What do in-home support services include? A guide for NDIS participants and families
Most people want to stay in their own home, with their own routines, their own things and their own people around them. In-home support services help make that possible.
If you’re new to the NDIS, or you’re a parent or carer working out what’s on offer, it’s not always clear what that support looks like day to day. We’re Rock Support Services, a family-owned team in Rockhampton, and this is our plain-English guide to what in-home support includes, who it suits and how to get started.
What are in-home support services?
In-home support services are supports delivered where you live. A support worker comes to your home and helps with the things you want a hand with, whether that’s the weekly chores, sticking to a routine or having someone to chat to over a cuppa.
The aim is to help you live the way you want to, in the place you’re most comfortable. Everyone’s support looks different, because it’s built around your goals and what matters to you.
Who can benefit from in-home assistance?
In-home assistance can help a wide range of people. We support NDIS participants living with disability and people managing mental health challenges. We also work with children and young people who have developmental or behavioural needs.
It helps families and carers too. Knowing someone reliable is checking in can take a real weight off, and it gives carers time to rest and look after themselves.
What can an in-home support worker help with?
What a support worker does in your home depends on you. These are some of the most common areas we help with.
Companionship and social interaction
For some people, the most valuable part of in-home support is good company. Our home care companions can share a meal, play cards, look through old photos or talk about the footy.
It’s easy to underestimate how much a regular friendly face matters, especially if you live alone or find it hard to get out.
Household tasks and organisation
A support worker can help with everyday jobs like washing, tidying up, meal prep and planning the weekly shop. We can also help you set up simple systems that make the house easier to run, like sorting the mail or keeping a calendar on the fridge.
Where it suits your goals, we’ll do these tasks with you so you build confidence doing them yourself.
Maintaining routines and structure
Routines can make a big difference for people living with disability or mental health challenges, and for kids who do best when they know what’s coming. We can help with morning and evening routines, appointment reminders and keeping on top of the week ahead.
For children and young people, a steady routine at home can make school mornings and bedtimes calmer for the whole family.
How companionship supports emotional wellbeing
Loneliness can creep up quietly. When days go by without much conversation, it can affect your mood, your motivation and your confidence to get out and about.
A regular visit from someone who knows you gives the week some shape and something to look forward to. It can also be a gentle first step towards getting out into the community, whether that’s a trip to the shops or a walk along the Yeppoon foreshore.
If you’re living with mental health challenges, a consistent and trusted person can help you feel steadier. Our support workers work alongside any clinical care you already have and become a reliable part of your wider support network.
How in-home support encourages independence
Good in-home support builds you up. Our team looks for ways to help you do more for yourself over time, at a pace that feels right.
That might mean cooking a simple meal together until you’re comfortable doing it solo, or practising a bus route before you try it on your own. Small wins add up, and they often bring a real lift in confidence.
Independence looks different for everyone. For one person it’s living on their own. For another it’s making a cuppa without help. We’ll work with you on what it means for you, and our daily living skills support is built around exactly that.
Can in-home support be funded through the NDIS?
In many cases, yes. In-home support is commonly funded through the Core Supports budget in an NDIS plan, often under Assistance with Daily Life.
What you can use it for depends on what’s in your plan and whether the support is considered reasonable and necessary for your goals. The NDIS funds disability-related supports, so everyday living costs like groceries and household bills aren’t covered.
If you’re unsure what your plan covers, your plan manager, support coordinator or the NDIS can talk it through with you. Once you know what’s available, we can chat about how we can help.
How to choose the right support worker
The right support worker can make all the difference, so it’s worth taking your time. A good support worker in home settings should feel like someone you’d happily have over for a cuppa.
Think about what matters most to you. It might be shared interests, a similar sense of humour, experience with your kind of support needs or simply someone calm and patient.
It helps to ask a provider a few questions too. How do they match workers with participants? What happens if your worker is sick or on leave? Can you change workers if the fit isn’t right? How flexible are they with evenings and weekends?
At Rock Support Services, we start with a meet and greet so you can get to know us before any support begins. Our business was founded by people from care, education, psychology and behavioural support backgrounds, and we offer flexible options including sleepovers and short-notice support.
Getting started with in-home support
Getting started is simpler than most people expect. Reach out to our team and tell us a bit about yourself or the person you care for.
We’ll organise a meet and greet, talk through your goals and the support that would help, then match you with a support worker who suits you. We support people across Rockhampton, Yeppoon, Emu Park and Mount Morgan, and if you’re not sure whether we cover your area, just ask.
Ready to talk about in-home support services for you or your family? Contact us today and we’ll take it from there.
Frequently asked questions
Most in-home support falls into a few broad groups: help around the house, personal care, companionship, skill building and support to get out into the community. Some providers also offer overnight support and respite so carers can take a break.
The mix you can access depends on your funding and the provider you choose. At Rock Support Services, we offer in-home support alongside respite, community access and daily living skills support.