Choosing a support worker is about far more than filling a roster. The best questions for support workers help you understand whether someone will listen to you, respect your routines and support the life you want to lead. A good match can make everyday tasks feel more manageable, build your confidence and help you feel comfortable at home and in the community.
You do not need to have every detail of your NDIS plan worked out before asking questions. Whether you are looking for support for yourself, a family member or someone you care for, a conversation can show you a lot about how a provider works. Take your time, ask what matters to you and remember that you are allowed to change your mind.
Start with what matters to you
Before meeting a provider or support worker, it can help to think about what a good day looks like for you. Perhaps you want assistance to get ready in the morning, keep on top of meals and household tasks, get to appointments, learn new skills or spend more time doing things you enjoy locally. You may also want consistent support so familiar faces understand your preferences.
There is no single right answer. Your needs, communication style, culture, identity, interests and goals all matter. The questions below are a starting point, not a test. Use the ones that feel useful and add your own.
The best questions for support workers
1. How will you get to know my goals and preferences?
This question gets to the heart of person-centred support. Listen for an answer that focuses on getting to know you, rather than making assumptions about what support should look like.
A thoughtful worker may ask about your routines, the things you enjoy, how you prefer to communicate and what you would like more control over. They should understand that your goals can change over time. Support should fit around your life, not ask you to fit around a service.
2. What choices will I have about how support is delivered?
Choice and control can show up in small but meaningful ways. You might prefer a particular order for morning tasks, choose meals you enjoy cooking, decide which activities you attend or want time to do things for yourself before accepting help.
Ask how the worker will check in with you about these choices. The right approach balances safety with independence and respects your right to make everyday decisions.
3. Can I meet the support worker before services begin?
A free meet-and-greet can take pressure out of choosing support. It gives you an opportunity to see whether conversation feels comfortable, explain what matters to you and ask practical questions without committing straight away.
You could ask whether a trusted family member, friend, advocate or carer can join you. A provider should welcome the people you choose to involve while keeping you at the centre of the conversation.
4. How do you match participants with support workers?
Compatibility matters. Skills and availability are part of the picture, but a good match may also involve shared interests, communication preferences, cultural understanding, language, personality and the type of support you are seeking.
Ask how the provider learns about these factors and what happens if a match does not feel right. Sometimes it takes more than one introduction to find the best fit. That is not a failure – it is part of making sure support feels respectful and sustainable.
5. Will I have consistent support workers?
Consistency can build trust, especially when support involves personal care, household routines or working towards longer-term goals. Familiar workers can learn how you like things done and notice progress that might otherwise be missed.
At the same time, no provider can promise that the same person will always be available. Ask how they manage leave, illness and changing rosters. A dependable service will communicate early, introduce replacement staff where possible and make sure important information is handed over respectfully.
6. What experience do you have with the support I want?
Be clear about the practical help you are looking for. You may need assistance with personal care, meal preparation, transport, appointments, shopping, household tasks, community participation or building independent living skills.
Rather than looking for a generic answer, ask for examples of how workers support people to do more for themselves. For instance, support with cooking might mean planning meals together, practising kitchen skills and helping with the parts you choose, rather than simply taking over.
7. How do you communicate with me and the people I choose?
Good communication is not one-size-fits-all. You might prefer a phone call, text message, written notes, visual information, face-to-face conversations or extra time to process information. Let the provider know what works for you.
Ask how changes to your shifts will be communicated and who you can contact if something is not right. Clear communication helps everyone feel prepared, including family members and carers when you want them involved.
8. How do you protect my privacy, dignity and safety?
Support should always be delivered with respect. This includes asking before helping, explaining what is happening, keeping personal information private and recognising your boundaries.
You can ask how workers are screened, trained and supervised, and how the provider creates a safe and welcoming environment. If cultural respect, gender preference, LGBTQIA+ inclusion, child safety or accessibility are particularly important to you, it is reasonable to ask directly how these needs will be respected.
9. What happens if I am unhappy with my support?
Even with a careful match, concerns can arise. A worker may not understand a preference yet, a shift time may no longer suit or you may simply feel that the relationship is not working for you.
Ask how you can give feedback, request a change or make a complaint. You should be able to raise concerns without being made to feel difficult or worried that support will be withdrawn. A responsive provider treats feedback as a chance to improve.
10. How flexible can support be when my needs change?
Life does not always run to plan. An appointment may move, a usual activity may be cancelled or your energy may be different from one week to the next. Flexibility can be especially valuable when your support is built around community access, transport or changing routines.
Ask what notice is needed to adjust a shift and what options are available in urgent situations. The answer may depend on worker availability and your funding, but the provider should explain this clearly and work with you where they can.
11. How will you support my independence, not replace it?
The best support is often the kind that helps you take the lead. This could mean giving you time to practise catching public transport, supporting you to organise your own shopping list, building confidence at appointments or trying a local class with someone alongside you.
Ask how progress is recognised and how goals are reviewed. Independence does not have to mean doing everything alone. It means having the right support, in the right way, so you can live life your way.
12. Can you help with short-term accommodation when needed?
Short-term accommodation can offer a planned change of setting, opportunities to build skills or time away from usual routines. It can also give informal carers time to rest and attend to their own wellbeing.
If this is something you may want, ask what the experience looks like, who will provide support, how activities are chosen and how your routines and preferences will be maintained. The right arrangement should feel safe, enjoyable and shaped around your goals.
Pay attention to how the answers make you feel
The words a provider uses matter, but so does the feeling you are left with. Do they listen without rushing? Do they speak to you directly? Are they honest about availability and practical limits? Do they make space for your questions?
You do not need to settle for support that feels impersonal or controlling. Dependable support can still be warm, flexible and guided by you. If an answer feels vague, ask for a clearer example. If something does not feel right, trust that feeling and keep looking.
For participants and families across Port Macquarie and the Mid-North Coast, IncludeCare welcomes a no-pressure conversation or free meet-and-greet. The aim is simple: to understand what a good life looks like for you, then provide support that helps you move towards it – at your pace, in your way.