The NDIS Workforce Crisis: What It Means for Participants and How to Find Quality Support in Perth

# The NDIS Workforce Crisis: What It Means for Participants and How to Find Quality Support in Perth **Published by Happiness Crew Disability Support Service Perth** If you have recently tried to find a support worker and struggled, you are not alone. Across Australia, the disability support sector is facing a significant workforce crisis. According to the **2025 State of the Disability Sector Report**, nearly **77% of disability service providers are being forced to turn away people who need support** due to workforce shortages and capacity constraints. --- ## Understanding the Workforce Crisis ### Demand Has Outpaced Supply The NDIS has grown at a remarkable pace since its national rollout. The disability support workforce — estimated at around 325,000 people — has simply not grown fast enough to keep pace with demand. Analysts had projected that the workforce would need to grow by **40%, or approximately 128,000 workers**, to fully meet demand, but job growth in the sector was just 1.4% in 2025 — the slowest rate in years. ### Low Pay and Difficult Conditions A survey conducted by the Health Services Union in August 2025, involving nearly 500 disability support workers, found that **55% of workers had considered leaving their jobs in the past year**, with burnout and inadequate pay cited as the primary reasons. The same survey found that **49% of workers often or always lacked sufficient colleagues** to provide safe, quality care. ### Financial Pressure on Providers Providers are simultaneously dealing with rising costs, tighter price caps, and increased compliance requirements. The 2025 State of the Disability Sector Report found that nearly half of all providers reported a financial loss in the past year. --- ## The Push for Professionalisation In response to the crisis, there is a growing movement to professionalise the disability support workforce. This involves raising the standard of training and qualifications, improving wages and working conditions, creating clearer career pathways, and giving disability support work the professional recognition it deserves. The **NDIS Workforce Capability Framework** has been developed to outline the core competencies, values, and knowledge expected of all NDIS-funded workers. The Health Services Union has proposed a 'Workforce Compact' — a targeted funding pool of $5 per hour per worker — to enable better pay and conditions. --- ## What Makes a Quality Support Worker? **Genuine empathy and compassion** are the foundation of good support work. A great support worker genuinely cares about the person they are supporting. **Reliability and consistency** are essential. Knowing that your worker will show up when they say they will, and that they will provide the same quality of care every time, is fundamental to building trust. **Excellent communication skills** encompass not just the ability to speak clearly, but to listen deeply, understand non-verbal cues, and adapt communication style to the individual's needs. **Respect for autonomy** means understanding that the participant is the expert on their own life. **Cultural competence and sensitivity** are increasingly important in Perth's diverse community. --- ## How to Find Quality Support in Perth **Choose a provider with a strong reputation for staff quality and retention.** Ask potential providers about their staff turnover rates, training programs, and how they match workers with participants. **Be specific about your needs and preferences.** The more clearly you can articulate what you are looking for, the better a provider can match you with the right worker. **Involve yourself in the selection process.** Many providers, including Happiness Crew, will involve you in the process of meeting and choosing your support workers. **Use your networks.** Talk to other NDIS participants, your support coordinator, and local disability organisations. --- At Happiness Crew, we invest significantly in recruiting, training, and retaining excellent support workers. Our workers are carefully screened, comprehensively trained, and supported by a management team that is deeply committed to quality and participant wellbeing. If you are struggling to find the right support in Perth, please reach out to Happiness Crew. We are here to help you find the quality, reliable support you deserve. *This article is intended for informational purposes only. Information is current as at March 2026.*