Frequently asked questions

Get the answers to our most common questions about Mable.
An illustration of a woman looking at support worker profiles.

About Mable

Mable is an online platform where people connect to provide and receive disability and aged care support. Over the past decade, Mable has delivered more than 18 million hours of support across Australia, helping hundreds of thousands of clients achieve their desired level of independence.

For independent support workers, you can create a Mable profile and showcase experience, qualifications, availability, and hourly rates. They can also apply for various jobs posted by clients to the platform.

For those in search of support, Mable provides a user-friendly interface to post job listings, search for suitable support workers, communicate through messages, and manage their bookings effectively. This tailored approach ensures that support workers and clients find the best matches for their specific requirements and schedules.

Yes, at Mable we value independence and ensure that clients can maintain their independence when hiring support workers through the platform. Using Mable allows you to set your own schedule, rates, and create an agreement with each support worker you hire.

In saying that, our support workers have a mandatory obligation to report an incident or raise their concerns with Mable should they suspect that their client requires an intervention or additional support, which could potentially impact the level of independence maintained. For more information check out our How to report an incident for support workers guide.

At Mable, we do everything we can to make sure clients feel safe and comfortable in the care and company of support workers hired through the platform. We understand that hiring a support worker for home help is a very personal decision, so you should have complete trust in the person you are inviting into your home. Before choosing a support worker, conduct a thorough review of their qualifications and compatibility with your needs to make sure they’re the best fit for you. Consider asking the following questions when interviewing a support worker:

  • What experience and qualifications do you have? Ask for details about their certifications, training, and experience relevant to the tasks you need assistance with.
  • What services do you offer, and what are your rates? Request a breakdown of any additional fees for special tasks or overtime.
  • What is your availability, and can you accommodate my schedule? Check if they can help during evenings, weekends, or holidays if needed.
  • How do you handle emergencies or unexpected changes in the schedule? Ask about their procedures so there is clear communication and minimal disruption.
  • What steps do you take for safety and quality of care? Discuss hygiene standards, use of personal protective equipment, ongoing professional development, and how they stay updated with best practices in caregiving.

Support workers

No. Every support worker joining Mable must obtain a new police check through our partners, Checked Australia.

By applying for a new police check through our partners Checked Australia, we ensure all police checks are verified, validated and a true representation of a support worker’s police history. A full ID check is completed by Checked Australia. This process keeps our community safe and gives clients peace of mind when choosing support workers.

Mable does not make any commission from our partnership with Checked Australia.

Sometimes a client will require a longer session of support. This is where being able to negotiate the rate is helpful for both parties. When agreeing on longer service rates, consider the time you are actively supporting compared to when you are passive or sleeping.

Viewing other support worker profiles and joining our support worker Facebook group to ask members what they would charge for longer support sessions is a great strategy.

Support workers can offer a wide range of services on Mable, as long as they have the necessary qualifications and experience, and meet the legal requirements for offering each service. The flexibility offered at Mable allows them to cater to a variety of different clients, ranging from disability clients to older individuals, and offer different types of support, such as social support, personal care nursing and therapy.

Once a support worker has gotten all of their qualifications and certifications, they should make sure to advertise them alongside the services they offer, on their Mable profile, as this is what potential clients will be viewing when deciding whether or not to hire them as their support worker.

There are certain services that support workers can offer on Mable without needing any formal qualifications or prior experience, such as companionship or general domestic support. However, some of the more sought out disability or aged care support services will require some form of relevant qualification or experience. For example, qualifications are required to provide nursing services on the platform. Note, all support workers must still pass Mable’s verification process.

To learn more about support worker qualifications and experience requirements, check out our Help Centre article: Do you need qualifications to be a support worker?

Yes, you typically need to be an approved support worker with Mable to join the official Mable Facebook group. This group is designed to provide support, resources, and community engagement for approved support workers only.

Clients

Funding through programs like the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) or Home Care Packages (HCP) can cover a wide range of support services that are accessible via Mable. They include support services like personal care, domestic assistance, social support, nursing, therapeutic services and more. The specific coverage of a client’s funding depends on their individual plan and care requirements.

To learn more about what support a client can receive with their funding, refer to the following guides below:

Support workers on Mable offer a wide range of services to meet an array needs across Australia. These include:

  • Social Support: assisting with social activities, companionship, community engagement, and more.
  • Domestic Support: gardening, meal prep, helping with household tasks, grocery shopping, and more.
  • Personal Care: providing assistance with daily personal activities like bathing, dressing, grooming, and more.
  • Nursing Services: offering medical care and health management by qualified nurses.
  • Therapeutic Services: including speech therapy, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, and psychology support.

Through these services, clients will have access to the social, mental health, or physical support they need in order to maintain their wellbeing and independence, and to improve their overall quality of life.

For more insights into the support services offered via Mable, check out A guide to the support you can find on Mable.

Yes, clients can bring their own support workers to Mable. However, they will need to create a Mable account and go through the verification and approval process just like the other support workers using our platform. Once they are approved, the client will be able to hire them via the Mable portal and all interactions plus payments will be managed securely within the Mable system.

Yes, Mable allows clients to modify their support services as and if their needs change. Clients can communicate directly with their support workers to adjust the schedule, the type of services being provided, or any other specifics. If a different or more specialised type of support is needed, clients can search for and book additional or alternative support workers through the Mable platform.

Yes, meal preparation and cooking is a popular aspect of domestic assistance services offered by support workers. Clients can discuss their dietary requirements and preferences directly with their support worker to develop a plan so they can make meals accordingly.

Home care packages

A Home Care Package provides government-funded financial assistance to help cover the costs of the standard support worker and home care services for older Australians to significantly reduce their out-of-pocket expenses. It gives older Australians access to the wide range of services available through Mable, such as personal care, domestic assistance, nursing care, therapeutic services, and any other assistance with daily living and more. These services can be tailored to individual needs through personalised care plans. This is best achieved with a provider that offers genuine self-management, such as HomeMade Support.

Note, at Mable, you can still hire support workers without having a Home Care Package.

No, on Mable, there is no limit to the number of local support workers that clients can connect with using their Home Care Package. Clients can hire multiple workers to meet their various support needs, ensuring comprehensive, qualitative and flexible care. They should consider their budget, however, and any limitations regarding their funding.

At Mable, we ensure the safety of all clients by having a strict verification process in place for all support workers. This process includes detailed reference and qualification checks, police checks, as well as Working with Children Checks, if and where applicable. Additionally, Mable provides insurance for all support sessions booked through the platform, offering a peace of mind for both clients and support workers, as well as detailed profiles and client reviews to further help both parties with making informed partnership agreements.

Safety and quality assurance

Ensuring the safety of its community is a top priority for Mable. All independent support workers undergo a strict verification process which includes reference checks, qualification checks and police checks. Only once they pass each check are they approved to work on Mable as a support worker.

Every support session booked through the platform also comes with high-level insurance including Personal accident cover, Medical Malpractice cover, and General & Products Liability, demonstrating Mable's commitment to safety and quality care.

Learn more about the safeguards Mable has in place.

Every independent support worker on Mable must complete a strict verification process including identity, qualifications, references, and police checks confirmed by a member of our team.

We also maintain ongoing assessments of support workers through client reviews and feedback. Additionally, Mable supports its workers with access to continuous training and resources to ensure they consistently deliver high standards of care.

In cases of minor issues or disagreements with your independent support worker, you can attempt to try and resolve the issue directly with them through open communication. However, if the problem persists or is not being solved, please contact Mable’s Trust & Safety team for assistance.

To learn more about issues and how to report them, refer to our guide on How to block and unblock, report or make a complaint about someone.

Payments, fees and costs

Signing up for Mable is completely free for clients, allowing them to start searching for, and communicating with support workers immediately.

While support workers can sign up for free, they cannot be approved to work on Mable without obtaining a new police check through our partner, Checked Australia via the link provided in their Mable profile. This costs $35.

Each support worker sets their own hourly rates, within our $36 minimum hourly rate and the NDIS price cap (when applicable), which are clearly displayed on their profiles. Before booking a support worker, they and the clients must discuss and agree on the rate and schedule.

The cost structure is transparent, whereby clients pay the agreed rate plus a 7.95% platform fee, while workers receive the agreed rate minus a 10% platform fee. No fees are charged until a client books a support worker and the services are delivered. Payments are made online and can be easily tracked through support hours in your Mable account. . For more detailed information about Mable's pricing, you can visit our Pricing page.

Payments on Mable are handled securely and efficiently. Mable collects payments on behalf of independent support workers. Clients can use their NDIS funding, Home Care Package, or choose to pay privately.

Find out more about How payments work on Mable.

Mable has arranged a suite of insurance coverage through HMD Insurance Pty Limited (HMD). The insurance cover automatically applies to all support sessions arranged and invoiced through the Mable platform.

Support workers can access their Certificates of Insurance via their Mable account.

Mable insurance coverage includes:

  • Personal accident cover - income protection up to $1000 per week for accidental injuries incurred during meet and greets, travel to or from, or during a booked support session.
  • Medical Malpractice cover - losses arising from a malpractice and civil liability claim up to $20,000,000.
  • General & Products Liability cover - protection against compensation claims to a third party for personal injury, property damage or advertising liability up to $20,000,000.

To understand more about Mable’s insurance, visit our Insurance page.

If a support worker receives an offer to conduct support sessions and make payments outside of the Mable platform, it is important to contact Mable immediately. Maintaining all transactions and communications within Mable ensures the safety and integrity of the community. By keeping bookings within the platform, support workers and clients are protected by Mable’s safeguards, including insurance, secure communication tools, and support from the Trust & Safety team. Any attempts to circumvent the platform's systems violate Mable's Terms of Use and could compromise community safety.

Support workers on Mable will get paid after they complete and submit their support hours for the support session. Clients approve their support hours and then Mable processes the payment. Payments are securely transferred to the support worker’s bank account. Support workers can track their earnings through their Mable dashboard.

To receive more guidance on how our payments work, refer to our guide on How payments work on Mable.

Support workers on Mable can set different rates for public holidays and weekends if they choose. These rates should be clearly listed on support worker profiles, so clients are aware of any variations in pricing for these times.

Learn more about how to set rates by reading up on our Set your support worker rates on Mable guide.

Ready to join the
growing Mable
community?

Ready to
join the growing
Mable community?