.

While support workers collaborate with these other professionals, their unique focus on everyday functioning and practical assistance creates their distinct value in a participant’s support network.

Conclusion

Support workers offer far more than practical assistance—they provide the essential scaffolding that enables people with disabilities to build lives of meaning, connection, and possibility. Their work touches every aspect of daily life, from the most basic personal care to complex community participation.

For families and carers, finding the right support worker represents a significant investment in your loved one’s wellbeing and future. The best matches occur when values align, communication flows openly, and everyone shares commitment to the participant’s goals and preferences.

At The SALT Foundation, we’ve witnessed countless times how the right support relationship transforms lives—not just for participants, but for entire families who gain peace of mind, reduced stress, and renewed energy for their own wellbeing.

Action Steps

  1. Identify priority needs: List the specific areas where your loved one would benefit most from support
  2. Clarify goals: Determine what outcomes matter most to your family member
  3. Consider compatibility factors: Think about personality traits and values that would complement your loved one
  4. Explore funding options: Review your NDIS plan or contact The SALT Foundation to discuss how support might be funded
  5. Arrange a meet-and-greet: Contact us to organise an obligation-free introduction with potential support workers
  6. Start small: Begin with limited hours to establish comfort and compatibility before expanding
  7. Establish communication channels: Create clear processes for feedback and adjustments

Frequently Asked Questions

How many hours of support can we access through the NDIS?

The number of support hours depends entirely on your loved one’s NDIS plan, which is based on their individual goals and support needs. Plans typically include Core Support funding that can be used flexibly for support worker assistance. 

What qualifications should support workers have?

While no universal qualification requirement exists, most quality support workers hold at least a Certificate III in Individual Support or similar. More important than formal qualifications are personal qualities like empathy, reliability, and genuine interest in supporting others. 

Can we choose our own support worker?

Absolutely. The NDIS emphasises participant choice and control, which includes deciding who provides your support. At SALT, you can even bring your existing support workers with you if you already have someone you trust and feel comfortable with. This way, you don’t have to start over or rebuild trust from scratch—we’ll work with you to transition your current support arrangements smoothly. 

What happens if the support worker is sick or unavailable?

Reliable backup arrangements form a crucial part of quality support provision. The SALT Foundation maintains a team approach, with familiar replacement workers available when your regular support person is unavailable. We provide detailed handover notes and protocols to ensure continuity of care and minimal disruption during these transitions.

How do we provide feedback or request changes to support arrangements?

Open communication creates the foundation for successful support relationships. We assign a dedicated coordinator to each family who serves as your primary contact for any concerns, requests, or feedback. We conduct regular formal reviews but welcome feedback at any time, and can adjust arrangements quickly when needed to ensure optimal support.