Registered NDIS provider
Allied Health Assistants guide2023-02-24T13:12:55+11:00

Allied Health Assistants guide

A step-by-step guide and collection of FAQs

About Fora

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Fora’s vision is to enable every person with a disability to work with an efficient and evidence-based healthcare team.

We want to create a company and platform that seamlessly connects people with a disability to a healthcare team and makes it accessible to manage every aspect of their care; while allowing their team to work frictionlessly with each other towards the common goals of their client.

All of Fora’s operations and activities are built upon the Values of:

Balance: The ability to be the best version of yourself in all aspects of life – at work, home and in the community. This includes having self-awareness of needs and perception of those around you, and being able to manage your time and energy accordingly.

Radical Transparency: Creating a culture that fosters meaningful relationships and work by openly sharing strategies, communicating candidly and incorporating everyone’s unique perspective. We believe that when the truth is uncovered, the highest quality ideas will rise and result in continuous evolution of our company.

Interdependence: Acknowledging that we, as individuals and as a company, are just one part of a whole. Demonstrating cooperation with our colleagues and wider community partners ensures that we are working towards a collective purpose – to allow people with disability to achieve their best outcomes.

Code of Conduct

This code of conduct sets out your responsibilities as a Fora employee and will need to be upheld by you whenever you’re participating in the Fora community; whether you are conducting telehealth therapy session, scheduling a shift via a phone call or text message, working a shift in-person or interacting with the Fora admin team.

In line with our value for interdependence, we understand that there is a broader ecosystem in our sector of regulations, standards and procedures that we all need to comply with.

For that reason, Fora, and all people working for or on behalf of Fora, will comply with the NDIS Code of Conduct and utilise it as a Staff Code of Conduct.

You must make sure you are aware of and understand how these regulations, standards and procedures apply to your work with.

In providing supports or services to people with disability, Fora and its staff must:

  • act with respect for individual rights to freedom of expression, self-determination and decision-making in accordance with applicable laws and conventions;
  • respect the privacy of people with disability;
  • provide supports and services in a safe and competent manner, with care and skill;
  • act with integrity, honesty and transparency;
  • promptly take steps to raise and act on concerns about matters that may impact the quality and safety of supports and services provided to people with disability;
  • take all reasonable steps to prevent and respond to all forms of violence against, and exploitation, neglect and abuse of, people with disability; and
  • take all reasonable steps to prevent and respond to sexual misconduct.
  • You can access the laws and regulations managed by the Commission here.

If you’re based in Victoria, there’s an additional Code of Conduct for disability service workers.

As a registered provider of supports in Victoria, Fora and its staff also have to follow the Victorian Code of Conduct for support workers. The code has five obligations for workers, which you can read here.

Before you complete your profile

What am I signing up to? What is a therapy assistant?

By creating a Fora profile you’re letting us know you’d like to work casually as an allied health assistant.

An allied health assistant’s role is to help a client build their capacity and increase their independence. They do this by:

  • Helping clients to implement the therapy plan and strategies created by a qualified therapist or allied health professional (AHP)
  • Seeing clients in-between their appointments with their AHPs
  • Helping clients practice and reinforce what they’ve learned with their allied health professionals
Am I suitable to be an allied health assistant?

To be eligible to apply, you must have at least ONE of the following:

  • Be currently enrolled in or have graduated from the following accredited Australian university degrees:
    • Occupational Therapy
    • Physiotherapy
    • Speech Pathology
  • Completion of a Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy or Speech Pathology degree at an international university.
Some common questions before signing up:
What CAN an allied health assistant do?2022-08-12T11:06:18+11:00

An allied health assistant can:

  • Implement an allied health professional’s (AHPs) therapy strategies and programs in the client’s home or community. This includes instructing, encouraging, and assisting clients in performing therapy-related activities, as well as other daily living activities.
  • Interview a client at the Meet & Greet, receive and understand information about a client’s condition and healthcare history at the initial handover with the client’s AHP.
  • Help clients in using assistive technology or supportive devices if required.
  • Document sessions, progress and collect data via online timesheet and note-taking tool.
  • Relay the information provided by the client’s allied health professional to the clients and their carers; i.e. therapeutic regimens, general information, and promoting wellness and health maintenance.
  • Attend and observe a session between the client and the client’s allied health professional with permission from the client/client’s parent or guardian and AHP.
  • Maintain and monitor goal objectives as specified by the client’s allied health professional.
  • Contribute to an allied health professional’s effectiveness by identifying client care issues.
  • Maintain regular communication with the client’s allied health professional.
What am I signing up to?2022-08-12T11:06:14+11:00

By creating a Fora worker profile you’re letting us know you’d like to work casually as an Allied Health Assistant (AHA).

An allied health assistant’s role is to help a client build their capacity and increase their independence. You would do this by:

  • Helping clients to implement the therapy plan and strategies created by a qualified therapist or allied health professional (AHP).
  • Seeing clients between their appointments with their AHPs.
  • Helping clients practise and reinforce what they’ve learned with their allied health professionals.
What CAN’T an allied health assistant do?2022-08-12T11:06:11+11:00

It is crucial to recognise that an allied health assistant does not replace an allied health professional.

An allied health assistant MUST NOT:

  • Make an assessment, diagnosis or treatment plan for a client.
  • Modify a treatment plan in a way that has not been recommended by a therapist.
  • Verbally or in-writing make recommendations or suggestions about the treatment plan.
    • If therapy assistants are ever asked to write a report for the client, it must be strictly from a reflective and objective perspective.
    • I.e. therapy assistants can only make comments about their experiences and progress witnessed in the time working with the client. They must not include their opinions about what they think has or hasn’t been working, or what should be done next.
  • Share personal information about a client to any person outside the client’s therapy team.
    • All client information must be kept strictly confidential. This means de-identifying any information (not naming clients, their suburb, their place of work or school, their disability) when discussing work outside of Fora or with the client’s healthcare team. This includes any private discussion with friends or family or public discussions like in a hospital or university class.
Types of clients allied health assistants work with2022-08-12T11:06:01+11:00

Our allied health assistants handle caseloads of a variety of ages (from infants to the elderly) and conditions (physical and intellectual disabilities):

  • Paediatric clients have conditions that include ASD, ADHD, speech delays, global developmental delay, cerebral palsy, global coordination disorder, down syndrome, intellectual disability.
  • While adult clients present conditions such as post-stroke, multiple sclerosis, acquired brain injury, geriatrics, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, Parkinson’s disease and others.
What work do Physiotherapy allied health assistants do?2022-08-10T12:32:52+11:00
  • Physiotherapy allied health assistants often work with 
    • children living with cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophies, developmental delay, and 
    • adults who have had strokes or acquired brain injuries.
  • They handle muscular and neurological-based caseloads with a mix of tasks including rehabilitation, mobilisation, pain management, and preventative techniques.
What work do Occupational therapy allied health assistants do?2022-08-12T11:05:08+11:00

Occupational therapy allied health assistants:

  • Work with clients of all ages.
  • Tasks may include helping children with emotional regulation, routine management, practising fine and gross motor tasks, or assisting with hydrotherapy.
  • Help young adults with community engagement, public transport training and developing independence with ADLs. OT allied health assistants often work with children living with autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, sensory processing disorder, and other intellectual disabilities.
What work do Speech Therapy allied health assistants do?2022-08-12T11:04:38+11:00

Speech Pathology allied health assistants:

  • Work with clients of all ages.
  • Tasks include helping non-verbal individuals use augmentative and alternative communication devices, supporting individuals with social skills, and helping children reach developmental milestones.
  • Speech Therapy allied health assistants often work with children with autism spectrum disorder, developmental delay and other speech disorders.
Are allied health assistants required to assist with support work, personal care and hygiene activities?2022-08-12T11:05:18+11:00

You have no strict requirements regarding support work and personal care. You will be provided with information about a client’s needs before you apply to work with them.

An allied health assistant’s primary role is to help build a client’s capacity. This said, sometimes your role and responsibilities won’t appear ‘therapeutic’, e.g helping a client with an intellectual disability to get ready for school. However, it is important to remember that there are strategies you can use to help organise their thoughts and executive planning to increase your client’s independence.

When supporting a client in everyday tasks, remember to keep a client’s goals in mind and implement therapy strategies where appropriate. You can ask the client’s allied health professional to provide guidance on how to do this.

It’s a good idea to chat about any non-therapeutic work that the client may need help with while you’re working with them during your meet and greet. Depending on what your clients need are and how comfortable you feel with the type of additional activities they are requesting, you can decide how you would like to proceed.

You can

  • let them know you’d like to work with them but would prefer not to assist with anything that is non-therapeutic,
  • let them know you’d like to work with them but ask them to modify the activities to a level you feel comfortable helping with, or
  • choose not to proceed.

The main thing to keep in mind is that it’s always better to be open and honest from the get-go.

What kind of experience do I need to be an allied health assistant?2022-08-12T11:05:17+11:00

For clients, families, allied health professionals, and Fora to feel comfortable that you have the skills to be an allied health assistant, ideal candidates have the following experience and skills:

  • Work or volunteer experience working with children and adults with disabilities or mental health disorders
  • Completion of university or TAFE placements working with children or adults
  • Professional (paid work or volunteer) experience and/or personal experience with people with disabilities is also highly regarded (for example, support work, tutoring, babysitting, sports or swim coaching, special-school aiding or volunteering at disability organisations).
What if I don’t have much experience?2022-08-12T11:05:42+11:00

If you are in the earlier stages of your degree and do not have a lot of experience, you can still become an allied health assistant. In this case, we recommend you apply only to work with clients with low needs.

When working with a client with low needs, your role might be similar to that of a support worker. A support worker is somebody that helps an individual in their activities of daily life. These roles may require no input from allied health professionals and might be unrelated to your therapy domain.

They may involve tasks like:

  • Supporting somebody to attend social and community activities
  • Assisting with everyday activities such as grocery shopping, cooking a meal, completing homework or getting ready for school
  • Pick-up and drop-offs to school or therapy sessions, as some people do not have the capacity to independently take public transport

These roles are a great way to develop your experience in working with people with disabilities and may allow you to step into more therapy-based roles later in your studies.

Am I suitable to be an allied health assistant?2022-08-12T11:05:55+11:00

To be eligible to apply, you must have at least ONE of the following:

  • Be currently enrolled in or have graduated from the following accredited Australian university degrees:
    • Occupational Therapy
    • Physiotherapy
    • Speech Pathology
  • Completion of a Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy or Speech Pathology degree at an international university
  • Completion of a Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance
What is the process if there’s a work-related injury?2022-08-12T11:05:58+11:00
  1. Both Fora and the allied health assistant will fill out a worker injury claim form
  2. We will send the form to our insurance company
  3. The insurance company will investigate
  4. The insurance company decides next steps and informs parties involved
Who is responsible for an allied health assistant?2022-08-12T11:05:04+11:00
  • Fora assumes all responsibility for the actions of our allied health assistants and provides all the necessary insurances, i.e. Professional Indemnity, Public Liability and WorkCover Insurance.
  • A client’s AHP is not liable for the actions of Fora’s allied health assistant.
    • Allied health assistants do not fall under the professional indemnity insurance of client’s therapists, they are covered by Fora. This said, it is expected that tasks are delegated within the competency of the family or allied health assistant.
    • This means we are responsible for everything an allied health assistant does as long as what you’ve delegated to them is within their competency
      • i.e. if they are following your plan and make a mistake or go out of scope it’s under our liability
      • if you delegate something that is not appropriate for the client or the allied health to do, and then it’s under your liability
  • Fora will remove allied health assistants from any role/s where:
    • there is an unsafe work environment
    • they are not appropriately guided by an AHP”
How much do allied health assistants get paid?2022-08-12T11:04:53+11:00

For sessions less than 2 hours long the pay structure is as follows:

Day Minimum pay per session Minimum pay per session incl. superannuation
Weekdays $60.80 $67.18
Saturday $77.40 $85.52
Sunday $99.60 $110.05

For 1.5 hour sessions, note-writing time will now be included in the 2-hour minimum pay.

For sessions lasting 2-hours or more the pay structure is as follows:

 

Day Pay per hour Pay for note-writing Minimum pay per session
Weekdays $36.00 $5.70 $85.86
Saturday $49.00 $5.70 $114.59
Sunday $62.00 $5.70 $143.32
Public Holidays $65.00 $5.70 $149.95

The sign up process

I meet prerequisites and want to become a therapy assistant, how do I start?

Complete the modules outlined in your therapy assitant portal. You will need some documents to get started so be sure to have the following with you:

  • Working with children check
  • National Police Check (if you don’t have one of these you can apply to get one through Fora during the signup process)
  • Your student card, proof of enrolment or certificate of completion
  • First Aid Certificate
  • Details of two professional referees
Some common questions about the sign up process:

Applying to work with clients

I’ve been verified, now what?

You can now start applying to work with clients.

You will see a list of potential clients on your dashboard. View their de-identified profile and follow the prompts to add your availability and submit your application.

Some common questions about applying to work with clients
How do I know if the client would like to work with me?2022-08-12T11:23:03+11:00

When you submit your application to work with a client, you provide some times for when you’ll be available for a Meet & Greet. A client is notified that you’ve submitted an application to work with them and is provided your list of available times. If a client is interested in working with you, they book one of your time slots for a Meet & Greet, and you are notified via email or text.

A calendar invitation is sent to you containing the client’s details and the meet-and-greet guide.

You will need to accept the calendar invitation to make clients and Fora aware that you’ll be attending.

What should I consider when applying to work with clients?2022-08-10T12:32:47+11:00

We encourage our allied health assistants to apply for 1 to 2 clients at first and get into a steady rhythm of working with them before taking on any more clients. Please only apply to work with a client if you think you can commit to working with them for at least 6 months.

Some things to think about before applying:

  • Placements (local and rural)
  • University holiday periods and travel plans
  • Exams and major assignments
  • Other jobs
  • Finishing your degree

If you are unsure about how long you’ll be able to work with a client but you would still like to work with them, we recommend being upfront and honest about your schedule from the beginning. When applying to work with a client, you can write a note to the client about your current schedule and how likely it is/ the timeframe in which your schedule might change.

For example: “I’m available anytime on Monday-Friday between 3-6pm from March until June as all my classes finish before 2 pm. However, as of July, I am unsure of what my university and placement schedule will be. If I am allocated to a placement, I will most likely only be able to work Monday-Thursday after 5 pm or on Fridays.”

This allows the client to make a well-informed decision before deciding to work with you and also prepare for a change in advance, i.e. they might start organising a replacement allied health assistant before you are expected to pause or cease working with them.

The most important thing is to be fully transparent with your client at all times.

How do I apply to work with a client?2022-08-12T11:22:30+11:00

If you see a potential client you would like to work with appear on your dashboard:

  • Click on the client and follow the instructions to submit your availability and any other details.
  • If you are having challenges applying via your allied health assistant account, please email us via info@foratherapy.com.
How do I find clients to work with?2022-08-12T11:22:36+11:00

Congrats on being verified! You can now start applying to work with clients.

How do I find clients to work with?

  • At any time you can view potential clients by visiting your dashboard. View their de-identified profile and follow the prompts to add your availability and submit your application.
  • You will also receive weekly email notifications for potential clients in close proximity to the home address you’ve listed in your profile. Once again, you’ll be able to view their de-identified profile and follow the prompts to add your availability and submit your application.

What if there are no clients on my dashboard?

  • If you haven’t been alerted of new clients via email, go to your profile page and toggle from ‘not accepting’ clients to ‘accepting clients’.
  • If your profile is already on ‘accepting clients’, but you haven’t received any email notifications, please check your email’s spam/junk folder, or email info@foratherapy.com to let us know.
​How many clients can I work with?2022-08-12T11:22:43+11:00

How many clients you work with is entirely up to you.

Some clients may require you to work just 1 hour a week, while others may request 5-8 hours a week. This will impact how many clients you can fit into your schedule.

We emphasise that you only select or offer to work with clients that you believe you can work with for at least 6 months.

We understand with university and other commitments, it is hard to predict timetables and schedules more than a few weeks or months away. However, we ask that you please keep in mind that it takes time to build rapport, learn how to work with and see progress with clients, especially children.

How long do I need to commit to working with a client?2022-08-12T11:22:44+11:00

We emphasise that you only select or offer to work with clients that you believe you can work with for at least 6 months.

We understand with university and other commitments, it is hard to predict timetables and schedules more than a few weeks or months away. However, we ask that you please keep in mind that it takes time to build rapport, learn how to work with and see progress with clients, especially children.

It is disappointing, expensive and inefficient for clients to train up new therapy assistants every few months.

Why haven’t I started working with a client yet?2022-08-12T11:22:59+11:00

We match you with clients based on: :

  • Your availability
  • Your location
  • Potential changes to your schedule such as moving house, going on full-time placement or going overseas
  • The experience listed in your Fora profile
  • Whether you are able to transport clients (requires unrestricted Australian Driver’s Licence)

If you aren’t getting client notifications, the most common reasons are:

  • We don’t have clients located in your area just yet
  • Your availability might not suit the clients in your area
  • We’ve made an error in your verification process (if you haven’t heard anything from us, please feel free to reach out to us at info@foratherapy.com)
  • The experience listed on your Fora profile might not suit the clients in your area
  • You don’t have access to a car or valid Australian Driver’s Full Licence and travelling via public transport to a client would take longer than 30 mins
What happens after I apply to work with a client?2022-08-12T11:23:07+11:00

If you applied via a client notification on your Fora dashboard, the client receives an email and text notification about your application.

They are given around 5 days to make a decision to proceed to a meet-and-greet with you or not. If you do not receive an email within a week of applying to work with the client, feel free to select other clients that appear in your dashboard.

What information does the client see when I apply to work with them?2022-08-12T11:22:59+11:00

Before you submit your application, you are able to view what the client will see and make any changes. It’s good to keep in mind that your profile and availability are the only information they are provided with initially to make the decision to organise a meet and greet with you.

We strongly suggest that you expound on any relevant experience that you have as this will help you land jobs with clients.

Meet & Greet

What is a Meet & Greet?

The initial session is a 30-minute to 1-hour, uncharged and unpaid meeting with the client and/or the client’s family. You can read more about the Meet & Greet in the meet and greet guide

This first meeting is about two things:

  • Building rapport
  • Understanding the client’s needs.

If you were the manager of a cafe, you wouldn’t hire a staff member without ever having met them in person. The same can be said of clients and their families. They want to meet you and discover whether your personality will be a match for them before they commit to working with you long-term.

Families want to know that you are proactive, trustworthy and reliable.

At the same time, you wouldn’t want to start working in a position you knew nothing about. We give you an overall picture of the client’s goals and needs, but we can never explain all the fine details. Just as we want the client to feel like you’re a good match, we also need you to feel comfortable, supported and excited about starting with the client.

Please note that a representative from Fora will not be at the Meet & Greet (there just aren’t enough of us!). Sometimes, the client’s AHP or support coordinator will be there.

Some common questions about Meet & Greet sessions
Do I need to log a meet and greet in my timesheet?2022-08-12T11:00:53+11:00

Yes, allied health assistants must log their meet and greets.

All sessions with your client (in-person, telehealth, meet and greet, allied health professional handovers, etc.) need to be logged for progress tracking and insurance purposes. 

What is a meet and greet?2022-08-12T11:00:57+11:00

The Meet and Greet is an opportunity for the client and their family to get to know the allied health assistant and vice versa. It is uncharged and unpaid.

You can read more about the Meet & Greet in the meet and greet guide

This initial meeting is an opportunity to:

  • Interact, engage and build rapport with each other
  • Discuss availability for ongoing sessions (especially long term planning, including upcoming holidays, exams or placements)
  • Discuss therapy goals for the client, the allied health assistant’s experience level and expectations during sessions

Families want to know that you are proactive, trustworthy and reliable.

At the end of the meet and greet, everyone should have enough information to know whether it’s a good personality and experience fit and whether they feel comfortable committing to working together.

Please note that a representative from Fora does not attend this meeting. Sometimes, the client’s AHP or support coordinator will be there.

Do I need to prepare and how can I make a good impression at my Meet and Greet?2022-08-12T11:00:42+11:00

Before the meet and greet, please read the meet and greet guide to prepare for the discussion.

You can use this guide as a checklist of discussion points during the meeting to ensure you do not forget the range of topics to discuss.

Also, ensure you do the following:

  • Re-visit the client notification that was sent and research the client’s condition if you are unfamiliar with it.
  • Dress appropriately and be well-groomed – we recommend dress code ‘business casual’, i.e. dressing like you are going for an interview.
  • Aim to arrive 10-15 minutes early – as you may incur unexpected traffic, get lost, or not be able to find the location straight away.
  • Be proactive in conversation – take a strengths-based approach. Focus on the person, their interests, and how you can support them to achieve their goals
  • Speak to all members of the family if they are present
  • Prepare a short 1-minute spiel about yourself, your interest in working with the family and all your relevant skills and experiences.
  • Thank the client and/or their family for their time
What happens after the Meet and Greet?2022-08-12T11:01:10+11:00

After the meeting, we will contact you to see how you felt about the client or client’s family and if you feel comfortable continuing. Likewise, we will contact the client and/or their family separately.

If you both decide to proceed, Fora will send you an email about the next steps; organising a Team Meeting with the client’s allied health professional.

Sometimes, the family won’t want to work with an assistant for a few reasons:

  • Availability mismatch
  • Inadequate experience
  • Personality mismatch

It is important to remember not to take this personally, there are many factors to consider when trying to find a good match.

Do I get paid for a meet and greet?2022-08-10T12:32:55+11:00

No, allied health assistants are not paid for a meet and greet. 

The initial session is a 30-minute to 1-hour, uncharged and unpaid meeting with the client and/or the client’s family. Think of this session as a two-way interview.

If you ran a business, you probably wouldn’t hire someone without ever having met them in person. The same can be said of clients and their families. They want to meet you and discover whether your personality will be a match for them before they commit to working with you long-term. 

At the same time, you wouldn’t want to start working in a position you knew nothing about. We give you an overall picture of the client’s goals and needs, but we can never explain all the fine details. Just as we want the client to feel like you’re a good match, we also need you to feel comfortable, supported and excited about starting with the client.

Team Meeting

I’ve met the client and we both want to proceed, what’s next?

We need to have the client’s AHP delegate some tasks to you. Usually this occurs by having you attend and observe one of your client’s regular therapy sessions.

If you are unable to attend your client’s regular therapy session, handover can occur via telehealth or over the phone.

Some common questions about your AHP handover and ongoing sessions:
What is a Team Meeting?2022-08-12T11:03:57+11:00

Therapy assistants can only start working on therapy goals after they participate in a Team Meeting.

Read about what happens during a Team Meeting here.

It is an opportunity for therapy assistants to be provided with a clear therapy plan and guidance on how to implement therapy interventions in a safe and effective manner. The therapy assistant can observe how the AHP conducts sessions and clarify anything in the plan that they are unsure about prior to beginning independent sessions.

If it is not possible for the Team Meeting to occur in person, Team Meetings can be completed via telehealth or over the phone.

Are telehealth team meetings ok?2022-08-12T11:04:02+11:00

Yes, therapy handovers are acceptable if participants feel that it is unsafe to conduct in-person sessions, and/or all parties agree.

These sessions can be conducted via Google Hangouts or your preferred software, i.e. FaceTime, Zoom, etc.

If you would like assistance setting up telehealth, please feel free to give us a call on 1800 921 422.

I’ve met the client and we both want to proceed, what’s next?2022-08-12T11:04:15+11:00

Firstly, great job!

Now that both you and the client are committed to working with each other, we’ll need to organise for the client’s Allied Health Professional (AHP) to delegate some tasks for you to help your new client practice. We call this a Team Meeting.

Usually, this occurs by having you attend and observe one of your client’s regular therapy sessions.

But, if you are unable to attend a session between the client and their  AHP, your handover session with the AHP can occur via telehealth or over the phone.

What is involved in a Team Meeting (also sometimes referred to as a therapy handover)?2022-08-12T11:04:08+11:00

We work with the client and their family to get you linked with their AHP. Once linked, a therapy handover from the client’s AHP should provide you with a clear understanding of the client’s current goals, the interventions prescribed and any strategies employed to get the most out of the client. This can occur in two ways:

Option 1: Ideally, you attend a session with the AHP and the client (in-person or video telehealth). If option 1 is difficult to coordinate due to timetable constraints, we try option 2.

Option 2: The client’s AHP provides you with a written therapy plan to read and you receive a phone handover from the client’s AHP to iterate and clarify everything in the therapy plan.

We aim to provide you with enough support to feel comfortable in your role and assist your client to achieve their goals. If something concerns you, or you feel unsupported or out of your depth, please contact a team member for a chat.

How do I maintain contact with the client’s AHP? How closely will I work with them?2022-08-12T11:03:30+11:00

According to NDIS regulations, Fora’s allied health assistants need to be linked with their clients’ therapists on an ongoing basis.

Your first therapy assistant session after the meet-and-greet should be a team meeting between you and the client’s AHP.

You cannot work independently with the client until this handover occurs.

From then on, at the very least you should be in contact with the allied health professional at a minimum of every 6 weeks after that to ensure you are receiving up-to-date therapy plans and strategies according to the client’s progress.

Please discuss with the family and the client’s AHP whether:

  • You will sit in on subsequent review sessions, or if this clashes with your schedule
  • You will remain in email contact with the client’s AHP, or
  • You will remain in phone contact with the client’s AHP

Regular assists

I’ve had a Team Meeting with the client’s AHP and I feel like I know what I’m doing, where to from here?

You’re ready to go! At this point sessions occur independently between the therapy assistant and client. You imlement the therapy plan handed over to you by the client’s AHP and use any strategies they have provided to get the most out of your client.

At the completion of each session you log your assist via the Fora website.

Some common questions about regular sessions:
What are the minimum session durations?2022-08-12T11:21:55+11:00

Fora has a 1.5 hour minimum session time for all sessions, except public holidays which have a 2-hour minimum.

Client’s utilising Core Support funding have a 2-hour minimum for all sessions.

How do I book sessions with my new client?2022-08-12T11:21:59+11:00

To book sessions, you will need to speak with your client directly or via phone or email. Usually the client or the client’s family will reach out to the therapy assistant (or vice versa) at the start of each week via SMS to book in a session time.

Scheduling operates on a casual basis and is entirely dependent upon your availability. This allows you to manage your time and alter hours of availability for shifts with clients around university course load, placements, and exams.

We work with a lot of students and understand that availability can change depending on placement schedules and university timetables. Given the ever-changing nature of students’ schedules, you are encouraged to inform your client’s with your schedule changes as soon as possible.

How many hours do I need to work per week?2023-09-01T13:39:15+11:00

The number of hours you’re likely to work depends on each individual client.

Clients typically have a 1.5-hour minimum session time, and some have a 2-hour minimum. Please ask us if you’re not sure what your client has.

So if you are working with 1 client, your minimum hours per week would be 1.5 or 2 hours. Make sure you’re reminding them that if they want sessions shorter than their minimum, they’ll still be charged according to their minimum.

You are expected to work with each client long-term (ideally more than 6 months), as often it takes a month or two to get familiar with the individual and their therapy routine.

If you would like more hours you can elect to take on more clients. But is essential that you don’t over-commit or promise to work with clients when you don’t think you could commit to working with them for at least 6 months.

Where will I be working?2022-08-12T11:22:11+11:00

Typically allied health assistants work in their client’s homes, however the location of sessions will depend on the client’s goals. Sessions can occur in gyms, swimming pools, a local sport or recreation facility, library, schools, aged care facilities or elsewhere in the community.

Is there a minimum or maximum number of clients I can take on?2022-08-12T11:22:09+11:00

This depends on your own capacity to handle your workload and is your decision. Some therapy assistants are happy working with one client, but there are others who can manage multiple clients with full-time study.

If you would like more hours you can elect to take on more clients. But is essential that you don’t over-commit or promise to work with clients when you don’t think you could commit to working with them for at least 6 months.

I have a long placement or overseas trip planned – what should I do?2022-08-12T11:22:19+11:00

Please call or text us the details so we know that you are away (otherwise, we may be worried that you aren’t responding to our calls or messages).

If you are going to be on placement, please discuss with the family if any alternative arrangements can be made. For example, working in the evenings or on weekends. If this is not possible and they are looking for somebody to fill in, please give us advanced notice so we can organise a replacement if necessary.

I want to cease employment with Fora. What are the steps to cease employment?2022-08-12T11:22:27+11:00

Since you are a casual employee, there is no set notice period. Just let us know as soon as possible. Depending on your circumstances, we may ask you to continue working any clients in your caseload for a short time after you’ve given notice to ensure continuity of care.

How will I be supported in my role?2022-08-12T11:09:17+11:00

You will be linked with the client’s allied health professional before you start working independently with the client. The allied health professional will either provide a verbal handover or allow you to sit in on consultations.

An advisor at Fora will provide non-clinical support for your role. They help in setting up initial meetings and organising check-in and debrief sessions to ensure everything is running smoothly.

Who will be my main point of contact?2022-08-12T11:09:30+11:00

Your point of contact will vary depending on what type of information you are seeking.

Here are the three main contacts in each therapy assistant and client relationship and what you would reach out to each of them for:

  1. Client or client’s main carer:
    1. Anything related to client and how you can build rapport
    2. Please note that at times a client’s carer may try to direct you on the type of therapy you implement, this is okay if it’s within the parameters set by the AHP. If it’s outside of this or has not yet been discussed, it’s best to double check with Fora before implementing something you’re unsure about.
  2. Client’s allied health professional
    1. Therapy plan and strategy related questions
    2. Progress or regression of client
  3. Fora
    1. Fora website, payments, insurance, feedback
    2. Anything else
How should I deal with a client’s money or property?2022-08-12T11:09:33+11:00

Under the NDIS Practice Standards, therapy assistants must meet the following quality indicators in order to ensure clients’ assets are secure and can be used under the client’s autonomy:

  • Clients money or property can only be used with their consent, and only for purposes specified by the client. If a provider (or worker) is given access to the client assets, there must be a process enacted to ensure the assets are protected, managed and accounted for.
  • Clients should be supported to access and spend their own money as they wish.
  • Clients are not given financial advice or information.

In general, Fora does not recommend that a therapy assistant handle a client’s money or property.

For example, therapy assistants should not take money from a client to make a purchase for them when they are not present or take a client’s bank card to withdraw money out of an ATM for them.

A situation where a therapy assistant can ‘handle a client’s money’ might be if they are at the shops and the therapy assistant is assisting the client with transferring the money to the vendor or if the client requests assistance with counting cash or change.

What insurance am I covered by?2022-08-12T11:09:29+11:00

You are covered for professional indemnity and public liability for:

  • Allied health insurance
    • exercise physiology
    • physiotherapy
    • psychology
    • speech therapy
    • occupational therapy
    • hydrotherapy
  • community and disability services

You are covered for any injury that may arise from your work by WorkCover insurance.

Please note that if you elect to transport clients in your car, any incident or damage that occurs to your car, or any person in it, while you are driving to and from work or transporting a client, is not covered by our insurance. You must have third party insurance or comprehensive insurance that covers you for business purposes.

What if I unexpectedly need to halt sessions?2022-08-12T11:09:38+11:00

The main thing is to be fully transparent and professional with your client at all times.

If you believe there will be a potential change or there is an unexpected change in your schedule, please let the client and Fora know as soon as possible. This allows the client to prepare for a change in advance, i.e. they might start organising a replacement therapy assistant before you are expected to pause or cease working with them.

Transporting clients

Am I allowed to transport clients?

Fora allows therapy assistants to transport clients if they have an unrestricted Australian drivers licence. You can elect whether to transport clients in the “edit profile” section, after you’ve been verified.

Some common questions about regular sessions:
Am I required to transport clients?2022-08-12T11:09:46+11:00

It is not mandatory that therapy assistants transport their clients.

However, if you have a full drivers licence and you would like to provide this service, you can choose this setting on your Fora profile.

What are my obligations if I elect to transport clients?2022-08-12T11:21:51+11:00

If you are providing transport (whether in your own vehicle or someone else’s) you have an obligation to:

  • Provide and maintain a current and valid Australian drivers licence
  • Hold Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance and check that you are insured to drive for business purposes.
  • Enter accurate records relating to your transport work via the Fora platform
  • Notify Fora immediately of any licence cancellation
  • Notify Fora of any medical condition that may prevent you from safely providing transport.
  • Agree to inform Fora via email in the case of any incident or near miss event.
  • Consider keeping a first aid kit in your car
What are my obligations if I transport clients in my own car?2022-08-12T11:06:53+11:00

If you are providing transport to clients in your own car, you must:

  • Maintain the vehicle in a safe, clean and roadworthy condition.
  • Conduct an annual visual Vehicle Inspection to ensure it is roadworthy
  • Ensure the vehicle is maintained and serviced, as outlined in the owner’s manual.
  • Register your vehicle with the relevant body and ensure the registration is maintained.
  • Hold Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance and check that you are insured to drive for business purposes.
  • Think about your insurance needs and consider obtaining Comprehensive Vehicle Insurance.
  • Keep accurate records of the trips you have made using your own vehicle when logging your assists.
  • Consider keeping a first aid kit in your vehicle.
  • Understand that you are fully responsible for your vehicle in the event of any claim that arises as a result of an accident, in conjunction with your insurer.

Remember by choosing to drive your own vehicle you are taking on the liability for any damage caused to your vehicle (or another vehicle involved in an accident).

What are my obligations if I transport clients using their car?2022-08-12T11:06:44+11:00

If you choose to provide transport to a person seeking support using their vehicle you must:

  • Request to see a copy of the registration certificate of the vehicle prior to driving.
  • Request to see a copy of the Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance for the vehicle.
  • Request to see a copy of any other insurance policies.
  • Complete a visual inspection of the vehicle prior to driving to ensure it is safe.
  • Request training from the vehicle’s owners, to ensure you understand how to effectively operate the vehicle.

It’s important to understand that users seeking support’s vehicles are not covered by Fora’s insurance, so the liability is shared by you and the user seeking support – that’s why it’s really important that you check their insurance coverage.

Will I get paid travel allowance? When do I get paid for travel?2022-08-12T11:06:44+11:00

Travel allowance applies only for the times you are transporting a client in your car.

For example, if you are driving your client in your car to a therapist appointment, or somewhere related to their therapy plan like a gym, swimming pool or a social event/ activity.

Travel allowance is $0.85 per kilometer travelled. This is paid on top of your hourly wage to compensate you for fuel and wear & tear on your car. It will be delivered to you with your usual pay.

Travel allowance is not provided for the times that you are driving to and from the client’s house.

I set my profile to say that I am able to transport clients. Why does it say “Unable to transport clients”?2022-08-12T11:06:37+11:00

At Fora, our allied health assistant and client’s safety is paramount.

Passengers can often be a dangerous distraction for newly licensed drivers. For this reason, we require our allied health assistants to have an unrestricted Australian driver’s license before they can transport clients.

When you get your full license, please upload it to your profile and notify a Fora team member to review.

Logging assists and getting paid

I’ve had some sessions with my client, how do I log my assists?

From your dashboard on the Fora website, click on the ‘Assists’ tab in the left side menu, or click here.

When you start typing your client’s name, you should see your clients listed there and the logging hours process should be straight forward – follow the instructions to log your timesheet.

Please log your assists immediately after each session to ensure that you the client is invoiced appropriately and you are paid on time.

Some common questions about logging your assists and receiving payments:
How much do allied health assistants get paid?2022-08-12T11:28:14+11:00

As of September 6th 2021, pay rates for allied health assistants will be:

  • Weekdays: $36.00 per hour
  • Saturday: $49.00 per hour
  • Sunday: $62.00 per hour
  • Public Holiday: $76.00 per hour
  • PLUS 10 mins of note-taking time + superannuation for every session
  • Sessions with an AHP, preparation time, report-writing: $36.00 per hour
What is the pay cycle? When will I be paid?2022-08-12T11:03:41+11:00

Payroll is every fortnight. To be paid correctly and for your client to be invoiced accurately, please ensure you log your assist after your session or within 24 hours.

If you have any questions about logging your assist, please email us at info@foratherapy.com or call us on 1800 921 422.

How come I haven’t been paid for my sessions?2022-08-12T11:03:44+11:00

Your sessions may not have been logged before the cut-off day for payroll. This means that you will be paid for these sessions in the next pay period.

I realised I logged my session incorrectly. Who should I speak with?2022-08-12T11:03:34+11:00

Please call us on 1800 921 422 as soon as possible so we can fix the error that was logged.

How do I update my bank details or superannuation information?2022-08-12T11:01:50+11:00

You can update your bank details through your Fora account on your dashboard. To update your superannuation information, please email accounts@foratherapy.com.

If you have any issues or questions, please contact info@foratherapy.com.

Will my travel allowance be included on my payslip?2022-08-12T11:03:17+11:00

Your travel allowance will be included in your pay period. You should only select the travel allowance option if you and your client’s family have an agreement with this.

Do I get paid for a meet and greet?2022-08-10T12:32:55+11:00

No, allied health assistants are not paid for a meet and greet. 

The initial session is a 30-minute to 1-hour, uncharged and unpaid meeting with the client and/or the client’s family. Think of this session as a two-way interview.

If you ran a business, you probably wouldn’t hire someone without ever having met them in person. The same can be said of clients and their families. They want to meet you and discover whether your personality will be a match for them before they commit to working with you long-term. 

At the same time, you wouldn’t want to start working in a position you knew nothing about. We give you an overall picture of the client’s goals and needs, but we can never explain all the fine details. Just as we want the client to feel like you’re a good match, we also need you to feel comfortable, supported and excited about starting with the client.

How much do allied health assistants get paid?2022-08-12T11:04:53+11:00

For sessions less than 2 hours long the pay structure is as follows:

Day Minimum pay per session Minimum pay per session incl. superannuation
Weekdays $60.80 $67.18
Saturday $77.40 $85.52
Sunday $99.60 $110.05

For 1.5 hour sessions, note-writing time will now be included in the 2-hour minimum pay.

For sessions lasting 2-hours or more the pay structure is as follows:

 

Day Pay per hour Pay for note-writing Minimum pay per session
Weekdays $36.00 $5.70 $85.86
Saturday $49.00 $5.70 $114.59
Sunday $62.00 $5.70 $143.32
Public Holidays $65.00 $5.70 $149.95
Why is there a lower pay rate for sessions under 2 hour long?2022-08-12T11:01:17+11:00

We’ve created a new minimum pay rate for sessions under 2 hours long as you’ll be paid for a minimum of 2 hours whenever you’re engaged by a client from July 1st 2022.

Since the minimum session time for most clients is 1.5 hours, many client will opt for 1.5-hour sessions and not 2-hour sessions. In which case Fora will still pay you at the minimum 2-hour rate for sessions like these.

How can I view my payslips?2022-08-12T11:01:47+11:00

You will receive a link to join YourPay by MYOB. It stores your 5 most recent payslips.

Please do not use this app to put in your hours.

Do I get a break for long shifts?2022-08-12T10:52:32+11:00

If you work in excess of 5 hours, you will be entitled to an unpaid meal break of 30 minutes.

Do I get leave entitlements?2022-08-12T11:01:28+11:00

As your employment is on a casual basis, you are not entitled to paid annual leave, personal/carer’s leave and compassionate leave. You are, however, entitled to unpaid compassionate leave in accordance with the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (“FWA”).

Do I need to work on Public holidays?2022-08-12T11:01:43+11:00

You are entitled to reasonably seek a day off on a public holiday in the State or Territory in which you are employed.

If you are required to work and choose to accept a shift on a Public Holiday, you will be compensated in accordance with the applicable award (if any).

Who decides how much allied health assistants get paid?2022-08-12T11:01:34+11:00

FairWork is a government organisation that decides the minimum standards for employees. When creating jobs, all employers must comply with the rules FairWork sets out.

Fora’s allied health assistants (AHAs) fall under the Social Community Home and Disability Services (SHADS) Award. Any changes that occur to this award will affect Fora and our AHAs.

Feedback and problem solving

How can I give feedback?

Please contact the Fora support team directly via phone or email for any type of feedback, concerns, questions, extra support or just to have a chat.

We are available via phone and email between Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm.

Feedback that you should contact us about immediately include:

  • It has been difficult organising sessions with your client, or if they are consistently cancelling
  • You are concerned that the client’s AHP does not implement evidence-based practice
  • You feel concerned about your or your client’s safety
  • You are uncertain your role fits within your scope of practice
  • You need coaching through your first client to make sure you feel comfortable
Some common questions about logging your assists and receiving payments:

Still have questions?

Contact the Fora Team via email at info@foratherapy.com or call us on 1800 921 422 Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

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