Sarah Knows Support Workers

Sarah Heriot
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The podcast for NDIS support workers, disability support workers, and aged care workers in Australia. Hosted by Sarah Heriot — interviewing support workers, NDIS providers, disability sector founders, and care sector leaders. Get real insights on NDIS, disability support, and working in aged care. Support workers: find clients fast — sign up free at SwiftyMatchy.com and get matched with people who need your support today!

  1. 2 days ago

    Whistleblowing in the NDIS: What Happens When Speaking Up Is the Only Option?

    What happens when you’ve reported concerns, followed the right processes, raised complaints… and nothing changes? In this episode of Sarah Knows Support Workers, I’m joined again by Belinda Toohey for a very real conversation about whistleblowing in the disability sector. Belinda shares lived experiences from her career, including situations where people with disability were allegedly prevented from leaving services they no longer wanted, concerns around NDIS funding and providers, and what it can take to keep pushing when someone’s rights or safety are at risk. We also talk about what support workers can actually do when something doesn’t feel right — starting with knowing your policies, procedures and Code of Conduct, documenting concerns, speaking up, and knowing when concerns may need to be escalated to regulators, police or other appropriate authorities. Most importantly, this episode is about the people we support. Because support workers are often the eyes and ears on the ground. And sometimes doing the right thing means being willing to say: “No. This isn’t okay.” Belinda’s advice is pretty simple: do the right thing, trust your gut, find people with integrity, and don’t stay silent just because speaking up feels uncomfortable. Pasted text ⚠️ Content warning: This episode discusses alleged abuse, exploitation, restrictive practices, sexual exploitation and other distressing situations involving people with disability. 🎧 Sarah Knows Support WorkersReal conversations about support work, the NDIS, disability and all the messy stuff in between.

  2. 2 days ago

    Are You a Good Support Worker… or Just a Nice Person?

    Being kind matters. But kindness alone doesn’t make you a great support worker. In this episode, I’m talking about the difference between being a lovely person and actually being good at the job. We’re talking about reliability, case notes, communication, boundaries, professional judgement, independence, knowing when to speak up, and actually understanding what the person you support wants from their life. Because you can be fun. You can be caring. You can remember the coffee order. You can be the favourite support worker. But if you’re always late, never write useful notes, blur boundaries, or make someone more dependent on you… we need to have a chat. 😂 The sweet spot?Be kind and professional.Be fun and reliable.Be caring and know your role. That’s what makes a bloody good support worker.

  3. 27 Sept

    Choice & Control vs Duty of Care: When Should Support Workers Step In?

    Choice and control sounds simple… until a participant makes a choice that might put them at risk. So where does dignity of risk end and duty of care begin? In this episode of Sarah Knows Support Workers, Sarah gets into the real-life situations support workers actually face. What if someone wants to wear shorts when it’s freezing outside? What if a participant with diabetes wants takeaway and a giant sugary drink? What happens when someone refuses their medication? Or stops eating? Do you step in? Do you respect the choice? Do you escalate it? And when could “helping” actually cross the line into controlling someone? We’re talking about: Choice and control Dignity of risk Duty of care Medication refusal Health and safety concerns Restrictive practices Staying within your role When to document and escalate What to do when you genuinely don’t know what to do Because good support isn’t about letting someone do whatever they want and ignoring risk. And it’s definitely not about controlling someone because you think you know what’s best. It’s about finding the balance between rights, choice, safety and your responsibilities as a support worker. Sarah also shares five questions you can ask yourself when you’re unsure, plus where support workers can go for further guidance, including the NDIS Code of Conduct, the Working Together Guide for Workers and the Quality, Safety and You worker orientation module. 🎧 If you work in disability support, this is one worth saving. Follow Sarah Knows Support Workers on Spotify and leave a review if these episodes help you on shift.

  4. 21 Sept

    "That’s Not the Support Worker I Ordered” — Why I Built SwiftyMatchy Sarah Heriot

    In this special episode of Sarah Knows Support Workers, the microphone is flipped. James Loveday takes over as host and interviews Sarah about SwiftyMatchy—the support worker finding app created to help NDIS and aged care participants find support workers who genuinely align with them. Sarah shares how years of hearing “that’s not the support worker I wanted” inspired the idea, why better matching matters, and how video profiles can give participants more confidence, choice and control before someone arrives at their door. They also chat about: • The real cost of poor support worker matching• Why personality, availability, interests and location matter• How SwiftyMatchy supports participants, families and support coordinators• The opportunities for independent support workers and providers• Sarah’s bigger vision for choice, control and self-advocacy The right support shouldn’t be left to chance. It should click. Sign up for SwiftyMatchy and be one of the first to join: swiftymatchy.com

  5. 14 Sept

    Good People Still Need Good Training | Taieri Walsh Cora Workforce

    What actually makes a great support worker? In this episode of Sarah Knows Support Workers, I chat with Taieri from CORA Workforce about why being kind and having good intentions is only the beginning. Taieri started as a support worker before moving through team leadership, management and support coordination. Along the way, she kept seeing the same problem — good people were being put into complex support roles without always being given the skills, confidence or training they needed. We talk about: 💥 The difference between being a good person and a skilled support worker💥 Why support workers need more than basic compliance training💥 Professional boundaries — being friendly, not friends💥 Why independent support work also means running a business💥 Training for the actual person you're supporting, not just ticking boxes💥 Why support workers need to understand the “why” behind what they do💥 The gaps Taieri saw that led her to create CORA Workforce💥 How better training can improve support for participants AND protect workers💥 Why an informed support worker can make a massive difference Taieri also explains how CORA Workforce uses practical, scenario-based learning designed specifically for frontline disability support workers, including more than 90 courses and training pathways for individual workers and providers. 🎓 Want to check out the training? If you're an independent support worker wanting to build your skills, or you're an NDIS provider wanting better training and capability across your team, check out CORA Workforce: 👉 coraworkforce.com.au You can explore the courses, individual support worker options and provider plans, or request a demo directly through the website. Because participants deserve great support — and support workers deserve the training to actually deliver it. 💚

  6. 7 Sept

    They Saw the Disability. She Saw Her Son | Lily Grubb, LGO Therapy Group

    When Lily Grubb’s son Liam was diagnosed with Level 3 autism, was non-speaking and had global developmental delay, her entire world changed. But what frustrated Lily most wasn’t the diagnosis. It was watching people see the disability before they saw her child.In this episode of Sarah Knows Support Workers, Lily shares how she went from a 10-year career in HR to retraining, entering the therapy world and eventually building LGO Therapy Group. We talk about: • Why early intervention can matter so much• What parents should look for when choosing therapists• Why being labelled a “difficult parent” isn’t always a bad thing• Following the child instead of forcing them into a framework• Why connection matters before qualifications• Building a predominantly neurodivergent workforce• What great support workers actually do• Why simply “supervising” someone isn’t good support• Celebrating progress — even when it feels tiny• And the incredible story behind the Little Grubbs Orchard Foundation Lily also shares why the foundation was created: to help children and families access therapy and supports they may otherwise struggle to afford. The Foundation says its mission is to financially support people who don’t have adequate access to therapy supports, including costs the NDIS may not otherwise cover. 🌱 Learn more about LGO Therapy Group or enquire about their services:LGO Therapy Group 💚 Learn more about the Little Grubbs Orchard Foundation or make a donation:Little Grubbs Orchard Foundation The Foundation states that 100% of online donations go towards educating children with special needs, and donations over $2 are tax deductible. 🎧 Follow Sarah Knows Support Workers for more real conversations about disability, the NDIS, support work and the people doing things differently.

  7. 3 Sept

    Give Them the Chance to Shine | Julie Fisher

    What does good support actually look like from a family’s point of view? In this episode, Sarah sits down with author, speaker, radio host and mum Julie Fisher to talk about raising her son Darcy, who has Down syndrome, and everything her family has learned along the way. Julie shares the reality of receiving Darcy’s diagnosis, navigating medical challenges, raising three boys, finding the right support workers and providers, and why understanding the whole family matters when you’re supporting someone with disability. They also chat about inclusion, community attitudes, NDIS changes, Julie’s books, her advocacy work and the simple message that has become a huge part of everything she does: Give people the chance, and you’ll see them shine. A warm, funny and very real conversation about disability, family, choice and what great support can look like.

  8. 23 Aug

    Why Is the NDIS Drowning in Admin? Mark Woodland on Kismet & Better Healthcare

    Mark retired. It lasted two weeks. Then he bought a farm, got a tractor, collected around 40 chickens and somehow ended up back building technology. 😂 In this episode, I sit down with Mark, founder of Kismet, to ask a pretty important question: Why do we keep making healthcare and NDIS supports harder to access than they need to be? We talk about removing pointless admin, making healthcare more affordable, giving people more flexible ways to access services and why “that’s how we’ve always done it” is not a good enough answer. Mark also shares his journey from the Army to early childhood education, software, farming and eventually Kismet. We also discuss the good happening within the NDIS and why the people creating real change deserve more attention. And yes, the Emu War somehow makes an appearance. Don’t ask. 😂 Download the Kismet app to explore services, find provider matches and keep your NDIS information together: Apple App Store:https://apps.apple.com/au/app/kismet/id6443745099 Google Play:https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=healthcare.kismet.app You can also check out Kismet online:https://www.kismet.healthcare/ The 2026 Kismet Awards for Health + Disability Services are also coming up, celebrating the people, providers, products and programs making a positive difference across disability, healthcare and support services. Learn more about the Awards:https://www.kismet.healthcare/awards/info/about

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About

The podcast for NDIS support workers, disability support workers, and aged care workers in Australia. Hosted by Sarah Heriot — interviewing support workers, NDIS providers, disability sector founders, and care sector leaders. Get real insights on NDIS, disability support, and working in aged care. Support workers: find clients fast — sign up free at SwiftyMatchy.com and get matched with people who need your support today!

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