Do you need qualifications to be a support worker?

A child and her support worker colouring together.

As a support worker on Mable, you have the freedom to choose your hours, choose where you work and choose what services you offer.

The services you offer have an impact on the qualifications you will need. Some require no qualifications, while others require accredited training.

In this guide we will explore the support worker qualifications needed to offer certain services, and what’s required for all people who provide support on the Mable platform.

Understanding the role of a support worker

The role of a support worker differs from client to client, depending on their needs. Support worker duties can range from meal preparation and household chores, to supporting someone to meet their friends and helping a client find a job.

Services a support worker on Mable can offer include:

  • Social support
  • Domestic support
  • Personal care
  • Nursing services
  • Speech therapy
  • Occupational therapy
  • Physiotherapy
  • Psychology support services.

Depending on the support you want to provide, you may or may not need certain qualifications.

Disability support worker qualifications

On Mable, independent support workers don’t need formal qualifications to work as a social support and domestic assistance support worker.

However, if you want to offer more complex support, you will require a relevant qualification.

To gain disability support worker qualifications, you can:

  • Complete a vocational qualification in disability or community services. This may be a Certificate III in Individual Support (CHC33015) specialising in disability or a Certificate IV in Disability (CHC43115).
  • Ensure you have up-to-date immunisations (as required)
  • Complete certifications and checks such as a First Aid Certificate, Working with Children Check, Police Check, and NDIS Worker Screening Check.

Aged care support worker qualifications

For those wanting to become aged care support workers, there are options to suit all study goals.

Aged care support courses and qualifications may include:

  • Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing, Home & Community)
  • Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing & Disability)
  • Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing)
  • Dual Certificate III in Individual Support & Certificate IV in Ageing Support

In addition to the above, an aged care support worker may also require a Cert III Individual Support in Aged Care (Community Services, Disability Work or similar).

Compulsory requirements

Despite not needing formal support worker qualifications in order to provide social or domestic support on Mable, there are some compulsory requirements that all support workers on the platform must complete before providing any level of care.

These include:

Additional requirements

Before providing support on Mable, you may also be asked to ensure you have:

  • A First Aid Certificate
  • A NDIS Worker Screening Check
  • Up-to-date immunisations (as required)

Working requirements may include:

  • Completed NDIS orientation module
  • Smart phone.

Personal care support worker qualifications and requirements

If you would like to offer personal care services on Mable, you will need to have the following:

  • A complete profile
  • A Checked Australia Police Check – to be applied for using the link provided in your Mable account.

You must have one of the below qualifications or two years of professional personal care experience in the last five years (with two professional referees who can verify two or more years of professional personal care experience) to be a personal carer on Mable.

  • Cert III or IV in Aged Care – with two professional referees in the last five years
  • Cert III or IV in Disabilities – with two professional referees in the last five years
  • Cert III or IV in Individual Support – with two professional referees in the last five years
  • Cert III or IV in Home and Community Care – with two professional referees in the last five years
  • Nursing Qualification – you must provide a nursing degree or diploma obtained in Australia plus two professional referees in the last five years. Nursing qualifications outside of Australia accepted by Mable must be attained in NZ, Philippines, USA, Canada, UK, an EU member country, Singapore, Hong Kong, and the UAE, plus you must provide two professional referees in the last five years. Please note, these qualifications cannot be used for nursing services or assisting with medication on Mable.

Nursing services qualifications and requirements

If you would like to offer nursing services, you must have at least one year of experience in nursing as confirmed by 12 months of registration with the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency (AHPRA) (cannot be confirmed only by reference) to be a nurse on Mable.

If a nurse has less than one year of AHPRA registration, they cannot offer nursing services but can still offer personal care on Mable.

Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency (AHPRA) registration

Current nursing registration with Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency (AHPRA) that has been active for at least 12 months prior as an RN (Registered Nurse) or EN (Enrolled Nurse) only.

Expand your skills

One of the benefits of being an independent support worker on Mable is the Mable Learning Hub.

Through the Learning Hub, you can access 170+ free courses available on demand, so you can expand your industry knowledge and grow professionally.Training providers include reputable organisations such as La Trobe University, Cerebral Palsy Alliance, and Dementia Australia.

In addition to the Mable Learning Hub, you can gain industry qualifications through our accredited training partners around Australia. If eligible, government funding or Mable discounts may be available. Mable support hours can be used towards some accredited training courses.

How Mable safeguards clients

Multiple safeguards are in place to offer safety, protection and peace of mind for our Mable community.

These include:

Verification and reviews

All independent support workers must complete an 18-step verification process including identity, qualifications, references, and police checks. All support sessions booked on the platform come with high-level insurance, and all support workers have their own unique profile with their personal ratings and reviews.

Sector training and compliance

170+ on demand free courses available to independent support workers through the Mable Learning Hub and accredited training opportunities to upskill. We abide by all compliance regulations.

Local support

We have a dedicated Australia-based Trust and Safety team to deal with issues and complaints confidentially and respectfully.

Secure online platform

All records and payments are secure. We’re ISO 27001 certified, which is internationally recognised and independently verified.

Becoming a support worker on Mable is a rewarding experience that can have a positive impact on people’s lives.

Learn more about getting started as a support worker on Mable to start providing support today.

FAQs

It depends on what type of support work you are providing. Tasks and duties of a support worker may include:

  • Assisting with domestic duties such as shopping, menu planning, cooking, washing and cleaning
  • Helping with outings, social activities and other daily routines
  • Providing companionship and support to assist clients to develop their existing skills, abilities and confidence.

Find out more about what aged care or disability support workers do.

As an independent support worker signed up on Mable, there’s a range of services you can offer. Find out more about these on the website.

If you have a passion for making a positive difference to the lives of people with a disability and helping people to achieve their full potential, you might make a great support worker. Learn more about what makes a good support worker.

You can sign up on Mable as an independent support worker by completing minimum requirements as stated above and start providing support right away.

No, you don’t need a university degree to be a support worker. However, qualifications and additional certificates are required for some types of support work, as mentioned in the article above.

It depends on the support service you want to provide. Social support and domestic assistance don’t require you to have experience or educational qualifications, but more complex support services may. Learn more about the experience needed to become a support worker.

Working as an independent support worker on Mable offers many benefits. On Mable, you get to choose the hours you work, choose the clients you work with, choose how much you charge for your services. Importantly, you have the opportunity to create long-term relationships with the clients you connect with through Mable.