How to Hire an Independent Support Worker Through CareVicinity

Choosing a support worker for yourself or a family member is a big decision. You're trusting someone with day-to-day care, and it's not always obvious where to start, what funding applies, or how to tell a good match from a risky one.

This guide walks through the practical steps for finding, vetting, and hiring an independent support worker for aged care or DVA-funded home support in Australia, including how CareVicinity's marketplace fits in: from confirming your funding through to your first shift.

In short: you confirm your funding, post your care needs, browse and connect with support workers who have completed CareVicinity's applicable screening requirements, agree on rates and responsibilities, then start receiving care. Care seekers pay no platform fee. CareVicinity's 12.5% platform fee applies to the support worker.

Who this guide is for

This guide is for care seekers and families looking for home support for an older Australian, whether that's help around the house, personal care, or ongoing companionship. It covers the practical steps for hiring an independent support worker through CareVicinity's aged care and DVA-funded pathways. If you're still comparing platforms generally, questions worth asking before choosing any home-support platform is the earlier read.

If you're a support worker or provider looking to join CareVicinity instead, this isn't the guide for you. If you're still deciding between an independent support worker and an agency in the first place, that's covered separately in independent support worker vs agency.

What hiring an independent support worker means

Similar paid help at home goes by several names, such as support worker, personal care worker or aged care worker. On CareVicinity the term is support worker, and the steps in this guide apply whichever name you use.

Support workers on CareVicinity are independent contractors, not CareVicinity staff. You find support workers through CareVicinity's marketplace. CareVicinity does not employ them or assign them to care seekers, and it does not deliver or supervise the care itself. You choose who to work with, then agree what the role involves in a service agreement.

Step 1: Understand your funding

Before you start looking for a support worker, it helps to know how your care will be paid for. CareVicinity works with a few different funding paths for aged care and veterans:

• Support at Home: the Australian Government's current aged care home support program. If you already had a Home Care Package, you were moved across to Support at Home automatically and don't need to reapply. If you're new to aged care funding, an assessment through My Aged Care is the starting point.

• DVA-funded home support: for eligible veterans and their families. Eligibility and the specific type of support available depend on your circumstances, so check directly with the Department of Veterans' Affairs to confirm what you're entitled to before booking a support worker. For a fuller walkthrough of that first step, see DVA home support: where to start and how to find support.

• Private/self-funded care: you can also arrange and pay for support privately, without going through a government program.

CareVicinity doesn't determine your funding eligibility. That's decided by My Aged Care or DVA. Once you know what you're working with, you can move on to finding a support worker.

Step 2: Post your care needs

On CareVicinity, you start by posting a short description of the care you're looking for: the type of support, how often you need it, and any preferences that matter to you (such as language, gender, or specific experience). This becomes visible to independent support workers in your area, who can then apply if they're a good fit.

The more specific you are here, the easier the next step becomes.

Not sure how to describe what you need? Think about what you would like help with in a normal week. Examples include personal care, domestic help around the house, company and social outings, and a break for a family member who provides unpaid care. For each one, note the task, the days and roughly how long you need it.

If you are arranging support for a parent or partner, talk through what you plan to ask for with them before you post. It also helps to settle early who the support worker should contact day to day: the person receiving care, a family member, or both.

Step 3: Browse, compare and connect with support workers

Once your post is live, you can review the support workers who've applied, or search and filter the wider pool by qualifications, experience, languages, availability, and gender to find people who match what you're looking for.

Every support worker on CareVicinity completes CareVicinity's applicable screening requirements and provides references before their profile is visible or they're able to apply to your listing. For aged-care and DVA work, an accepted police check is sufficient. Different screening requirements apply to NDIS-related work. You don't need to separately request or check this yourself; it's already part of being on the platform.

If you already have a support worker you like and want to bring them onto CareVicinity, that's possible too. They'll need an ABN, the applicable screening documentation, references, and any qualifications required for the services they'll be providing, and can then apply to your listing like any other worker.

This is also the stage where you can message potential matches and ask questions before deciding who to go with.

Step 4: Agree on rates and responsibilities

Once you've found someone you'd like to work with, you and the support worker negotiate and agree on their rate and what the role involves. This is confirmed through a simple digital service agreement inside CareVicinity, which sets out what's expected on both sides and can be adjusted later if your care needs change.

Care seekers pay no platform fee. CareVicinity's 12.5% platform fee applies to the support worker and is already reflected in the hourly rate shown when they apply.

GST is a separate detail, not part of the core fee: it can vary depending on the support worker's GST-registration status, the service being provided, and the care seeker's funding source. CareVicinity identifies the applicable GST treatment within the platform, so you don't need to work it out yourself. See understanding GST on your in-home support invoices for the full explanation.

Step 5: Start receiving care and manage it ongoing

From here, your support worker begins delivering care on the schedule you've agreed. They're covered by CareVicinity's insurance for approved services booked and invoiced through the platform, and you can track your schedule, approve shifts, and view invoices as care continues, with the flexibility to adjust the arrangement as your needs change over time.

Starting well with a new carer: the first week

The first week sets the pattern for the arrangement. A little preparation before the first shift helps both you and the support worker know what to expect, and it makes it easier to adjust early if something is not working.

Before the first shift, it helps to have these in place:

• A written list of the tasks you agreed, with the days and times.

• The name and phone number of the person the support worker should contact day to day.

• Any household routines that matter, such as where equipment is kept or how you like things done.

• A plan for what happens if either of you needs to change a booking at short notice.

On the first visit, take a few minutes to walk through the tasks together instead of leaving the support worker to guess. Ask how they would like to be updated and say how you would like to hear from them. Keep the first conversation friendly and practical.

After the first few shifts, check in with the person receiving care and with any family member involved. If something needs to change, such as the timing or a task, raise it early and update the service agreement so the arrangement stays clear for everyone.

What to do if a support worker is not working out

If a support worker is not working out, start with a calm conversation about the specific problem, agree one change and a date to look again, and look for a better fit only if the problem comes back. Naming the problem early keeps it small and gives the support worker a fair chance to put it right.

These steps work for most day-to-day problems, such as late arrivals, tasks done differently from how you asked, or a poor match in manner:

• Write down what happened. Note the date, the task and what you expected, so the conversation stays on facts and not on general impressions.

• Talk to the support worker first. Raise one issue at a time, in person or by phone, and ask for their side. A misunderstanding about a task or a time is easier to settle in the first week than in the third month.

• Agree one change and a date to review it. For example, a different arrival time or a clearer task list. Put it in writing, and update the service agreement if the tasks or hours change.

• Ask the person receiving care. They may notice things that a family member arranging the support does not, and the arrangement is there for them.

• Decide whether to keep going. If the same problem returns after you have raised it clearly, it is reasonable to look for someone who suits better.

Changing support workers does not have to mean starting from nothing. Before the current arrangement finishes, write down the routines the next person will need: the tasks and their order, how the person likes things done, house details such as where equipment is kept, and who to contact day to day. Handing that over means the person receiving care does not have to explain everything again.

The guide to setting up agreements covers what to write down, and keeping the same support worker long term covers building a working relationship that lasts. If you are a support worker and an arrangement is not working for you either, the deliver care page explains how independent support workers work through CareVicinity.

What to look for in a support worker

Beyond the screening every CareVicinity support worker completes before they're visible (see Step 3), a few practical factors help you judge whether someone is the right fit for your specific situation:

• Relevant experience: not just years of experience in general, but experience with the type of support you need (for example, dementia care, mobility assistance, personal care, or DVA-specific needs).

• Availability that matches your routine: whether they can reliably commit to your preferred days and times, not just occasionally.

• Communication: how clearly and promptly someone responds to your messages before you've agreed to work together is a reasonable indicator of how they'll communicate once care starts.

• Compatibility: for ongoing, in-home support, personal rapport matters alongside formal qualifications and experience.

These are judgements you make yourself while browsing and messaging candidates (Step 3). CareVicinity confirms that applicable onboarding and screening requirements have been completed; the care seeker still assesses experience, suitability, and personal fit.

Questions worth asking before you decide

A short conversation before you commit can save problems later. These are useful to ask any support worker, regardless of platform:

• What experience do you have with the specific type of support I need?

• How do you handle a day you're unavailable, and is there a backup arrangement?

• What's your approach if my needs or routine change over time?

• Are you comfortable with the specific tasks involved (for example, personal care, medication reminders, or mobility support)?

• How would you communicate with me or my family if something came up during a shift?

There's no single "correct" answer to these questions; they're about judging clarity and fit, not passing a test.

How do I check a support worker's references?

Independent support workers on CareVicinity must have a current police check, register their own ABN, and provide two professional references. You can also call a referee yourself as an optional extra step, which is worth considering when the support is regular and in your home, because you can ask about the things that matter most to you.

Start by asking the support worker for the names of one or two referees and for their permission to call them. A good referee is someone who has seen the work first-hand, such as a previous client, a family member of a client or a supervisor from earlier support work. A friend or relative who has never seen them work is less useful.

Keep the call short and specific. These questions tend to get a clearer answer than "Were they good?":

• How long did you know them, and what did they help with?

• Were they reliable about turning up on time and telling you when plans changed?

• How did they handle a difficult day or a change in routine?

• Would you ask them back, and is there anything you would want a new client to know?

Listen for detail. A referee who describes the actual tasks, the time of year or a specific moment is usually more informative than one who offers a general compliment. Take notes, and if an answer is vague, it is fair to ask for an example.

Use the same approach to read the worker's profile and your messages with them. Look for experience that matches the tasks on your list, and notice whether their answers are clear and consistent with what a referee told you. If something does not line up, ask them about it directly before you agree anything.

Once you are happy, write the tasks, days and hours into the service agreement so both sides know what was agreed. If you want to understand what experience or training is realistic to ask for, support worker qualifications explains what the role does and does not require. Support workers who want to join can read how to become an independent support worker on CareVicinity.

How do I hire a personal care worker?

You hire a personal care worker the same way you hire any independent support worker: describe the help you need, review the people who apply, agree the tasks and terms in writing, then plan the first week. The steps in this guide apply whichever job title you use.

Personal care usually means hands-on help with everyday routines, such as showering, dressing and moving around the home. When you post your care needs, name those tasks, the days and how long each visit should run, so applicants can tell whether they have the right experience. The first in-home support visit is a useful read before the first shift.

Ask each candidate about their experience with the specific tasks on your list, and write down what they will and will not do in the service agreement. If a task goes beyond everyday help, such as anything clinical, talk to the person's GP or health professional before you post. Independent support workers on CareVicinity are independent contractors; CareVicinity does not employ or assign them as staff.

If you are weighing a private arrangement against an agency, independent support worker vs agency sets the two side by side, and what a support worker does explains the role in more detail.

Where can I find an independent support worker?

Independent caregivers, also called independent carers or support workers, can be found in a few places: through a marketplace, through people you already know, or through a worker you have met and want to work with again. Each route works, and they differ mainly in how much checking is left to you.

Care seekers and coordinators can browse and search the support-worker pool. The steps above cover this in detail. A marketplace puts the people who are looking for work and the people looking for support in one place, so you are choosing from a visible group rather than a single name.

Other places families look include:

• Word of mouth. Friends, neighbours or a community group may know someone they would recommend.

• A worker you already know. If someone has helped before and you would like to keep working with them, they can join CareVicinity and apply to your listing, and how to become an independent support worker with CareVicinity explains how.

• A health professional or social worker. They may be able to tell you what kind of help to ask for, even if they cannot choose the person.

Whichever route you take, ask for the same things: what tasks they are experienced with, their references, and what they will put in writing. Questions to ask before choosing a home support platform is a useful checklist if you are comparing places to look.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Choosing on price alone. A lower rate isn't good value if the support worker doesn't have the right experience for your needs.

• Leaving expectations unwritten. Confirm specific tasks, hours, and responsibilities in the service agreement (Step 4) rather than relying on a verbal understanding.

• Not planning for unavailability. Ask about backup arrangements before you need them, not after a missed shift.

• Skipping the funding check. Confirm your Support at Home or DVA entitlements before you start browsing, so you're not comparing options you can't actually access (Step 1).

FAQ

How much does it cost to hire a support worker through CareVicinity?

Care seekers pay no platform fee. CareVicinity's 12.5% platform fee applies to the support worker and is already reflected in the hourly rate shown when they apply.

GST is a separate detail, not part of the core fee: it can vary depending on the support worker's GST-registration status, the service being provided, and the care seeker's funding source. CareVicinity identifies the applicable GST treatment within the platform, so you don't need to work it out yourself.

Do I need Support at Home or DVA funding to use CareVicinity?

No. You can also arrange and pay for care privately. If you do have Support at Home or DVA funding, check your specific entitlements with My Aged Care or DVA before booking, since eligibility varies by individual circumstances.

How are support workers screened?

Every support worker completes CareVicinity's applicable screening requirements before their profile is approved. For aged-care and DVA work, an accepted police check is sufficient. Different screening requirements apply to NDIS-related work. Workers also provide references before they can appear on the platform or apply to a job. This happens before you ever see their profile.

Can I choose my own support worker?

Yes. You can browse and filter support workers by qualifications, experience, languages, availability, and gender, and message potential matches before agreeing to work with them.

Can I bring my existing support worker onto CareVicinity?

Yes, if they have an ABN, the applicable screening documentation, references, and any qualifications required for the services they'll be providing. They can then sign up and apply to your job listing, so your arrangement is covered by the same insurance and payment process as any other match on the platform.

Does CareVicinity operate across Australia?

Yes. CareVicinity is an Australia-wide marketplace connecting care seekers with independent support workers. Availability of specific services and workers may vary by location.

Ready to find your support worker?

Post your care needs and start browsing independent support workers who match what you're looking for. Compare independent support workers on CareVicinity today, or read more about how CareVicinity works if you still have questions. For more detail on funding, screening, and how payments work, see our FAQs.