If you want to hire a support worker then you need to make sure that you avoid these common mistakes. They’re easy to make, but they could have a detrimental impact on the level of care you receive, and how well you get on with the support worker you have chosen.
Not Having a Wish List
One of the main mistakes that people make when hiring a support worker is not having any kind of wish list. It’s important that you write down your support needs, and come up with a second list that includes all of the things you’d like your support worker to have. Having a wishlist, as well as a list of your needs, will help streamline hiring process and ensure you choose the right person. These lists are also useful if you’re going through a company, as they help communicate your needs clearly.
Not Looking in the Right Places
Ask friends, any trusted providers or even people in your network to see if they can provide you with any recommendations. Many networks have extensive lists of support workers, so you can browse and find someone suitable for you. You can also use our website to find a support worker in your local area. Take note that you cannot use NDIS funding, if you have it, to hire a family member. You can only use it to hire a registered professional. Either way, looking in the right places when hiring a support worker will help you to find the right person for the job, not to mention that you will have way more options. This gives you the chance to find someone who can reflect your core needs with a very high level of efficiency.
Not Building a Team
Instead of trying to find one person who can meet your needs, consider trying to build a team of numerous people. Several support workers who have different skills might be better than relying on a single person to try and take care of everything for you. By building a team, you can also feel confident knowing that you have a backup if you know that one of the core people you have in your team is unavailable.
Not Seeing Proof of Qualifications
Ask for any proof of qualifications if possible. This could include first aid training or even police clearances. Try to see if you can obtain some references from people who they may have worked with in the past, too. This will help you to ensure that you are hiring someone qualified to meet your needs. If you have a specific need or a disability that requires a greater level of care, then it is a good idea for you to ask for any training they might have done regarding this. At the same time as checking their qualifications, you may want to develop a service agreement. It’s recommended that you develop a service agreement with every support worker you hire. This sets out the expectations that you or they may have, and it also helps document the types of services you require, along with a cancellation policy.
Not Talking to Them First
Having a chat with a potential support worker before you hire them is also a good idea. Talking to them allows you to figure out if they have the right personality to fit in with your needs and if they have any special interests. Although this isn’t necessarily directly related to your level of care, it can facilitate more positive relationships. If you love to paint, and so does your support worker, you may find that this gives you someone with whom you can share your interests. You may also find that it gives you a level of confidence and freedom to explore your hobby, as well as having someone interested. When you are talking with the support worker, try and find out if they are comfortable with any pets you may have, and find out if they have a flexible schedule. Some providers require NDIS participants to do several hours per week. Choose someone flexible enough to meet your needs and go from there.
Not Checking Your NDIS Plan
The NDIS records any information about people who may have failed to meet the Code of Conduct. If possible, you need to check this to make sure that the person you are hiring has not committed any violations. You also need to make sure that you get the most out of your plan by making sure it’s flexible. Structure your plan so you can get the most out of your team because how your NDIS plan is managed will depend on the support workers you can use. Flexibility, for example, is important if you are in an area that has high demand as a support worker shortage. Agency-managed participants can only use NDIS-registered workers, too. For those who want to manage their NDIS plans themselves may want to pay their support worker a higher rate. This is available for those who want to use it, but at the end of the day, you do need to make sure that your plan is clear and that you are fully aware of who you can hire and whether or not they are registered.
As you can see, these are some of the most common mistakes people make when hiring support workers. Hence, it is important to keep in mind not to make such mistakes in the future.