In this scoping review, we examine the governance of therapy support workers, particularly in rural and remote areas of Australia under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
The use of Therapy Assistants has expanded to address workforce shortages in disability services, but governance for this emerging workforce has been underexplored. Analyzing 26 mostly qualitative Australian studies through a realist perspective, this review highlights the importance of staff capabilities, training, and credentialling. Success was often defined in terms of staff improvement rather than client or organizational outcomes.
Key factors for effective governance include consistent staffing, clear roles, community collaboration, and supportive leadership. Essential activities identified are soft skills development, tailored training, competency assessment, credentialling, and supervision.
This review calls for further research on the long-term impacts of governance and the effectiveness of educational programs in enhancing staff capabilities.
Reference: Moran A, Bulkeley K, Johnsson G, Tam E, Maloney C. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2024; 21(6):693.