Private Support Worker Service Agreement

What a good one includes

• A detailed scope of support services that outlines exactly what daily living, social, or domestic tasks you will perform and, just as importantly, what tasks are outside your professional boundary.
• A transparent rate schedule specifying your hourly rates, weekend or holiday loading fees, travel reimbursements, and any public holiday surcharges.
• A clear cancellation and no-show policy that defines how much notice the client must give to avoid being billed for a missed session.
• Payment terms and invoicing procedures that specify how often you will invoice, accepted payment methods, and the timeframe for overdue payments.
• Emergency contact details and incident protocols so both parties know exactly who to contact and what steps to take if an urgent health or safety issue arises during a shift.
• A confidentiality and privacy clause that guarantees you will protect the client's personal, medical, and financial information.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Failing to clearly define professional boundaries, which can lead to scope creep where you find yourself performing unpaid household chores or medical tasks outside your qualifications.
• Being too vague about cancellation windows, leaving you out of pocket when a client cancels a shift at the last minute without a penalty.
• Omitting a formal process for ending the agreement, which makes it incredibly awkward and legally tricky to part ways if the working relationship is no longer a good fit.
• Forgetting to specify who covers travel costs, resulting in disputes over mileage and transport expenses when taking clients to community outings or appointments.

Frequently asked questions