With advances in medical technology, people are living longer lives. However, as they grow older they become physically weaker and require more assistance from others. Many of the older persons do not have children or family members to help them. Hence the demand for Disability carers has increased significantly in the last decade. In addition to physically disabled people, senior citizens increasingly require the help of the carers for household assistance. This increase in demand for carers makes it a lucrative career option for students since the demand for trained disability carers exceeds the supply. There are plenty of opportunities available for certified disability caregivers, so it will be easy to get a job.
To offer disability services to disabled individuals and elderly, the person should undergo the specified training and get the cert iv disability from a recognized training organization. Before choosing to care for disabled persons as an occupation it is advisable for the student to ensure that he or she has the temperament to become a carer. The student should be very patient, kind and have a genuine desire to help others. He should also be caring, helpful and not have a huge ego so that he or she will not feel offended when asked to complete any task.
Since disabled and elderly persons are extremely vulnerable, before starting the course the student should provide proof of identification like birth certificate, government-issued photo identification. Before practical training begins, the student will also be checked to ensure that they have no criminal record in Australia. To be eligible to take the course, the student should have completed class 10 levels of education. They should also have the requisite levels of proficiency in language, literacy and numeric skills. Since the disabled have low immunity levels, the student should also undergo the necessary immunizations.
The minimum age for starting the certificate course is 16, and a guardian is required. For individuals who are more than 18 years old, no guardian is required. The course material for completing the course in disability care is delivered in a mixed format. The student will receive the course material in the form of learner resources and assessment books. The student is free to study at the pace which is convenient for him, depending on his routine. He can then complete the assessment books and submit them for grading. There are a total of 14 units in the course, with eleven core units and three elective units.
If the student has completed part of the course with another registered training organization, they can get the credits transferred to this course, and complete only the remaining part of the course. Similarly, if the student has some experience that is relevant to the course, he can apply for a certificate for recognition of prior learning, to reduce the coursework which he has to complete. There are trainers available and if the student requires any help for any part of the course, he can request help. There is also a peer support group for helping the student resolve any queries.
In addition to the theoretical course in disability care, practical experience of two hundred hours is required to get the certification. The student should check the local healthcare and disability-related organizations to find out if they have any requirement for carers. Healthcare training with then contact the organization and provide details of the training which has to be provided. The performance of the student will be assessed using various methods like short answers, projects, case studies, workplace scenarios, practical training logbook and portfolios. If the student completes the coursework satisfactorily, he will get the certification.
Government subsidy is available for completing the course, and the subsidized fees are $ 350. In case the student is not eligible for subsidy he has to pay the entire course fee of $910 to Healthcare Training, which is substantially less than other organizations. After completing the course, the student will have many opportunities for jobs in various organizations. He or she can work as a disability worker, community care worker, aged care worker, residential care worker, support worker, home care assistant. There are opportunities to provide assistance at private home, or at organizations like old age homes.