Top 4 Things That Make a Great Support Worker

Looking for a support worker for you or your family?

Here are our top tips for things to look out for!

Support workers are an important role in the life of a person who is living with a disability, so finding a great one is gold. Whether you’re looking for yourself or for a loved one, you want to find the right fit. 

Be it In-home Care or Supported Independent Living, the support worker will become a part of everyday function and will have a unique relationship with their person. 

sacare has 25 years’ experience hiring and finding support teams, so we’ve put together the top four traits to look for when searching for the perfect match. 

“The support worker will become a part of everyday function and will have a unique relationship with their person.”

Great energy. 

A positive perspective and can-do attitude make any situation easier. Getting out and about on public transport, going shopping or sightseeing can be challenging when accessibility is important. 

Or when around the home, having a laugh while assisting with chores and personal care tasks is enough to brighten anyone’s day. 

A sense of humour, positive outlook, and a light approach when problem solving goes a long way. 

Reliability is key.

A support worker has an important role in your day-to-day activities. You want to trust they are dependable. 

The value they hold on to your time and their flexibility and commitment to you is crucial. 

Having great organisation skills and clearly communicating schedule and availability avoids last minute let downs. Promises made and then not followed through are frustrating and disappointing. 

Trusting that your support worker will show up on time and is genuinely invested in helping you build a strong relationship that works. 

Respect. Not just a little bit. 

Respect means a lot. Shown in so many ways from knowing when to provide help or when to stand back and make space for independence. To understand the importance of your cultural beliefs. To appreciate the intimacy of being in your home and helping with personal care. To know it’s taboo to ‘speak for’ or talk over you if you are non-verbal or have communication challenges. To simply be patient.

“A support worker has an important role in your day-to-day activities. You want to trust they are dependable.”

Champion for your community.

A genuine support worker will genuinely cheer for you and your community. Someone intrinsically motivated to look for ways to develop their and your skills, fight for your rights and help you connect when feeling isolated or disconnected. 

Being surrounded by an inspired and motivating support person is exactly what’s needed to face challenges, have great experiences, and enrich daily living. That’s what it’s all about!

We hoped these helped. At sacare, we diligently choose our support workers based on the above and love to see relationships grow. We are all about making a difference in disability, so our handpicked support workers must be the same. If you need help to find a great support worker, contact our team.

Let's work together to connect your best support worker today! ‘Click here to contact our team’.