Disability support worker

Business Summary:

The primary role of a disability support worker is to provide care and help people in the community living with mental health conditions or physical disabilities. As a qualified support worker, you will help empower and encourage your clients to improve their quality of life. Fabulous intro! 

Not all disability support worker job descriptions are the same. Some roles could involve visiting clients at their homes or even providing live in support work at a supported independent living home. Another crucial role of a disability support worker is to provide daily personal care for people with disabilities. These tasks may include helping them to maintain general hygiene, dressing or supporting them through their disability programs. In this business, there are an array of different roles such as being an allied health worker, an at home carer, a social support worker and counsellors.

Employee entitlements

Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award [MA000100]

The table above displays the amount of pay throughout the levels of experience and increases in earning as you move on. Starting on a weekly rate of $840.10, and eventually after 10+ years of experience, the amount being made per week increases to $2,174.28

Ordinary hours of work

The ordinary hours of work will be 38 hours per week or an average of 38 hours per week and will be worked either:

• in a week of five days in shifts not exceeding eight hours each

• in a fortnight of 76 hours in 10 shifts not exceeding eight hours each

Rosters

The ordinary hours of work for each employee will be displayed on a fortnightly roster in a place conveniently accessible to employees. The roster will be posted at least two weeks before the commencement of the roster period.

Overtime rates

Full-time employees

A full-time employee will be paid the following payments for all work done in addition to their rostered ordinary hours on any day:

disability services,home care and day care employees—for all authorised overtime on Monday to Saturday,payment will be made at the rate of time and a half for the first two hours and double time thereafter

Full-time employment

A full-time employee is one who is engaged to work 38 hours per week or an average of 38 hours per week.

Part-time employment

A part-time employee is one who is engaged to work less than 38 hours per week or an average of less than 38 hours per week and who has reasonably predictable hours of work.

Worker code of conduct 

The worker code of conduct is designed to promote a safe and skilled disability workforce within Victoria. This applies to all disability workers;

The Code requires that disability workers, in providing supports or services to people with a disability, must:

• • act with respect for individual rights to freedom of expression, self-determination and decision-making in accordance with applicable laws and conventions

  • respect the privacy of people with disability

  • provide supports and services in a safe and competent manner, with care and skill

  • act with integrity, honesty and transparency

  • promptly take steps to raise and act on concerns about matters that may impact the quality and safety of supports and services provided to people with disability

  • take all reasonable steps to prevent and respond to all forms of violence against, and exploitation, neglect and abuse of, people with disability

  • take all reasonable steps to prevent and respond to sexual misconduct.

  • The code applies to all disability workers delivering disability services in Victoria, regardless of the funding source, this is defined as someone who either:

  • directly provides a disability service to a person with disability or

  • supervises or manages another person who directly provides a disability service to a person with disability.

Employee positions and roles

Disability support worker

Disability support workers support people with disabilities to live the life they want. Disability support worker roles are the most common roles in the sector and are very diverse.

The day-to-day tasks of the role will vary greatly depending on the individual needs and goals of the person you support. Daily tasks may include, but are not limited to:

• supporting individual participation in social and recreational activities such as going to the footy or the movies

• undertaking tasks outside the home such as shopping, visiting friends and family

• supporting participants to achieve their employment goals

• personal care

• light domestic duties such as meal preparation and cleaning

• manual handling and/or the use of equipment to support mobility (wheelchairs or hoists)

• providing companionship and emotional support

Allied health professional

Allied health professionals provide clinical and therapy services to support people with disability and complex needs to achieve their goals and maintain their health and wellbeing.

Allied health professions include:

• physiotherapy

• occupational therapy

• podiatry

• speech pathology

• social work

• psychology

• dietetics

• orthotics and prosthetics

• audiology

• orthotics

Allied health assistant

Allied health assistants support and assist the work of allied health professionals.

AHAs are trained to work within certain limits to undertake a range of less complex tasks, delegated to them by allied health professionals. Depending on qualification and skill level, tasks may include:

• collecting and preparing equipment

• documenting client progress

• implementing therapy treatments and supports in accordance with therapy and support plans.

Support Coordinator

 A support coordinator supports people with disability to understand and implement funded supports in their NDIS plan.

They also provide links to community, mainstream and other government services. Support coordinators focus on supporting people with disabilities to build their skills and direct their own lives as well as connect to appropriate service providers.

The role of a support coordinator can be varied, given the unique needs of the people they are supporting. Some skills that this role requires include:

• relationship building

• collaboration

• coordination

• organisational skills

• crisis and issues management experience

• a thorough understanding of the NDIS

• a strength-based approach to working with people with disabilities.

Administration and management roles

Tasks might include managing rosters, budgets, training and guiding organisation and service improvement.

Roles might include:

• team leaders and managers

• senior leadership

• receptionist and administrative assistants

• office manager

• human resources management

• customer service support

• learning and development support

• information and communication technology support

• finance and accounting

• marketing and communications

What a day looks like

A day in the life of a disability support worker typically involves:

• Developing and implementing programs to support clients to develop skills and abilities;

• Facilitating outings and other social activities;

• Performing household tasks such as menu planning, cooking and serving meals, cleaning, shopping, and so on;

• Providing companionship and support during daily activities;

• Helping people with a disability to maintain contact with their family, friends, and advocates;

• Helping people with a disability to develop and maintain independence and safety in personal care, health care and hygiene.

Common OHS concerns

Manual handling

Disability services assist people with injury, age-related, physical and developmental disabilities to achieve and maintain optimum function. Work is undertaken in a diverse range of locations.

Hazardous Manual Tasks can cause musculoskeletal disorders and these injuries may result from:

• Moving, transporting, transferring clients

• Repetitive movements

• Lifting and carrying materials and equipment

• Working at incorrect heights

• Lack of physical space

• Heavy physical work

• Poor workplace design

• Poor postures and actions

• Sudden unexpected load bearing

• Fatigue

• Poor physical fitness

• No mechanical aids being used

• No training in manual handling techniques and the use of mechanical aids

• Unpredictable, changing, large loads

Workplace violence

Workplace Violence is defined as any incident where a worker or manager is abused, threatened or assaulted in situations related to their work. Client-related violence is described as violence or aggression displayed by a client of a service, towards the workers, when trying to provide support services to the client.Workplace violence includes acts such as physical assault, including spitting, scratching, verbal abuse or threats, threats with a weapon, sexual assault, robbery and vandalism. Violent behaviour can lead to:

• Emotional, psychological, psychiatric e.g. feelings of frustration or depression

• Poor self-esteem

• Drug or alcohol abuse

Psychological injury

Fatigue is an acute or chronic state of tiredness which affects employee performance, safety and health and requires rest or sleep for recovery. Fatigue may affect physical and mental capacities and increase the risk of workplace incidents. It can also contribute to workplace conflict. Through a build-up of sleep debt, fatigue can result in errors of judgement that may lead to injury or death, affecting not only the worker, but the health and safety of others as well.

Some of the physical and psychological symptoms which can be experienced include:

• Headaches

• Backaches and other muscular aches and pains

• Cramps in the neck, shoulders or arms

• Poor memory, difficulty in concentrating

• Feeling frustrated, irritable or angry

• Feeling weepy or tearful

• Loss of energy and motivation

• Feeling anxious, helpless or afraid

• Apathy and hopelessness

• Changes in appetite and weight

• Sleep difficulties

• Generally feeling worn out or run down

Chemicals 

Workers in the Disability Sector are exposed to a number of chemicals during their work activities.  These most often will be cleaning chemicals but also include cosmetics, pesticides, paints, glues etc. Many chemicals can lead to health hazards, These are properties of a chemical that have the potential to cause adverse health effects. Exposure usually occurs through inhalation, skin contact or ingestion. Adverse health effects can be acute (short term) or chronic (long term). Typical acute health effects include headaches, nausea or vomiting and skin corrosion, while chronic health effects include asthma, dermatitis, nerve damage or cancer.

Working at external locations

Working at External Locations encompasses two main areas, working in the homes of clients and working in public areas. Working in a client’s home is a common and significant part of many services provided by workers in the disability industry.

Preventative measures and OHS awareness

Manual handling 

• Use a bus with a wheelchair hoist to eliminate the need to transfer clients into seats in buses

• Install ramps so that trolleys can be used to move goods across different levels; 

• provide height-adjustable benches and desks; 

• store goods at waist level or on shelves between shoulder and knee level; and 

• provide portable steps to allow clients to get on and off a community bus with minimal assistance. 

Employers should ensure people involved in manual handling are trained in manual handling techniques, the correct use of mechanical aids and team lifting and other appropriate procedures.

slips , trips and falls

• Replace loose mats with secured slip-free coverings; 

• make sure stairs and steps have non-slip surfaces and edge strips where appropriate and that treads are of adequate depth

Ensure there is adequate lighting throughout the workplace, particularly in stairwells and over exits; 

• do not keep items like filing cabinets in hallways; and ensure there is safe access to all parts of the workplace and that rails and ramps are provided where appropriate.

Infection control

• Infection control is the responsibility of the employee

• Always work to the principle that all blood and body fluids are potentially infectious. Employees must adhere rigorously to measures which minimise exposure to these agents

• Pay attention to hand washing as an essential safety precaution. Thorough use of moisturising hand cream is also recommended to prevent skin from drying out and cracking

• Use protective clothing as a barrier to exposure. For example, use an apron if rinsing soiled linen

• Wear gloves when direct contact with blood or bodily fluids is expected. Gloves should be readily available, well fitting and disposable

• Wear safety glasses if there is a risk of blood or bodily fluids being splashed into your eyes

Wash hands:

• Immediately they are contaminated with blood or bodily fluids

• Before eating, drinking, smoking, or leaving the workplace

• After using toilet facilities

Qualifications of employment

There is no formal requirement to have a qualification to start your career in disability. However, employers commonly indicate a preference or have a requirement for candidates with one or more of the following:

• First Aid certificate

• Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certificate

• Working with Children Check (WCC)

• current driver’s licence

• food safety certificate

Knowledge, skills and attributes needed for the businesses

Some of the skills and attributes employers in the disability sector often look for, include:

• interest in supporting people reach their potential

• effective verbal and written communication skills

• good interpersonal skills

• initiative

• problem-solving skills/solution-focused approach

• teamwork and collaboration

• planning and organising skills

• literacy, basic numeracy and computer skills

• attention to detail

• reliable, dependable, trustworthy and flexible.

Working conditions

Disability support workers help aged and disabled people with a range of daily tasks. These include personal hygiene facilitation, mobility support, shopping tasks, food preparation, housework tasks, and the coordination of social events. The provision of company and friendship is an important part of this job role, as is emotional support. Disability support workers may visit regularly or live with their clients.

• Assisting people to perform important daily activities

• Facilitating daily personal hygiene and dressing tasks

• Performing home based tasks such as food preparation and housework

• Undertaking tasks outside the home such as shopping

• Ensuring a varied program of social activities

• Providing emotional support and friendship