Direct Care/Support Worker requirements in Disability
What a Direct Care/Support Worker needs to work in Disability in Australia: screening, qualifications and safety credentials, from Koora's compliance engine.
On this page
A direct care or support worker in Disability needs: NDIS Worker Screening Clearance (for risk-assessed roles); Certificate III in Individual Support or Certificate IV in Disability Support or Diploma of Community Services or Diploma of Nursing or Bachelor of Nursing or Certificate IV in Ageing Support or Certificate III in Health Services Assistance or AHPRA registration (Registered Nurse or Enrolled Nurse); and any one of First Aid (HLTAID011) + CPR (HLTAID009); First Aid for Education and Care (HLTAID012) + CPR (HLTAID009).
In Disability, registered NDIS providers need an NDIS Worker Screening Clearance for every worker in a risk-assessed role. The clearance includes a national criminal history check, so there is no separate National Police Check line. Where a line says it is for risk-assessed roles, the engine applies it when the worker's role is risk-assessed or the worker has not said.
What a direct care or support worker needs
| Pillar | What the worker must hold |
|---|---|
| Compliance | NDIS Worker Screening Clearance (for risk-assessed roles) |
| Qualifications | Certificate III in Individual Support or Certificate IV in Disability Support or Diploma of Community Services or Diploma of Nursing or Bachelor of Nursing or Certificate IV in Ageing Support or Certificate III in Health Services Assistance or AHPRA registration (Registered Nurse or Enrolled Nurse) |
| Safety | Any one of:
|
Checked against Koora's compliance engine on 7 October 2026. Where a line says “any one of”, one option is enough.
How Koora uses these requirements
In Koora, the compliance engine tests each worker's records against the lines on this page and shows the gaps. That check is the floor on every plan. Your team reviews each credential in Koora, or Crew does it for you. The provider keeps the legal responsibility for who they engage.
Frequently asked questions
Does a direct care or support worker in Disability need a National Police Check?
Not a separate one. Koora's compliance engine asks a direct care or support worker for an NDIS Worker Screening Clearance where the role is risk-assessed, and the clearance includes a national criminal history check.
What qualification does a direct care or support worker need in Disability?
Koora's compliance engine asks a direct care or support worker for Certificate III in Individual Support or Certificate IV in Disability Support or Diploma of Community Services or Diploma of Nursing or Bachelor of Nursing or Certificate IV in Ageing Support or Certificate III in Health Services Assistance or AHPRA registration (Registered Nurse or Enrolled Nurse).
What safety certificates does a direct care or support worker need in Disability?
Koora's compliance engine asks a direct care or support worker for any one of First Aid (HLTAID011) + CPR (HLTAID009); First Aid for Education and Care (HLTAID012) + CPR (HLTAID009).
Related
- NDIS Worker Screening Check by state
- Which worker check do I need?: the same answer for any sector, role and state
- Worker screening policy template for Disability
- Every role, every sector
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 everything accurate, and our compliance engine keeps up with the rules as they change. Even so, we might get a detail slightly wrong or miss something. No one's perfect. 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.
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