Attendant care

We’re here to help you get your life back on track after your transport accident.

If you need help with personal care and daily living after your accident, we can pay for attendant care provided within Australia, or for up to 8 weeks a year outside Australia.

From 26 September 2018, we can pay for an additional 4 weeks of attendant care outside of Australia when you need to travel as part of your employment.

If you require temporary services and support with personal care and everyday living after you leave hospital we can fund post acute support.

How attendant care will help

Attendant care support workers will visit you to help you with the activities of personal care, daily living or accessing the community. Attendant care can include daytime or overnight support, depending on your needs.

This support service aims to help you regain your independence and get back on track.

How post acute support will help

Attendant care support workers will visit you to help you with showering, dressing, mobility, banking and shopping.

This support service aims to support you while you recover and can do these tasks yourself.

Your safety

The TAC takes your care, safety and wellbeing very seriously. Your attendant care or post acute support should be delivered in a way that makes you feel safe and respected. For more information, please refer to Your Care.

Provider requirements

Your attendant care provider must be registered with us before they can provide attendant care or post acute support. Our Independent Registration against Quality Standards (IRQS) requirements ensure that providers that are registered with us have met high standards in regards to their policies and work practices, and we monitor providers to ensure that these standards continue to be met.

See our list of IRQS registered providers.

Extra information about using family and friends as your attendant care support worker is below.

How we approve these services

After your transport accident, your doctor, occupational therapist or treating team may recommend that you need help with personal care and everyday living.

Your Occupational Therapist or other medical professional in your treating team will complete a Functional Independence Assessment for us, or will do a review and make us aware of your needs.

When necessary we will work with your treating team to ensure you get the attendant care you need, to support you and help you regain as much functional independence as possible.

If you require attendant care for a period of overseas travel, a member of your treating team should provide us with details of the travel and the care you require. We can approve attendant care for up to 8 weeks in any year while you are travelling overseas. An additional 4 weeks on top of those 8 weeks are available where you require attendant care while undertaking travel as part of your employment.

We may contact your treating team to discuss your progress or request an assessment, to make sure that:

You have access to the most appropriate treatment and support.
You are getting proven, evidence-based treatment and not receiving treatment that isn't helping you recover.
You are moving towards getting your life back on track or being able to live independently.

For post acute support services, your hospital will contact us to ask that you get the help with the tasks of everyday living while you recover at home.

How these services are paid for

We pay for these services:

Directly to your service provider, when you have given them your TAC claim number, or
If you have to pay, use myTAC to send a copy of your receipt to us and we will repay you.

We pay for your services in line with our responsibilities under the Transport Accident Act 1986.

How much we will pay

There is a limit to how much we will pay for each service. If your service costs more than our maximum rate, you will need to pay the difference.

For a list of rates, see: TAC Attendant Care Fee Schedule.

If you are in receipt of individualised funding and utilising attendant care, see: Individualised Funding and Financial independence.

If you are travelling overseas, any attendant care should be provided by a suitable agency from your holiday destination.

We can only pay for up to 40 hours per week for any combination of post acute support, child care and home services (cleaning and gardening). Post acute support can only be paid for up to 5 years from your accident unless you have a ‘severe injury’.

What we won’t pay for

We cannot pay for services that:

Do not treat, or are not related to, your transport accident injuries.
Are not reasonable, necessary or appropriate.
Are not clinically justified, safe and effective.

We also cannot pay for:

Attendant care while you are an inpatient in a public, contracted or arrangement hospital, or
your carer’s incidental expenses such as travel, meals and tickets/entry fees for recreational activities or entertainment.

Requests for family members or friends to provide your attendant care

The TAC does not support the employment of family members as paid support workers. This is intended to help preserve your family relationships and to avoid conflicting responsibilities.

If you are unable to find suitable support workers to meet your needs, you can call the TAC to discuss this further. The TAC can pay for services to assist you, such as a Case Manager.

In some circumstances, it may not be possible to find suitable support workers because of your location or exceptional support needs. An attendant care provider may consider a family member as your support worker for short-term employment of up to three months, while other appropriate support workers are found. This arrangement may be extended beyond three months when the provider requires additional time to find an appropriate support worker.

It is at the discretion of the attendant care provider as to whether your family member is employed, based on TAC’s policy, Attendant Care Provider Guidelines and other provider employment requirements.

For family members

A family member who is eligible to provide paid support as described above must be employed by a TAC IRQS registered attendant care provider and meet all the requirements of that provider. This is to ensure that services delivered to you meet industry and community standards. The expectations and responsibilities set out in the Attendant Care Provider Guidelines are to be strictly followed by employer and employee.

As paid employees, family members engaged as paid support workers are subject to the full requirements of the Disability Service Safeguards Code of Conduct (Code) operating in Victoria, and the NDIS Code of Conduct in Victoria and in all other States and Territories.

If you are a family member who was employed to provide support to a TAC client (your family member) prior to 1 July 2021, the TAC will work with you to ensure all appropriate supports are in place for this client. You can continue to be paid for the support work by your employer as long as you meet all requirements of your employment including those set out in the Attendant Care Provider Guidelines.

For providers

Attendant care providers are responsible for determining if they have suitable staff available to meet the service need and to determine if a family member is suitable to be engaged in a paid capacity temporarily.

If you are an attendant care provider, please refer to the Attendant Care Provider Guidelines for more information.

Definitions

The term "family member" in this policy is used to represent a person who is identified by the client as a member of their family, or part of their close personal support network. This could include but is not limited to an immediate or non-immediate family member, partner, household member, friend and/or legal guardian.

The term “Support Worker” refers to a person being paid for Attendant Care (AC) or disability work who provides personal support, therapy support and/or community access.

For providers

If you are an attendant care provider, please refer to our TAC Provider Guidelines.


Attendant care We’re here to help you get your life back on track after your transport accident. If you need help with personal care and daily living after your accident, we can pay for attendant care provided within Australia, or for up to 8 weeks a year outside Australia. From 26 September 2018, we can pay for an additional 4 weeks of attendant care outside of Australia when you need to travel as part of your employment. If you require temporary services and support with personal care and everyday living after you leave hospital we can fund post acute support. How attendant care will help Attendant care support workers will visit you to help you with the activities of personal care, daily living or accessing the community. Attendant care can include daytime or overnight support, depending on your needs. This support service aims to help you regain your independence and get back on track. How post acute support will help Attendant care support workers will visit you to help you with showering, dressing, mobility, banking and shopping. This support service aims to support you while you recover and can do these tasks yourself. Your safety The TAC takes your care, safety and wellbeing very seriously. Your attendant care or post acute support should be delivered in a way that makes you feel safe and respected. For more information, please refer to Your Care. Provider requirements Your attendant care provider must be registered with us before they can provide attendant care or post acute support. Our Independent Registration against Quality Standards (IRQS) requirements ensure that providers that are registered with us have met high standards in regards to their policies and work practices, and we monitor providers to ensure that these standards continue to be met. See our list of IRQS registered providers. Extra information about using family and friends as your attendant care support worker is below. How we approve these services After your transport accident, your doctor, occupational therapist or treating team may recommend that you need help with personal care and everyday living. Your Occupational Therapist or other medical professional in your treating team will complete a Functional Independence Assessment for us, or will do a review and make us aware of your needs. When necessary we will work with your treating team to ensure you get the attendant care you need, to support you and help you regain as much functional independence as possible. If you require attendant care for a period of overseas travel, a member of your treating team should provide us with details of the travel and the care you require. We can approve attendant care for up to 8 weeks in any year while you are travelling overseas. An additional 4 weeks on top of those 8 weeks are available where you require attendant care while undertaking travel as part of your employment. We may contact your treating team to discuss your progress or request an assessment, to make sure that: You have access to the most appropriate treatment and support. You are getting proven, evidence-based treatment and not receiving treatment that isn't helping you recover. You are moving towards getting your life back on track or being able to live independently. For post acute support services, your hospital will contact us to ask that you get the help with the tasks of everyday living while you recover at home. How these services are paid for We pay for these services: Directly to your service provider, when you have given them your TAC claim number, or If you have to pay, use myTAC to send a copy of your receipt to us and we will repay you. We pay for your services in line with our responsibilities under the Transport Accident Act 1986. How much we will pay There is a limit to how much we will pay for each service. If your service costs more than our maximum rate, you will need to pay the difference. For a list of rates, see: TAC Attendant Care Fee Schedule. If you are in receipt of individualised funding and utilising attendant care, see: Individualised Funding and Financial independence. If you are travelling overseas, any attendant care should be provided by a suitable agency from your holiday destination. We can only pay for up to 40 hours per week for any combination of post acute support, child care and home services (cleaning and gardening). Post acute support can only be paid for up to 5 years from your accident unless you have a ‘severe injury’. What we won’t pay for We cannot pay for services that: Do not treat, or are not related to, your transport accident injuries. Are not reasonable, necessary or appropriate. Are not clinically justified, safe and effective. We also cannot pay for: Attendant care while you are an inpatient in a public, contracted or arrangement hospital, or your carer’s incidental expenses such as travel, meals and tickets/entry fees for recreational activities or entertainment. Requests for family members or friends to provide your attendant care The TAC does not support the employment of family members as paid support workers. This is intended to help preserve your family relationships and to avoid conflicting responsibilities. If you are unable to find suitable support workers to meet your needs, you can call the TAC to discuss this further. The TAC can pay for services to assist you, such as a Case Manager. In some circumstances, it may not be possible to find suitable support workers because of your location or exceptional support needs. An attendant care provider may consider a family member as your support worker for short-term employment of up to three months, while other appropriate support workers are found. This arrangement may be extended beyond three months when the provider requires additional time to find an appropriate support worker. It is at the discretion of the attendant care provider as to whether your family member is employed, based on TAC’s policy, Attendant Care Provider Guidelines and other provider employment requirements. For family members A family member who is eligible to provide paid support as described above must be employed by a TAC IRQS registered attendant care provider and meet all the requirements of that provider. This is to ensure that services delivered to you meet industry and community standards. The expectations and responsibilities set out in the Attendant Care Provider Guidelines are to be strictly followed by employer and employee. As paid employees, family members engaged as paid support workers are subject to the full requirements of the Disability Service Safeguards Code of Conduct (Code) operating in Victoria, and the NDIS Code of Conduct in Victoria and in all other States and Territories. If you are a family member who was employed to provide support to a TAC client (your family member) prior to 1 July 2021, the TAC will work with you to ensure all appropriate supports are in place for this client. You can continue to be paid for the support work by your employer as long as you meet all requirements of your employment including those set out in the Attendant Care Provider Guidelines. For providers Attendant care providers are responsible for determining if they have suitable staff available to meet the service need and to determine if a family member is suitable to be engaged in a paid capacity temporarily. If you are an attendant care provider, please refer to the Attendant Care Provider Guidelines for more information. Definitions The term "family member" in this policy is used to represent a person who is identified by the client as a member of their family, or part of their close personal support network. This could include but is not limited to an immediate or non-immediate family member, partner, household member, friend and/or legal guardian. The term “Support Worker” refers to a person being paid for Attendant Care (AC) or disability work who provides personal support, therapy support and/or community access. For providers If you are an attendant care provider, please refer to our TAC Provider Guidelines.

Attendant care

We’re here to help you get your life back on track after your transport accident.

If you need help with personal care and daily living after your accident, we can pay for attendant care provided within Australia, or for up to 8 weeks a year outside Australia.

From 26 September 2018, we can pay for an additional 4 weeks of attendant care outside of Australia when you need to travel as part of your employment.

If you require temporary services and support with personal care and everyday living after you leave hospital we can fund post acute support.

How attendant care will help

This support service aims to help you regain your independence and get back on track.

How post acute support will help

Attendant care support workers will visit you to help you with showering, dressing, mobility, banking and shopping.

This support service aims to support you while you recover and can do these tasks yourself.

Your safety

Provider requirements

See our list of IRQS registered providers.

Extra information about using family and friends as your attendant care support worker is below.

How we approve these services

After your transport accident, your doctor, occupational therapist or treating team may recommend that you need help with personal care and everyday living.

Your Occupational Therapist or other medical professional in your treating team will complete a Functional Independence Assessment for us, or will do a review and make us aware of your needs.

When necessary we will work with your treating team to ensure you get the attendant care you need, to support you and help you regain as much functional independence as possible.

We may contact your treating team to discuss your progress or request an assessment, to make sure that:

You have access to the most appropriate treatment and support.
You are getting proven, evidence-based treatment and not receiving treatment that isn't helping you recover.
You are moving towards getting your life back on track or being able to live independently.

For post acute support services, your hospital will contact us to ask that you get the help with the tasks of everyday living while you recover at home.

How these services are paid for

We pay for these services:

Directly to your service provider, when you have given them your TAC claim number, or
If you have to pay, use myTAC to send a copy of your receipt to us and we will repay you.

We pay for your services in line with our responsibilities under the Transport Accident Act 1986.

How much we will pay

There is a limit to how much we will pay for each service. If your service costs more than our maximum rate, you will need to pay the difference.

For a list of rates, see: TAC Attendant Care Fee Schedule.

If you are in receipt of individualised funding and utilising attendant care, see: Individualised Funding and Financial independence.

If you are travelling overseas, any attendant care should be provided by a suitable agency from your holiday destination.

What we won’t pay for

We cannot pay for services that:

Do not treat, or are not related to, your transport accident injuries.
Are not reasonable, necessary or appropriate.
Are not clinically justified, safe and effective.

We also cannot pay for:

Attendant care while you are an inpatient in a public, contracted or arrangement hospital, or
your carer’s incidental expenses such as travel, meals and tickets/entry fees for recreational activities or entertainment.

Requests for family members or friends to provide your attendant care

The TAC does not support the employment of family members as paid support workers. This is intended to help preserve your family relationships and to avoid conflicting responsibilities.

If you are unable to find suitable support workers to meet your needs, you can call the TAC to discuss this further. The TAC can pay for services to assist you, such as a Case Manager.

For family members

For providers

If you are an attendant care provider, please refer to the Attendant Care Provider Guidelines for more information.

Definitions

The term “Support Worker” refers to a person being paid for Attendant Care (AC) or disability work who provides personal support, therapy support and/or community access.

For providers

If you are an attendant care provider, please refer to our TAC Provider Guidelines.