Key takeaways
- Independent support worker verification is an important part of supporting safer care and helping clients and families feel more informed and comfortable.
- Mable has a rigorous support worker verification process that includes identity, reference, and qualification checks, and the NDIS Worker Screening Check.
- Support workers must complete Mable’s verification and approval process before they can engage with clients.
- Support notes, incident reporting and other platform tools help provide ongoing accountability after support begins.
When you’re looking for a support worker for yourself, a parent or someone you care for, one of the first questions that may come to mind is: “How do I actually know this person is trustworthy and safe?”
It is a very reasonable question. A support worker is welcomed into your private space, whether that is your home or your family member’s home. They spend time helping with personal care, day-to-day tasks or providing social support. It’s important to feel confident that the person you choose has gone through the right checks before they can offer support.
As you search for an independent support worker, you may come across the word ‘verified’. But that term can feel vague if no one explains what has actually been checked.
This is a step-by-step guide that explains what support worker verification means when using the Mable platform. It covers what we check before an independent support worker can connect with clients, why each step matters and what you can look for when choosing the right person to provide in-home support.
This article explains:
- Why support worker verification is so important.
- How Mable vets support workers, including what qualifications a support worker may need.
- How support worker insurance may offer added protection.
- How ongoing compliance can support safer care.
Why is independent support worker screening important?
When someone is providing support in a person’s home, trust really matters.
You may be inviting a support worker into private spaces, sharing important health or routine information, or relying on them to help with daily activities. For family carers or representatives, there may also be the added worry of organising support from a distance. You may be trusting someone else to look after your family member when you can’t be there in person.
That is why support worker screening is not just a box to tick. It is an important part of supporting safer care and helping clients and families feel more informed and comfortable.
Mable’s approach is to do the groundwork before an independent support worker can offer services through the platform, giving you peace of mind. Each check has a purpose, from confirming a worker’s identity to checking references, qualifications and training.
What steps are involved in Mable’s verification process?
To be able to offer support services through Mable, each independent support worker must complete a thorough verification and approval process. This is what the process involves, and why each step matters:
Step 1: Identity verification
Independent support workers must verify their identity before they can be approved to provide services through Mable. This includes providing 100 points of identification as part of obtaining a police check or an NDIS Worker Screening Check.
For clients and families, this can offer added certainty that the person behind the profile is who they say they are.
Step 2: NDIS Worker Screening Check
All support workers signing up to offer services through Mable need a police check or an NDIS Worker Screening Check (NDISWSC). On Mable, the NDIS Worker Screening Check is replacing police checks as the required screening check for support workers. Existing Mable support workers may use their current police checks until they expire. After that, they must provide an NDIS Worker Screening Check.
The NDIS Worker Screening Check is completed through a state or territory worker screening unit. It helps assess whether a person is cleared to work in certain roles with people with disability, and is also recognised in the aged care space as a way to assess the suitability for a person to work with older people. .
This matters because the NDIS Worker Screening Check is not simply a one-off police check. It is part of a national worker screening system designed to help identify whether a person is suitable to work in certain care and support roles.
Step 3: Reference checks
Mable requires support workers to provide references as part of the approval process. Depending on the type of support a worker wants to provide, these may be professional references, character references or both. For some services, such as personal care, workers may need professional references from someone who can verify their relevant experience.
Reference checks may offer added reassurance because you don’t need to rely only on what a support worker says about themselves. They provide another perspective on the support worker’s experience, reliability and suitability for the type of support they offer.
Step 4: Qualification and certification verification
Support worker qualifications can vary depending on the type of support being provided. For example, a worker offering social support or help around the home may not need the same qualifications as someone offering personal care, nursing or allied health services.
On Mable, any qualification or certification a support worker lists on their profile is checked. This helps make sure this information shown on a worker’s profile has been confirmed, rather than only self-reported.
Step 5: ABN check
All independent support workers on Mable need to have an active Australian Business Number (ABN). This is because support workers on Mable operate as independent contractors and an ABN helps confirm that a worker is operating as a validly incorporated business.
This type of check helps to provide more accountability for clients and families.
Step 6: Vaccination, infection control and professional responsibility training
Support workers are expected to comply with their state or territory vaccination requirements, or hold a valid medical exemption if they can’t.
All support workers must complete infection control training before they can be approved to provide support through Mable. Infection control is especially important when supporting older people, people with disability, or anyone with higher health vulnerability. It helps workers understand how to reduce infection risks and provide support in a safer way.
Mable offers professional responsibility training, which helps support workers understand their responsibilities when providing services through the platform. This includes their obligations as a support worker, the importance of support notes and how to report an incident.
Step 7: Additional checks for specific types of support
Some workers need to meet extra requirements depending on the services they want to offer. For example:
- Workers who want to support children or teenagers need a valid Working with Children Check or the equivalent check in their state or territory.
- Workers in Tasmania or the ACT may need a valid Working with Vulnerable People card.
- Workers offering transport need to provide a valid Australian driver’s licence.
These extra checks help make sure support workers are only offering services that match their verified experience, training and permissions.
Does Mable offer insurance for support sessions booked through the platform?
For support sessions booked and paid through the Mable platform, Mable includes support worker insurance that covers a support worker’s actions during a support session. This includes Group General & Products Liability Cover, Group Medical Malpractice Cover and Group Personal Accident Cover. This means eligible booked support sessions have access to insurance protection if something unexpected happens.
Insurance details include specific terms, limits and exclusions, so it’s important to read through the information and product disclosure statements on our insurance webpage to understand exactly what is and is not covered.
How is ongoing platform compliance and safety managed by Mable?
Mable’s verification process happens before a worker can connect with clients. But accountability does not end once a worker is approved. The Mable platform has tools that support ongoing compliance, visibility and reporting after support begins.
Support workers are required to submit support notes after each session. These notes may include what support was provided, what activities took place and whether anything important happened during the session.
For Support at Home clients, support workers may also provide additional health and wellbeing notes if they notice a change or decline in a client’s wellbeing.
Mable also has incident reporting tools built into the platform. If something is reported or flagged, our Customer Safeguarding team can investigate and take appropriate steps.
Helping you choose support with confidence
There is a lot involved when it comes to support worker safety and verification. If you’re looking for support for yourself or someone you care for, you don’t need to become an expert in screening checks, qualifications or compliance requirements. At Mable, we’ve built a framework to do this groundwork for you, while making sure the verification process is clear and easier to understand.
The support worker verification process means that every worker you view on the Mable platform has met our strict requirements to be able to provide support. From there, you can focus on choosing the right support worker for you or your family member’s needs.
You can do this by reading support worker profiles, looking at their reviews, asking them questions, checking their qualifications and arranging a meet and greet before booking.