How to Become a Disability Support Worker

Disability support work is a rewarding career path for those who enjoy helping and caring for others. Becoming a disability support worker is simple, with numerous study options available to help you gain the necessary experience and knowledge.

While working with people with disabilities does not always require formal qualifications, studying disability support empowers students to confidently gain employment and deliver the best care possible to their future clients. In this article, we’ll discuss what a career in disability support work entails, the skills and qualities you’ll need to succeed in the industry, as well as relevant certificates to kickstart your career in disability support work.

What is a Disability Support Worker?

A disability support worker helps people with physical or mental disabilities by providing care and assistance. Disability support workers may work in various settings, including:

• Private properties
• Specialised care settings
• Hospitals
• Accommodation settings for people with disabilities

Ultimately, the setting of disability work can vary depending on where the person you support requires assistance. Disability support workers are essential in providing support for people with disabilities. Their work is especially important in helping people with disabilities gain greater independence and improved mental health.

What Does a Disability Support Worker Do?

Disability support workers help the people they support by providing up to three types of care: household, personal, and emotional.

• Household care involves domestic and daily living support such as grocery shopping, cooking, and cleaning. Household support also involves transportation assistance and household safety assessments, as not all homes are accessible or disabled-friendly.
• Personal care support involves a combination of hygiene and physical support to complete tasks such as dressing and self-care.
• Emotional support involves social and communication support, including organising social outings and helping build community connections.

A disability support worker's tasks vary depending on the needs of the individual and the workplace. However, some basic responsibilities may include the following:

• Social planning
• Meal planning
• Grocery shopping
• Activity planning
• Hygiene assistance
• Meal preparation
• Mobility support
• Providing transport
• Household cleaning
• Employment support

Disability support work is a versatile career that allows you to help people with disabilities in various ways. You will need to be compassionate and practical in your approach and tailor it to each client’s needs. Because of the highly varied nature of disability support work, you’ll require many personal qualities.

Skills of a Support Worker

Working as a support worker is a rewarding career path suitable for a kind and empathetic person with stellar communication skills. If you’re interested in becoming a disability support worker, some valuable personal skills you’ll need to succeed include:

• The ability to patiently support people at their own pace.
• The ability to place yourself in another person's position and listen and respond with empathy.
• A friendly, upbeat, and enthusiastic approach.
• The ability to listen to others and appropriately respond to their expressed needs.
• Communicating effectively with the people you support and other support workers is essential to providing quality care.
• A respectful approach to the sensitivities that come with working with people with disabilities.
• Strong time management skills for social, activity, and overall daily planning.

Some other desirable skills that will boost future employability include technical skills and qualifications such as:

• An NDIS Worker Screening Check
• First Aid Certification
• A Full-Driver Licence

However, the most important qualification you can attain is a Certificate III or IV in Disability.

Disability Support Worker Courses

At TAFE Gippsland, we offer numerous pathways into disability support. This includes traineeship courses for those who prefer to learn on the job. All courses listed offer limited Free TAFE opportunities. Our courses include:

• Certificate III in Individual Support (Disability)
  • This course is designed to prepare students for employment in numerous settings. These settings include aged care facilities, home and community care environments, and hospice facilities. This course will teach you essential skills for legal and ethical support work, skills development, and healthy body systems. For entry into this course, you will require the following:
    • A valid Police Check during each year of placement
    • A valid Working with Children Check
    • An NDIS worker screening check
    • Minimum age of 18
    • Flu vaccination during the year of placement
    • COVID vaccination - triple dose
    • The ability to dedicate two to three days per week to class attendance
    • 120 hours placement as arranged by TAFE Gippsland
    • A completed online application form
    • A minimum ACSF level 3 in all levels
  • It’s also recommended that you have a driver's license and moderate computer and concentration skills. You will also need to be physically fit to meet the physical and mobility requirements required during placement.
• Certificate IV in Disability
  • This course will prepare you for employment in various positions, including disability support worker, lifestyle support officer, and community development officer. This course will teach valuable skills in individualised support, social inclusion and safe work practices. To take this course, you must pass a Language, Literacy and Numeracy test and a Pre-Training Review. You will also need the following:
    • A Year 11 pass/be of a mature age
    • Clear Working with Children’s Check
    • A successful NDIS Worker Screening Check
    • A Victorian driver's license
  • Certificate IV in Disability is available as a traineeship that it includes workplace-based training. This allows you the opportunity to develop your theoretical and practical skills simultaneously. This course’s entry requirements are identical to the standard certificate. These formal qualifications will teach you the skills and knowledge you need to successfully work as a disability support worker.

Disability Support Worker Jobs

Disability support work is a growing field, with job opportunities expected to increase by 24.7% in the next five years. Additionally, there are heaps of pathways you can take, such as a local area coordinator or support coordinator. Support coordinators work to provide support resources to people with disabilities on NDIS. Support coordinators also provide skill-building and relationship building and assistance.

Local area coordinators help people with disabilities create their NDIS plans and make sure they have the support they need. Local area coordinators may also support people with disabilities who are not covered by NDIS.

These examples are only a small sample set of the job opportunities available to disability support workers with other careers, including:

• Lifestyle support officer
• Community development officer
• Senior personal care assistant
• Behavioural support officer
• Disability team leader
• Disability support assistant (schools)
• Project officer
• Day support disability officer
• Senior disability worker
• Social educator (disability)
• Support facilitator (disability)
• Job coordinator
• Disabilities supervisor
• Social trainer
• Disability service officer

Disability Support Worker Salary

Disability support work offers an average annual salary range of $55,000 to $74,000, depending on factors such as experience, education, work type and location. Disability support is also a very stable career, with good prospects for growth and many different specialties to choose from.

Ultimately, disability support work offers an extraordinary level of satisfaction and diverse opportunities to meet and work with people with disabilities in your community. If you are a patient, passionate and friendly person, disability support work is a surefire pathway to success.