Become a valued
Formalise your skillset with a nationally recognised professional qualification that will give you advanced care skills and leadership training.
This course will equip you with the professional skills you need to work across a number of roles in the disability sector, including supervisory and management positions.
You will learn to empower people with a disability, provide individualised care and support to clients with varying disabilities, foster community participation and social inclusion, and lead a team of support workers.
This course includes a structured work placement in a workplace of your choosing, where you can put your learning to work and gain practical experience in the industry.
The course will take you from the foundations of disability care, through to more advanced practices and leadership skills.
This online CHC43115 Certificate IV in Disability course is perfect if you are already working in the industry, but need more advanced skills and a formal qualification to advance your career.
You will gain a nationally recognised qualification, that you can use to gain work Australia-wide.
If you are an existing worker or have experience in the related industry, please inform our enrolment consultants during your enrolment conversation. You may be eligible to enrol as an existing worker and complete your studies faster. Please note – limitations do apply.
There are no formal education entry requirements for this course.
You will need to be at least 18 years old.
This course involves reading learning content and undertaking a range of written assessments and engaging in online forums and discussions. Furthermore, the delivery mode relies on the extensive use of written communication. As such, entry to the course requires the successful completion of English to Year 12 level.
If you haven’t successfully completed English at Year 12 level, you can demonstrate equivalency through one of the following:
Open Colleges recognises that not all people are able to read, write and perform calculations to the same standard. See the Language, Literacy and Numeracy Considerations section for more information on tools, resources and support services provided by Open Colleges.
You will need access to a computer and the internet and have basic computing skills. Minimum specifications for your computer are:
All users:
Windows users:
Mac OS users:
You will need access to:
You will require access to office equipment and resources including telephone, photocopier, scanner and printer.
To successfully complete this course, you will require basic computing skills. This includes:
You will need to be reasonably physically fit as the role may involve a variety of tasks that require a reasonable amount of physical activity, such as providing direct personal care including showering, domestic assistance, transferring and assisting clients with mobility.
Our free online assessment tool can help give you an idea of the language, literacy and numeracy skills needed to study a VET course. This tool can also help you determine your learning level and help you plan your future studies. You can access the Language, Literacy and Numeracy tool here.
Open Colleges may make changes to the course from time to time to reflect changes introduced to the relevant Training Package or other regulatory requirements. Please download the course guide for current information about the course and its status.
Facilitate the empowerment of people with disability
Work with diverse people
Provide individualised support
Recognise healthy body systems
Manage legal and ethical compliance
Follow safe work practices for direct client care
Follow established person-centred behaviour supports
Facilitate ongoing skills development using a person-centred approach
Facilitate community participation and social inclusion
Develop and provide person-centred service responses
Provide person-centred services to people with a disability with complex needs
Communicate using augmentative and alternative communication strategies
Lead effective workplace relationships
Provide advocacy and representation services
Pay in Full
You can choose to pay your course fees in full upon enrolment and benefit from a 10% discount (unless otherwise advertised).
Pay 50% & Payment Plan Combo
You can also choose to pay 50% of your total course fees upon enrolment and the balance on a Payment Plan. When you do, you’ll benefit from 50% of the standard Pay in Full discount (unless otherwise advertised).
Payment Plan
You can choose to pay for your course in weekly or fortnightly instalments. By paying in instalments, you can schedule your payments around your regular outgoings and get ahead without breaking the bank. Open Colleges payment plans are interest-free.
Zip Money Payment Plan
If you need a little more flexibility with your finances and would like to pay off your course fees over a longer period of time, we can assist by organising Zip Money to pay your course fees directly to us on your behalf, and you pay this loan back to Zip Money over an agreed period of time. Zip Money provides you flexible options of selecting a 24, 36 or 48 months interest-free, payment plan (dependant on which course you’re enrolling into) to suit your lifestyle, giving you more flexibility than ever before.
BPAY®
With BPAY®, you’re able to pay quickly and securely, 24/7 through your internet, mobile or phone banking service. You can choose when, how much and from which account to pay from – whatever works for you. BPAY® is only available when paying in full. Call an Enrolment Consultant to find out more.
BPAY® is a trademark of BPAY Pty Ltd ABN 69 079 137 518. Check if BPAY® is right for you by reading the terms and conditions available from your Financial Institution.
Patricia has 8 years’ experience as a Counsellor and Disability Support worker. She has worked with clients who have complex support needs in residential and community-based settings with intellectual disability and mental health issues as well as clients with an acquired brain injury, hearing impediment and learning difficulties. She has worked with Anglicare’s Living Beyond Suicide program supporting families who have been bereaved through suicide and as an after-hours telephone support person.
Patricia holds a Diploma of Counselling, Cert III in Home & Community Care, Cert III Individual Support (Disability) and Cert IV Disability. Patricia gained her Cert IV TAE in 2015 as a way of passing on her knowledge to those who are passionate about the Community Services industry. She has been teaching the Diploma of Counselling, Cert III Individual Support and Cert IV Disability in both face to face and online distance learning settings.
Patricia is passionate about training and assisting students to achieve their goals to build opportunities for their future.
Your work placement will need to be completed in Australia within a professional disability service, such as a group home or respite centre.
All costs of work placement including any placement fees charged by the host organisation (whether to the student or OC), cost of statutory checks and vaccinations, travel, accommodation and uniforms are the responsibility of the student.
Each individual host organisation may have different requirements regarding vaccinations. Please discuss these with your Work Placement provider before beginning your placement. Please note – there are mandatory vaccination requirements within each state, and it is up to the student to ensure they are complying with their own state, territory legislation and workplace organisation policies and procedures.