The Direct Care Officer – Level 3 provides direct support to people with disability and delivers frontline operational support to ensure safe, consistent and high-quality service delivery.
The role involves regular direct work with participants and may also include Tier 1 phone and frontline operational support as rostered. Where required, the role provides direct support at service outlets to maintain service continuity due to staffing changes, unplanned absences or operational requirements.
When not providing direct support at service outlets, the role continues to perform Direct Care Officer duties and Tier 1 support functions in accordance with rostered allocations.
The role operates within established procedures and documented plans, works under general supervision, and escalates matters beyond scope through established escalation pathways.
Reports to:
Operations Manager, After Hours Support Duty Manager, or another nominated senior role.
Supervision:
•Works under general supervision
•Guidance and escalation support is readily available at all times
•The role does not have formal supervisory, managerial or disciplinary authority
Key Responsibilities
Direct Participant Support and Service Continuity
The Direct Care Officer – Level 3 is responsible for:
* Delivering direct care and support to participants during rostered shifts
* Providing direct support at service outlets when required to maintain service continuity due to staff absence or changes
* Performing standard Direct Care Officer duties when not deployed to service outlets
* Providing personal care supports including:
oHygiene and grooming
oToileting and continence support
oDressing
oMeals and hydration
oMobility and transfers
oHousehold and domestic tasks
* Assisting with meal planning, preparation and cooking in accordance with participant plans, dietary requirements and food safety procedures
* Supporting community participation, including transport, appointments, shopping and recreational activities
* Implementing participant skill development programs and activities in line with individual support plans
* Supporting daily routines and schedules in accordance with documented instructions
* Promoting participant dignity, rights, choice, independence and inclusion at all times
Tier 1 Phone & Frontline Support
The Direct Care Officer – Level 3 may be rostered to provide Tier 1 phone and frontline operational support, including remotely and/or while on shift. Responsibilities include:
* Respond to incoming calls from staff located in service outlets, participant settings, or in the community.
* Gather relevant information, clarify immediate risks, and provide guidance within established procedures, training and authorised scope.
* Implement immediate low-level controls where appropriate (for example, directing staff to follow an existing checklist, procedure or escalation pathway), and escalate promptly where higher-level decision making, clinical input, safeguarding action, or staffing decisions are required.
* Refer calls and issues to the appropriate operational contact or escalation point (e.g. After Hours Support Duty Manager, Operations Manager, The Hub, clinical lead, or other designated escalation role) where required.
* Provide clear, factual communication to support service continuity and safe work practices.
* Document calls, information received, advice provided, actions taken and escalations in approved systems in a timely manner.
Tier 1 support does not include authority to make final staffing, rostering, clinical, behavioural, financial, regulatory reporting or policy decisions. These matters must be escalated to appropriately authorised roles.
Support to Colleagues & Service Delivery
The Direct Care Officer – Level 3 supports colleagues and service delivery continuity during rostered shifts by:
* Providing day-to-day assistance to care staff during shifts to support safe and consistent service delivery.
* Responding to routine questions from colleagues and providing guidance on established procedures and routine duties within the employee's training and scope.
* Redirecting or escalating non-routine matters, matters requiring discretion outside established procedures, or matters involving safeguarding, medication, compliance or safety risk to the appropriate person.
* Assisting staff to complete general shift duties in accordance with participant plans, organisational protocols and safe work procedures.
* Modelling correct practice and professional conduct, including person-centred support, dignity of risk, and documentation standards.
* Supporting effective handovers and shift communication in accordance with procedures.
Training, Induction & Mentoring
The Direct Care Officer – Level 3 may support induction and on-the-job learning activities under direction, including:
* Assisting with staff inductions as directed by a supervisor or nominated trainer.
* Participating in mentoring to support orientation and on-the-job learning for new or less experienced staff.
* Supporting staff to complete training checklists and required learning activities by providing practical guidance and modelling correct practice.
* Providing factual observations and feedback to management or the nominated trainer regarding training progress, support needs and observed competency gaps.
* Encouraging consistent application of established procedures, safe work practices, and participant support requirements during training and buddying activities.
* Boundary of Training Support:
This role does not independently sign off competencies, authorise staff as competent, or approve changes to training requirements. Final competency sign-off remains with appropriately authorised roles.
Behaviour Support, Medication Support & Safeguarding
The Direct Care Officer – Level 3 supports safe service delivery by implementing documented plans and escalating concerns promptly, including:
* Implement behaviour support strategies, protocols and participant-specific plans as documented, within training and authorised scope.
* Support the delivery of supports in a manner consistent with safeguarding obligations, participant rights, dignity and choice.
* Where trained and authorised, support medication assistance or medication procedures in accordance with Hability's medication policy, participant plans and applicable procedures.
* Complete medication documentation accurately and in a timely manner, including medication administration records (where applicable), refusals, errors, missing stock, adverse reactions, and relevant observations.
* Report medication issues immediately, including refusals, errors, missing stock, discrepancies, adverse reactions, or any suspected misuse.
* Support secure storage and tracking of medication in accordance with procedures and escalate supply or security concerns promptly.
* Identify safeguarding concerns, reportable incidents, restrictive practice concerns, allegations, disclosures or changes in participant presentation and escalate without delay through required pathways.
This role does not approve or amend behaviour support plans, restrictive practices, medication regimes, or clinical plans. Any concerns, required changes, authorisations or approvals must be escalated to appropriately authorised roles (e.g. clinical lead, behaviour support practitioner, authorised medication delegate, Operations Manager, or designated escalation contact).
Risk Identification and Escalation
The Direct Care Officer – Level 3 contributes to safe operations by:
* Identifying hazards, incidents, near misses, risks and procedural issues during service delivery.
* Implementing immediate safety actions within training, authorised scope and established procedures (for example, ceasing an unsafe activity, applying a checklist, or removing a hazard where safe to do so).
* Escalating incidents, risks, unclear situations, or emerging concerns promptly to the appropriate escalation point.
* Identifying where protocols, procedures or plans are unclear, outdated or missing and escalating this information through established reporting channels.
* Completing required incident reports and safety documentation accurately and within required timeframes.
Scheduling and Shift Communication
Within rostered allocations and established procedures, the Direct Care Officer – Level 3:
* Communicates staffing issues, service delivery concerns or continuity risks to the appropriate operational contact in a timely manner.
* Supports shift coverage communication where directed by management, including relaying factual information and escalating risks.
* Follows established escalation pathways for service continuity issues.
* Complies with rostered allocations and deployment instructions, and communicates any barriers to attendance or late changes as soon as practicable.
Boundary (Scheduling):
This role does not make final staffing, rostering, resourcing or deployment decisions. The role supports communication and escalation only.
Documentation, Communication and Systems
The Direct Care Officer – Level 3 is responsible for timely, accurate documentation and professional communication, including:
* Completing progress notes, incident reports, medication logs (where applicable), scorecards, training checklists and other required records.
* Ensuring handovers are completed promptly and include relevant information about participants, safety issues, support needs and service continuity matters.
* Communicating observations and important information through approved channels and in accordance with confidentiality and privacy requirements.
* Using organisational systems (including Microsoft Teams, phone systems and approved documentation platforms) to monitor communications, respond appropriately within scope, and escalate as required.
* Uploading required documentation and data in a timely manner and in accordance with record-keeping procedures.
Quality, Compliance and Administrative Support
The Direct Care Officer – Level 3 supports quality and compliance by:
* Assisting with data collection and monitoring activities as directed, including monitoring and recording restrictive practice indicators where required by procedure.
* Supporting completion of training plans, competency documentation and compliance records as directed.
* Performing administrative support tasks within scope, including basic clerical duties, record collation and document preparation as directed.
* Handling participant or organisational information with confidentiality and sensitivity in accordance with privacy obligations and organisational policy.
* Where authorised and trained, assisting with participant monies in accordance with financial procedures, documentation requirements and escalation rules.
* Providing functional administrative support to clinical and service teams using approved tools, templates and protocols.
* Assisting senior staff with specific projects or tasks as directed.
* Collecting, organising and storing information using organisational systems in accordance with record management requirements.
Decision-Making Authority
Within the scope of the role, training and established procedures, the Direct Care Officer – Level 3 may:
* Carry out duties in accordance with documented procedures, participant plans and instructions.
* Exercise judgement in applying established procedures to routine and non-routine situations within scope.
* Provide guidance to colleagues on routine procedures and expected practices.
* Provide Tier 1 phone and frontline operational support, including gathering information, applying low-level controls, and escalating matters as required.
* Implement immediate safety actions within training and authorised scope.
* Assist with training, documentation, service coordination and administrative tasks under direction.
Decision-making is limited to actions that are clearly authorised by procedure, training and role scope.
Escalation Requirements
The Direct Care Officer – Level 3 must escalate matters promptly where:
•Issues fall outside established procedures or require discretionary judgement beyond the role's authorised scope.
* Safeguarding, medication, behaviour support or compliance risks arise.
* Incidents, injuries, near misses or reportable events occur.
* Calls or issues require higher-level operational, clinical or regulatory decision-making.
* Staffing, rostering or deployment decisions are required beyond communicating and escalating the issue.
* Participant plans, behaviour strategies, restrictive practices or clinical directions may require review, approval or change.
* Policies, procedures or systems are unclear, outdated or appear non-compliant
* Escalation must follow established organisational pathways and timeframes.
7. Limits of Authority
The Direct Care Officer – Level 3 does not:
* Make final staffing, rostering or resourcing decisions.
* Approve or amend participant care plans, behaviour support plans, medication regimes or restrictive practices.
* Independently sign off staff competencies or training completion.
* Approve, amend or author organisational policies or procedures beyond identifying issues and escalating them.
* Conduct disciplinary action or make employment decisions.
* Determine regulatory reporting thresholds or make external regulatory notifications without authorisation.
* All such matters must be referred to appropriately authorised roles.
8. Classification Alignment – SCHADS Award Level 3
This role is aligned with SCHADS Award Level 3 (MA000100), reflecting that the position:
* Works under general supervision with guidance readily available.
* Applies established procedures with discretion and judgement within scope.
* Delivers direct participant support, including to participants with higher or more complex needs.
* Provides guidance and assistance to other employees on routine duties and procedures.
* Undertakes responsibility for specific functions, including Tier 1 phone support and frontline operational triage.
* Assists with training, induction and on-the-job learning activities.
* Exercises judgement in identifying risks, implementing low-level controls and escalating matters appropriately.
* Is responsible for accurate documentation, reporting and communication.
* Does not hold overall management authority or decision-making responsibility for staffing, budgets, employment or policy approval.
9. Inherent Requirements of the Role
The Direct Care Officer – Level 3 role requires the ability to:
* Perform manual handling and physical support tasks in accordance with training and safe work procedures.
* Work rotating rosters including evenings, nights, weekends, public holidays, sleepovers and active night shifts.
* Be available to participate in on-call arrangements as rostered, in accordance with the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010 (MA000100), to return to work if required to support service continuity, subject to applicable fatigue, work health and safety, and minimum rest requirements.
* Respond appropriately to participants with complex needs and/or behaviours of concern.
* Maintain emotional resilience, professional boundaries and ethical conduct in high-demand environments.
* Comply with safeguarding, work health and safety, infection control and reporting requirements.
* Travel between service locations, participant homes and community settings as required