Disability Support Worker
A worker delivering NDIS-funded daily-living and community support.
A Disability Support Worker delivers NDIS-funded support to people with disability, helping with daily living, personal care, community access, transport, skill-building and social participation. The role can be based in a person's home, in supported independent living, or out in the community, and may be casual, permanent or through an agency.
There is no single mandatory qualification, though many workers hold a Certificate III in Individual Support (Disability) or complete the NDIS Worker Orientation Module. The key compliance requirement is an NDIS Worker Screening Check for anyone in a risk-assessed role. That check includes a police history component, so a separate police check is not usually required on top of it.
For providers, the obligation is to confirm each worker holds a valid clearance before they start and to keep monitoring it. Koora reviews NDIS Worker Screening Clearances and helps providers track currency across their workforce. A worker who moves between providers can reuse their checks through a Career Passport. See how to become a disability support worker and our state-by-state screening guide.
This is general information, not compliance advice. Always confirm requirements with the relevant regulator, and remember that providers keep the legal responsibility to sight credentials and decide who can work.
We work hard to keep it accurate, but the rules change and we will not always get every detail right. If you think something here needs updating, email us at resources@koora.care. We would genuinely rather know, because we all do better when we help each other get it right.
How to become a disability support worker in Australia
Qualifications, NDIS screening and the steps to start work as a disability support worker, including the NDIS Worker Orientation Module.
Read guideDisabilityNDIS Worker Screening Check: a state-by-state guide for 2026
How the NDIS Worker Screening Check works, where to apply in each state and territory, and how renewals work as the first five-year clearances start to expire.
Read guide