Disability support worker
Also known as: disability care worker, disability support assistant, disability support carer, disability care assistant, learning disability support assistant, learning disability support carer
About this occupation
Disability support workers provide personal assistance and support to individuals of all ages with disability conditions, either intellectual or physical disabilities. They work with other health professionals to maximise individuals physical and mental well being. Their duties include bathing, lifting, moving, dressing or feeding people with disability.
A specialisation of social care worker.
Essential skills and knowledge
- assist social service users in formulating complaints
- provide in-home support for disabled individuals
- follow health and safety precautions in social care practices
- social sciences
- conduct cleaning tasks
- support social service users with specific communication needs
- demonstrate leadership in social service cases
- review social service plan
- company policies
- protect vulnerable social service users
- involve service users and carers in care planning
- communicate professionally with colleagues in other fields
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Home Health Aides (O*NET 31-1121.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- Plan, purchase, prepare, or serve meals to patients or other family members, according to prescribed diets.
- Care for patients by changing bed linens, washing and ironing laundry, cleaning, or assisting with their personal care.
- Bathe patients.
- Maintain records of patient care, condition, progress, or problems to report and discuss observations with supervisor or case manager.
- Provide patients with help moving in and out of beds, baths, wheelchairs, or automobiles and with dressing and grooming.
- Check patients' pulse, temperature, and respiration.
- Preparation
- Job Zone 2 of 5
- Interests
- Social, Realistic, Conventional
Top skills: Service Orientation, Active Listening, Social Perceptiveness, Reading Comprehension, Monitoring, Time Management
Subjects this work relies on
How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).
- PsychologyO*NET: PsychologyVery important (4.2)
- English or Literature in EnglishO*NET: English LanguageVery important (3.5)
- SociologyO*NET: Sociology and AnthropologyImportant (3.2)
- Foreign LanguageO*NET: Foreign LanguageImportant (3.1)
- Government and PoliticsO*NET: Law and GovernmentImportant (3.0)
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Preparation needed
Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Related occupations
Occupations O*NET links to this one by similar work, skills and knowledge.
- Nursing Assistants
- Personal Care Aides
- Paramedics
- Psychiatric Technicians
- Occupational Therapy Aides
- Psychiatric Aides
- Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
- Physical Therapist Aides
- Emergency Medical Technicians
- Physical Therapist Assistants
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.