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Question: Do all support workers in the NDIS need a Cert IV in disability support?
If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me this, I would be rich. So an article on the topic is probably well overdue.
The answer is no.
Some providers have decided that they would like all their support workers to have or obtain a Cert IV in Disability Support - but it’s not a legal or compliance requirement.
So, what training is required?
The only training support workers must do is the NDIS Worker Orientation - Quality, Safety and You, which consists of four modules and takes approximately 90 minutes. Completion is checked as part of the external audits required for registered NDIS providers.
Workers can complete this online by going to Worker training modules | NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.
This doesn’t mean that support workers don’t need appropriate training though. All providers, whether registered or not, must comply with the NDIS Code of Conduct. One of the requirements in the Code is that supports and services are provided in a safe and competent manner with care and skill.
In practice, each provider must consider how they will achieve this. Think about what type of knowledge and skills workers need to support participants. Take into consideration participant needs and preferences, the tasks the worker will perform, the issues they could face and potential risks to their or the participant’s health and safety. For example, if a participant requires support to physically move, then you may schedule training that covers how this can be done safely for relevant workers.
Providers also have obligations under safety laws which require them to ensure that workers have completed a safety induction, as well as any relevant training and instruction to safely perform their duties.
Registered providers
If you are a registered provider, then you will need to complete training as set out in the practice standards and relevant rules.
These include:
- Incident identification and management
- Complaints handling
- Emergency and disaster plans
- Participant specific protocols to respond to medical emergencies
- Infection prevention and control
- Use of PPE
Infection prevention and control training must include standard precautions such as hand hygiene practices, respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette. The use of PPE can also be included.
Workers must complete refresher training for infection prevention and control, and the use of PPE. But the standards don’t tell you how frequently, that is something you must decide.
If a support worker completes any of these tasks, then they must also be trained in:
- If a participant has specific needs which require monitoring and/or daily support
- Administering medication
- Handling hazardous waste, infectious or hazardous substances
- Mealtime management
Mealtime management training must include preparing and providing safe meals, managing emerging and chronic health risks related to mealtime difficulties and how to seek help to manage these risks.
The standards also refer to a support worker being required to “understand” the following:
- Participants’ legal and human rights
- Participants’ communication needs and the manner in which they express emerging health concerns (where relevant)
- Participants’ individualised support plans
- Mealtime management needs of participants
- The effects and side-effects of the medication and the steps to take in the event of an incident involving medication
The training doesn’t necessarily need to be accredited but providers should consider the level of risk and participant needs in determining appropriate quality training. Information can be conveyed on the job, through buddy shifts, team meetings, online or in person. However, make sure that you have a way to record what has been covered, when and to whom.
If you are registered to any of the supplementary modules of the standards, such as High Intensity Daily Personal Activities or Implementing Behaviour Support Plans, then support workers who implement these support plans must complete the additional training set out in the standards and the High Intensity Skills Descriptors. Any training in how to implement such support plans must be conducted by a relevant practitioner.
Registered providers must also demonstrate that they didn’t just select what training workers should complete based on the minimum requirements set out in the standards, but that they have a system to identify training needs, a training plan, and a way to evaluate the effectiveness and appropriateness of training.
DSC has a library of On-Demand e-learning for support workers and other professionals: DSC On-Demand. If you have any suggestions for training that you think DSC should develop for support workers, please let us know.
