📣 Personal Statement

I’m a young support worker who recently had a deeply distressing experience on my very first shift through the platform Mable.

I believed I was assisting someone with a physical impairment to clean and tidy her home. There was no disclosure of any mental health or substance use risks — and what I thought would be a routine house-cleaning session quickly became something far more dangerous. What I walked into instead was a situation involving serious mental health challenges and drug use.

About thirty minutes into the session, the client became paranoid and began shouting, “you are lying to me… you lied to me,” before abruptly asking me to leave the apartment for five minutes. When I stepped back inside, she was brandishing what I believe to be a heroin needle. The door was locked. She became increasingly delusional, accusing me of manipulation and deceit. I was terrified. I didn’t know how to get out, so I followed her instructions out of fear she might hurt me.

While I have undergone training relevant to general disability support work, I have no formal qualifications in handling psychiatric conditions, substance abuse, or crisis de-escalation — and like many others, I found myself in a situation I was completely unprepared for, and genuinely fearful for my safety.

After the session, I learned from residents in the building that she and another individual were known to be mentally unwell and using drugs. That night, I filed a police report.

This never should have happened — not to me, and not to any other worker or participant. Yet the system currently allows anyone to register as a support worker, regardless of their qualifications or preparedness. When I first registered with Mable, I was shocked to learn that someone with no formal credentials or training could call themselves a “support worker” — a title many of us have spent years and significant money earning the right to use.

The fact that this platform enables the unchecked use of that title is not only misleading — it’s dangerous. Clients assume they are being supported by trained professionals, when in reality, many workers may have no formal qualifications at all. That is a terrifying prospect.

This is a systemic failure that demands urgent action.

History shows us that collective advocacy can lead to real, lasting change. For example, smoking was once permitted in public and confined spaces, endangering countless lives until widespread public pressure led to reform. One tragic catalyst was the 6 August 1937 Aeroflot crash, caused by a cigarette igniting fuel fumes mid-flight. That disaster helped shift aviation policy forever — showing us that regulation can, and must, follow public awareness.

As a community of disability support workers, I believe we carry the same ethical responsibility: to advocate for mandatory credentials and professional standards. Just as doctors and nurses must complete formal qualifications and register with a governing body, so too should support workers be required to meet minimum training and certification standards. Most of us already possess these qualifications — why not ensure that all do?

This would protect not only the clients we care for, but also safeguard the integrity of our profession. Unregulated entry into support work leaves far too much room for harm. It’s time we addressed it.

 
🧭 What Needs to Change
I’m calling on the Australian Government and relevant state and territory authorities to introduce urgent legislative reform to protect both disability support workers and the people we care for, by ensuring:

✅ Mandatory minimum training standards for all support workers
✅ Formal registration with a national governing body, similar to AHPRA for nurses and doctors

These basic protections would ensure that all workers have the skills and awareness needed to safely and competently support others, and that participants are not placed in vulnerable situations due to unqualified or unvetted individuals.

 
📢 Why This Matters
Gig platforms like Mable allow anyone to become a support worker—often without any formal qualifications, training, or oversight. This leaves both workers and participants exposed to serious risks.

This isn’t just about me. It’s about every support worker—especially those who are young, new to the field, or supporting themselves through study. And it’s about the people we support, who deserve compassionate, competent care from professionals who feel safe and prepared to provide it.

 
✍️ Add Your Name and Voice
Help raise awareness and push for common-sense reforms that protect everyone involved in support work. Sign this petition so no other worker has to fear for their safety while doing the work they care about.