What qualifications do my carers need?
16 Apr 2024
Verifying carer qualifications, insurance and background checks is an essential compliance measure to ensure their services can be covered under your Home Care Package. If you choose to self-manage your Home Care Package with Trilogy Care, you will need to source your own care workers. Your care workers will need the correct qualifications, insurance and background checks to be eligible to be paid with Home Care Package funds. Trilogy Care will need to be able to access these qualifications, insurances and background checks to meet compliance obligations with the Australian government. This article will cover what qualifications and checks your care workers will need.
Do you need to supply your carers qualifications?
For a carer to be paid with Home Care Package funds, Trilogy Care needs to conduct a compliance check on the carer or support service. If you have independently sourced your carer, you or your carer will need to submit the documents to our compliance team for review.
Do all workers need to be checked?
Caregiver marketplace platforms like Mable or Careseekers make sure that all workers listed on their platform undergo compliance checks. When using workers from a caregiver marketplace, the platform will send their compliance documentation and checks to us on your behalf. Use the links below for instructions on how to register as a carer at some of the most common carer marketplaces:
Can family members be carers?
Home Care Package funds can not be used to pay family members who are providing care to a package owner. Home Care Package funding is supplied by the Australian government, which regulates package providers to ensure that they are using the funding in accordance with government regulations. The government views family members as having a conflict of interest, and, as such will not allow them to be paid with Home Care Package funds.
What qualifications and checks are required?
Depending on the care service your carer provides, they will need to submit a different series of compliance documents. Select the care service type from the list below to see what compliance documents they need to submit.
Care worker and support service verification requirements:
Sole trader:
ABN
Tax invoice
Police check or NDIS card
Service agreement
Service agreement
Insurance
Public liability insurance
Personal accident insurance or household worker insurance (Queensland only).
Organisation:
ABN
Tax invoice
Police check or NDIS card
Service agreement
Service agreement, or
Brokerage agreement with a published price list.
Insurance
Public liability insurance
Workcover, WorkSpace or workers’ compensation insurance (or the relevant workers compensation insurance required under your state legislation).
In-clinic:
ABN
Tax invoice
Professional registration
Professional practising registration
Published price list
Products and purchases:
ABN
Tax invoice
Nursing
Standard qualifications, background checks and insurance for their business type as listed above, and:
Clinical care (general)
Current AHPRA registration (enrolled nurse or registered nurse)
Professional indemnity insurance
Clinical care (high)
Current AHPRA registration (registered nurse)
Professional indemnity insurance
Personal care
Standard qualifications, background checks and insurance for their business type as listed above, and: Personal care (general care):
Certificate III or certificate IV in aged care, in-home, community care, or disability (or equivalent)
Personal care (high care):
Certificate III or certificate IV in aged care, in-home, community care, or disability (or equivalent)
Medication management certificate (if providing medication management)
Manual handling certificate (if providing manual handling)
Insurance requirements (general and high care):
Professional indemnity insurance
Allied health eg. physiotherapists, podiatrist, and occupational therapists
Standard qualifications, background checks and insurance for their business type as listed above, and:
Relevant bachelor's degree
Professional body membership (AHPRA or equivalent industry body)
Insurance requirements
Professional indemnity insurance
Remedial Massage
Standard qualifications, background checks and insurance for their business type as listed above, and:
Diploma of Remedial Massage
Insurance requirements:
Professional indemnity insurance
Domestic assistance (excluding one off services)
Background checks and insurance for their business type as listed above.
Gardening, mowing, and home repairs
Background checks and insurance for their business type as listed above.
Transport providers
Sole Traders
Standard qualifications, background checks and insurance for their business type as listed above.
Drivers licence
Comprehensive car insurance
Organisations
Standard qualifications, background checks and insurance for their business type as listed above.
Statutory declaration confirming all employees have the relevant background checks, licences, and insurance.
Social support
Background checks and insurance for their business type as listed above.
Trade services
Standard qualifications, background checks and insurance for their business type as listed above, and:
Relevant licence/s
Relevant contract
Relevant insurances
Please note: Requirements vary depending on the state or territory where the work is completed.
How do I submit carer qualifications?
Once you or your carer have acquired all the required compliance documents, submit them using our submit a service provider form. If you have any questions about our required compliance documents or the mandatory requirements, please contact our workforce compliance team by emailing [email protected] or calling Trilogy Care on 1300 459 190. If you need some help with finding your own carers, check out our complete guide on using a carer marketplace. If you're just starting a home care package, make sure you know which items and services and included and excluded.