Building a Support Team at Home: How Many Support Workers Do You Need?

19 October 2026

A support worker preparing a meal in a home kitchen while an older man in a wheelchair looks on

Most people need one regular support worker to start with, and a second person to cover leave, illness and the tasks the first worker does not offer. There is no set number: the right size for your support team at home depends on how many hours you need, how varied the tasks are and how much backup you want.

Why build a team instead of relying on one person

One support worker you trust is a good start. The trouble is that a single person cannot be available every day, and they will take leave, get sick or have their own commitments. If everything rests on one person, a missed shift can leave a gap in meals, personal care or company that matters to you or your family member.

A small team also lets you match tasks to people. One worker may be good at personal care and routines, another at getting out into the community, and a third at household help. Support workers choose their own hourly rate and control their own hours/workload; they are valued for their skills and experience. A mix of workers often covers more than one person can.

How many support workers do you need?

Work it out from the week, not from a number. List the tasks in a normal week, when they need to happen and how long each takes. Then look for the gaps:

Hours that must be covered every week, such as morning routines or meals.
Tasks that suit different skills, such as personal care, household help and social outings.
Times when the usual person is away, including holidays and sick days.
Times when family can step in, and times they cannot.

For many households the answer is one main worker and one or two others who know the routine well enough to fill in. If your needs are larger, a team of three or four with set days can work, as long as the arrangements stay simple enough for everyone to follow. Availability of specific services and workers may vary by location. Allow time to find people who suit.

Splitting the work sensibly

Give each person a clear role. For example, one worker might do the morning routine while another does the weekly outing. Clear roles reduce overlap and stop tasks falling between people.

Keep the core routine with as few people as you can. Someone who sees the same person most days notices small changes in mood, mobility or appetite. Our guide on keeping the same support worker long-term covers how to make that arrangement last.

Rosters and who to call

A shared weekly roster is the backbone of a team. Write down who comes on which day, what time and what they will do. Keep it somewhere everyone can see, such as a printed page on the fridge or a shared calendar.

Name one person as the contact for changes. That might be you, a family member or the care seeker. When plans shift, one person tells everyone, so nobody is working from old information. Our article on managing shift and schedule changes sets out how to handle a change of notice or time.

Handovers between workers

Workers on different days will not meet, so give them a simple way to pass information on. A notebook kept at home works well. Ask each worker to write a few lines at the end of a visit:

What was done and what is left over.
Anything that changed, such as a new pain, a missed meal or a fall.
Anything the next person needs, such as supplies running low.

Keep the notes factual and short. They help the next worker, and they give you a record if you need to talk through a concern. If something worrying happens, the worker should tell the person responsible straight away rather than leaving it in the notebook.

Agreeing arrangements with each worker

Independent support workers on CareVicinity are independent contractors; CareVicinity does not employ or assign them as staff. You agree the work directly with each person, so have the conversation with every worker on your team, even if the tasks are similar. The support worker sets their own hourly rate; that is the amount the client/coordinator pays. Cover the hours, the tasks, notice for changes and what happens when they are away. Our guide to hiring an independent support worker walks through agreeing rates and responsibilities.

Plan for the backup before you need it. Ask each worker how they handle a day they cannot come, and whether there is someone they would suggest. Do not assume anyone is available at short notice.

If you receive Support at Home services

If you already have a provider, ask them how a team of several workers fits with your arrangements, who is responsible for rostering, and how any change should be recorded. Arrangements differ between providers and between ways of managing services, so check before you commit. Our plain-language guide to Support at Home explains the basics.

Frequently asked questions

How many support workers do I need?

It depends on the hours and tasks. Many households begin with one regular worker and one backup, then add more if the week has gaps. Listing the tasks and the times they happen shows how many people you need.

Can I use more than one support worker?

Yes. You can work with more than one independent support worker, agreeing the arrangement with each. A clear roster and a way to pass on information keep it manageable.

What if my regular support worker is away?

Ask about backup before it happens. A second worker who already knows the routine is far easier to arrange than a stranger on the day. Our guide on keeping the same support worker long-term covers backup plans.

Who coordinates the team?

You decide. It can be the care seeker, a family member or someone they trust. One person should hold the roster and be the contact for changes.

Does CareVicinity arrange the roster for me?

No. CareVicinity is the marketplace: it does not employ clinicians and does not provide, deliver, supervise, manage or clinically oversee any service, including nursing or allied health. You or your chosen contact arrange the roster directly with each worker.