About the role

Respite carers provide planned, time‑limited support to people with disability or older Australians when their usual carer needs a break. This can be a few hours during the day, an overnight stay, a weekend, or a longer planned period. The key responsibility is to maintain the participant’s routine and wellbeing while the primary carer is away.

How Carevo works

Carevo is not a traditional job board. You register your availability and credentials once. Carevo then shares your profile with NDIS and aged care providers who are actively looking for respite carers. When a provider finds your profile and considers you a good match, they contact you directly. You review the arrangement, ask questions about the participant and the role, and decide whether it suits you. You are not committed to anything until you agree.

Pay and working arrangements

Respite care pay rates under the NDIS vary depending on time, day, and complexity. Aged care rates are set under the relevant award. Carevo does not set or negotiate pay on your behalf; those conversations happen directly between you and the provider.

Required qualifications

- Genuine care for people with disability, older Australians, or complex support needs
- Ability to step into an established care routine and maintain it consistently
- Patience, calm under pressure, and good judgement in unfamiliar environments
- Reliable vehicle and current driver’s licence
- Flexibility to work across a range of shifts including evenings, weekends, and overnight
- Previous experience in disability support, aged care, or respite care (preferred but not required for all roles)
- Basic personal care skills, including assisting with showering, dressing, and meals
- Strong communication skills to hand over information to primary carers accurately

Checks and credentials

What you need to start respite carer work, with indicative cost and timing. You can register your availability with Carevo before every check is finalised.

- Police Check – varies by state, $110 to $160, valid 5 years, 4 to 8 weeks to process
- NDIS Worker Screening – $50 to $80,



valid 3 years (renewed by employers), often issued within days
- CPR – around $90 to $160, 1‑day course, valid 3 years (refresh CPR every 12 months)
- State‑specific identification – $80 to $130 (free for volunteers), valid 2 to 5 years depending on state
- Work placement – $200 to $2,000 (often subsidised or free via state programs), 5 to 6 months, includes 120 hours of placement
- Driver’s licence and reliable vehicle – recommended; licence renewal $30 to $100 per year, ongoing and must remain current

What respite carer pay looks like

Respite carers are generally paid under the SCHADS Award home care or disability stream, with overnight and weekend work attracting additional penalty rates and allowances.

Weekday $30 to $39 an hour
Saturday $45 to $58 an hour
Sunday $59 to $77 an hour
Public holiday $74 to $97 an hour
Casual employees receive a 25% loading on top of these rates (often quoted as roughly $38 to $49 an hour for ordinary casual hours).

Indicative hourly rates based on the SCHADS Award (MA ), reviewed July 2025. Contemporary award rates are national and do not vary by state. Pay is set by each provider and can be higher under an enterprise agreement. General information only; not financial advice.

How getting care work compares

Most care workers find work by searching a job board or signing on with an agency. Carevo works differently: you register your availability once, and providers in the network reach out to you. The work comes to you instead of you chasing it.

- Job board – Search listings and apply to each one
- Care agency – The agency offers you shifts as they arise
- Carevo – Register once; providers contact you

- Who sets the arrangement – Provider you apply to / Agency,



usually as a casual employee / You and the provider, agreed directly
- Ongoing effort – Keep searching and applying as listings expire / Stay available for shift offers / Keep your profile and availability current
- Choice over work – You choose what to apply for / You can decline the shifts the agency offers / You choose which providers to take up
- Cost to you – Free / Free / Free
- Main trade‑off – Time spent searching; listings can be out of date / Less say over which provider or client you get / Depends on providers near you reaching out

Frequently asked questions

Does Carevo have respite carer jobs I can apply for? Carevo is not a traditional job board. Instead of applying for fixed listings, you register your availability and credentials once. Carevo presents your profile to NDIS and aged care providers hiring respite carers, and they contact you directly about work that suits you.

Does it cost anything to register? No. Registering your availability with Carevo is free for workers. There are no agency fees and no charge to be presented to providers in our network.

What do I need to start respite carer work? Most respite carer roles need a current Police Check and an NDIS Worker Screening Check, plus any role‑specific qualifications. You can register your interest before every check is finalised and let providers know what is still in progress.

How soon will providers contact me? It depends on demand in your area and on your availability and credentials. Providers in the Carevo network review registered workers regularly and reach out directly when your profile matches what they need.

Do I have to accept work that is offered? No. You choose which providers to talk to and which work to take on. Registering simply makes you visible to providers hiring near you.

Find this position in your area

Select your state to see this role in suburbs near you. Register your availability and credentials in two minutes. Providers in the Carevo network reach out to you directly; you don't chase job ads.

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📌 Respite Carer (Australia)
🏢 MD Homecare
📍 Australia