what does a support worker do?
As a support worker, you offer various support services, including healthcare services to assist people with mental health and physical conditions. For instance, you could provide care to individuals and their families with disabilities, illnesses, abuse and addictions. Some patients may also suffer from medical conditions that make it impossible for them to live independently. Your job involves handling patients of various ages, from young children to adults and the elderly. That means you will interact with people from diverse cultural, social and economic backgrounds.
what does a support worker do?
If working one-on-one with clients is your style, you should become a support worker. Working in this capacity involves cleaning your client's house, laundry, and shopping for groceries. Sometimes, tasks such as helping your client take a bath may be applied. However, home health providers do not groom clients. Similar in-home positions, especially if you are hired directly by the client, have their duties.
As a support worker, your services can be temporary or long-term for clients with severe conditions. Clients may also need support for aged care in their homes, community housing or accommodation centres. Hence, it would help if you were prepared to handle multiple tasks daily.
support worker roles availableaverage salary of a support worker
The average salary of a support worker in Australia is $70,000 per year. Starting with minimal skills and experience, your earnings begin at $60,000 annually. However, as you increase your skills and experience levels, the salary increases to $80,000 per year.
The role comes with various allowances, including car and house allowances. Most employers also provide medical insurance and paid sick leave. You can increase your remuneration with overtime pay or taking up additional roles.
factors that affect support workers' pay
Several factors affect how much money you make as a support worker. Naturally, the average annual gross earnings reflect wages for full-time work, and you would earn less as a part-time employee. Additionally, metro areas and large cities provide better-paying positions due to the high demand for support workers.
Your area of specialisation also affects your remuneration package. For instance, if you provide care to patients with disabilities, you are likely to earn more due to the complexity of your role. Taking care of patients with chronic illnesses also improves your salary prospects. If you assist dementia patients, your expertise commands a higher remuneration package.
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types of support workers
Some of the types of support workers include:
- NDIS support worker: as an NDIS support worker, you help people with disabilities access the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). You can help with things like filling out paperwork, finding services, and understanding the NDIS.
- Disability support worker: as a disability support worker, you assist people living with disabilities in performing their daily tasks. For instance, you help them with personal grooming and daily chores to help them live independently. Sometimes, the role involves caring for people with mental health problems and helping them with personal care.
- Aged support worker: as a senior support worker, you care for older people in care homes, hospitals or private homes. Some of your duties include assisting with personal care like helping them eat, dress or shower. You also handle domestic chores like cleaning and preparing meals. If the person under your supervision has an illness, you assist them in managing their condition by administering medication.
- Home-based support workers: as a home care worker, you provide support and care for people who are too frail or sick. The care is home-based, and you may need to reside in the patient's home to provide round care protection.
- Community support worker: as a community support worker, you support patients in a community setting. Your role involves caring for children and adults with disabilities or challenging living situations.
- Clinical support worker: You assist patients in clinical or medical settings as a clinical support worker. You help them use the bathroom, change the hospital garbs and take medicine.
- Mental health support worker: a mental health support worker is a professional who assists and supports people with mental health conditions. As a mental health support worker, you work with individuals and families to help them cope with mental illness and improve their quality of life.
working as a support worker
Working as a support worker involves caring for frail people or living with disabilities. It is a hands-on role, and sometimes you have to provide round-the-clock care to the patients.
Here are the specific tasks and work environment of support workers.
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duties and responsibilities
Some of the roles and duties of support workers include:
- Developing care plans for patients: as a support worker, you help your patients manage their healthcare problems by developing intricate support plans. You can consult physicians on your patients' emotional and physical needs and design a care plan detailing the support your clients need. The program should improve the patients' well-being and their independence.
- Providing emotional support: as a support worker, you must provide emotional support to your patients and their families. Listen to their concerns and address problems that interfere with the recovery process.
- Tendering to patients' health needs: if your client has a terminal illness and needs full-time medical care, your job is to follow the doctor's instructions. You administer medication at the right time and follow the recommended nutrition to ensure your client improves physically. You also take your clients to medical appointments and seek emergency help if they need urgent medical attention.
- Helping with domestic duties: as a support worker, you help your clients deal with household chores. That includes personal care duties like cleaning, dressing and grooming and domestic tasks like cooking and laundry. Part of your job is to run errands for your client, like doing shopping and paying their bills.
- Helping clients with recreational activities: as a support worker, you must assist your client with exercises to keep them active. You may also accompany them to community events and recreation activities.
- Writing reports: as a support worker, you need to keep a detailed record of all activities and progress of your clients. Most physicians and families will require you to keep a logbook of your client's daily interactions and medical conditions.
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work environment
You will work in a client's home, nursing home, hospital, doctor's office or other public places. Unlike shopping for client groceries or taking laundry to a laundromat, almost all support worker functions are performed indoors.
As a support worker, you spend most of the day on your feet, walking and moving as you perform your duties. Hence, it would help if you were fit to avoid physical exertion.
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who are your colleagues?
Depending on your employer and the industry you work in, your colleagues might include carers, nurse assistants and paediatric nurses. You might also be working near care home managers and physiotherapists, as well as other specialists that could consist of but are not be limited to occupational therapists, ward clerks and care workers.
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work schedule
Vulnerable populations require 24/7 healthcare assistance. Therefore, support employers need a workforce that can reliably work non-standard hours. Expect to run across positions that require you to perform services on the second or third shift and weekends. Working on the third shift while residents are asleep would allow you to complete some tasks. These tasks will likely include doing laundry and cleaning bathrooms. You'll also be there to handle any unforeseen emergencies.
part-time and full-time shifts
Employers offering part-time work have clients that only need a little help. Home health employers would have you working during first shift hours two or three days during the week for each elderly or disabled client assigned to you. Support workers are needed when patients require help getting ready for the day. In-home gigs and healthcare facilities also offer full-time work.
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advantages of finding a support worker job through randstad
Finding your support worker job through Randstad provides essential advantages such as:
- a wide variety of training and development opportunities
- an experienced contact person to provide help if needed
- a range of options in your area
- get paid weekly or monthly, depending on the job
- temporary and permanent contracts
Want a permanent contract? A temporary job as a support worker is often a stepping stone to an attractive permanent career. Thousands of people earn a permanent contract with great employers every year thanks to a temporary job found through Randstad. What's more, many companies recruit their permanent employees through Randstad too.
education and skills
Support workers don't need specific educational qualifications, but they can help you formalise your expertise and give you more job opportunities.
Some employers require a minimum of Certificate III or IV qualifications. The certifications increase your chances of employment since they equip you with the skills necessary for caring for patients. You can also complete a bachelor's degree in psychology or social work for complex roles.
skills and competencies
Some of the qualities of a support worker include:
- Computer competency: You use a computer to perform various tasks as a support worker. For instance, you need to write reports and monitor patients' progress using specific software to record and store information. You can also use it to schedule patient activities and help them develop a routine.
- Communication skills: as a support worker, you must be an excellent communicator to connect with your clients and build relationships. It also helps you communicate with your patient's family and other careers.
- Empathy: the role requires compassion and kindness to connect with your clients. You need to empathise with their condition and understand their emotions.
- Time management: as a support worker, you need to be a good time manager to keep up with the patients' routines. If you plan the day to include recreational activities and exercises, the patients will likely recover faster.
FAQs about working as a support worker
Here are the most asked questions about working as a support worker:
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what are the duties of a support worker?
Healthcare support workers complete various tasks required by their specific job title that involves caring for vulnerable people. In-home duties usually involve housekeeping chores.
Resident assistants do more housekeeping chores than personal care-type tasks. Most of the other positions have more hands-on duties with the patients.
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what are the main duties and responsibilities of a personal support worker?
All healthcare support workers help vulnerable people get through their days easier. Elderly and disabled people living in their homes often need help with household chores.
People in a retirement home, skilled nursing facility, general medical and surgical hospital or acute care hospital need someone to give them daily bedside personal hygiene assistance. Out-patients also need a support worker's help.
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what is the difference between a carer and a support worker?
A support worker supports clients living at home or in supported living accommodation. However, a carer only delivers their services in private or residential homes.
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what qualifications do you need to be a support worker?
You don't need specific educational qualifications to become a support worker, but having post-secondary education improves your prospects. You can pursue Certification III or IV to increase your career prospects.
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what makes a great support worker?
A great support worker is a good communicator with excellent interpersonal skills. It would help if you also were empathetic and compassionate to your clients.
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how do I apply for a support worker vacancy?
Applying for a support worker job is easy:
- create a Randstad profile and search our support worker job offers.
- Then send us your CV and cover letter.
Need help with your application? Check out all our job search tips here.
