Before a support worker’s first shift — a family checklist

What the provider should have done already

Before anyone knocks on your door, a few things should be squared away. The service agreement should be in place and understood — supports, costs, cancellations, all in plain language. The support worker should have been briefed properly on your Mate, not handed a name and an address. And ideally you've been offered a meet-and-greet first, so the first shift isn't the first hello. You're also entitled to ask how workers are screened and inducted — a good provider answers without flinching.

What to share about your Mate

You know things no intake form captures. The most useful things to pass on:

• How they communicate — and how they show it when something's wrong
• What they love: the interests that make time fly
• Routines that matter, and ones that shouldn't be disturbed
• What helps when they're overwhelmed — and what makes it worse
• Practical needs: medication timing, food things, sensory stuff, safety notes
• Who to contact, and when you'd want to hear about something

Write it down if you can. A one-page "how to be great with my Mate" note is worth more than an hour of verbal handover.

Sort the practical stuff early

Times, pick-up and drop-off arrangements, what happens on cancellations, any activity costs and who pays them — all boring, all worth confirming before shift one rather than during it. If anything was vague in the service agreement, now's the moment to ask.

Keep the first shift small

Resist the urge to make day one a big outing. Short, familiar and low-stakes wins: a walk, a kick of the footy, a favourite activity at home. The goal of the first shift isn't progress — it's your Mate deciding this new person is okay. Everything else builds from there.

Afterwards: close the loop

A quick debrief both ways does more than people expect. What worked? What felt off? Anything to adjust for next time? Providers who ask are providers who improve — and if the match didn't click, it's much easier to say so now than three months in. (More on that in what makes a good support worker match.)

How it works with us

Every Support Mates worker signs the Mates Code before their first shift — our written standard for what good support looks like, from actively participating to keeping families in the loop. You can read about it on our About Us page. New to us and want a first shift set up properly? Start with the free 12-week support plan or, for coordinators, a referral.

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