What do you need to start working?

Minimum requirements

To work in the care and support sector, you will need a worker screening check, which requires a police background check. Your employer may arrange this for you before you start your job.

There is also a national NDIS Worker Screening Check for people who work with participants of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). This is conducted by the Worker Screening Unit in the state or territory where a person applies for it.

States and territories have different requirements for obtaining approval to work with vulnerable people, such as Working with Vulnerable People (WWVP) or Working with Children (WWC) checks.

To work in residential aged care, you may be required to have an up to date COVID-19 and/or influenza vaccination. Aged care workers are strongly encouraged to stay up to date with their COVID-19 and influenza vaccinations to aid protection against both infection and severe disease for themselves and the people they care for.

Standard qualifications

For care and support workers, there are currently no minimum standard qualifications for entry-level work. However, particular roles and organisations may require you to have formal qualifications. You can read more about some of the most commonly recognised qualifications below.

Other more specialised roles in the sector, such as registered nurses, physiotherapists and other allied health professionals, will require relevant qualifications. These are dictated by professional bodies through the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme.

Find out more about Allied health professions

Common qualifications

There are many courses you can undertake that will give you qualifications relevant to care and support work. These can unlock new career paths, strengthen your skills and may be required for entry into some positions.

Read more about these courses on the My Skills website

Certificate III in Individual Support

This Certificate III is a common, nationally recognised qualification for people entering the support sector.

The course gives you the practical and technical knowledge needed to provide person-centred support, following individual plans. As part of the course, you will need to complete 120 hours of relevant work.

Many institutions will allow you to specialise your certificate in an area of your choice, such as disability or aged care.

A Certificate III is good if you want to work with people with disability, older people and veterans.

Certificate III in Allied Health Assistance

This qualification gives you the skills you need to provide assistance to allied health professionals. Work may include following treatment plans for therapeutic interventions or conducting programs under supervision.

This certification involves 80 hours of specified work.

It is good if you want to work with people with disability, older people and veterans.

Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance

This qualification advances your skills in providing therapeutic and program-related support to allied health professionals. You may work in a specialty area or more generally. You may also have responsibility for supervising other allied health assistance workers.

This certification involves 120 hours of specified work.

It is good if you want to work with people with disability, older people and veterans.

Certificate IV in Disability

The next step in your disability support career, this nationally accredited Certificate IV gives you the skills you need to meet the unique needs of people with disability and help them to achieve their goals and greater levels of independence.

This certification involves 120 hours of specified work.

It is good if you want to work with people with disability and veterans, or in management roles.

Certificate IV in Ageing Support

The next step in your aged care career, Certificate IV gives you the skills and training to provide specialised support for older people in a range of settings.

This certification involves 120 hours of specified work.

It is good if you want to work with older people and veterans, or in management roles.

Diploma of Community Services

This Diploma provides more advanced skills for people involved in managing, coordinating and delivering person-centred services. This may still involve direct support and also management and supervisory tasks.

It is good if you want to work with people with disability, older people and veterans, or in management roles.

Find out more about these courses

Other requirements

As a care and support worker, you may need to meet other requirements such as completion of:

• A First Aid Certificate
• National Police Check
• Working with Children check
• Working with Vulnerable People check
• NDIS Workforce Capability Framework
• NDIS Worker Orientation module
• NDIS Worker Screening check
• Department of Health and Aged Care infection control module

Help with training

If you need training to become job ready or financial assistance to obtain a qualification to enter the care and support sector, you may be able to access government support.
Programs include:

• Fee-Free TAFE – for people who want to gain a qualification that enables them to work in care and support (aged care, childcare, health care and disability support), technology and digital, hospitality and tourism, construction, agriculture and sovereign capability sectors.
• Transition to Work – for people aged 15-24 who need to improve their job readiness
• Skills for Education and Employment program – for people who need to improve their language, literacy and numeracy skills
• Skills Checkpoint – for people aged 40 years and older in finding a pathway to a new or changed career.

Work in the care and support sector can often offer flexible learning options. You can learn while you earn, and balance your work, life and study commitments.