NDIS & Support at Home · Guide

Allied Health Assistants: what they do, how they help NDIS Participants and Aged Care Clients

A trained allied health assistant bridges the gap between your therapy sessions and everyday life, stretching your NDIS or Support at Home funding further with more real-world progress.

Kema Care Team

Care Coordination

Updated June 2026

9 min read

a qualified allied health assistant from kema care is working with a child based on his therapy goals.

Quick check

Could an allied health assistant help you?

✓You have an NDIS plan or Support at Home funding (Aged care)
✓You have therapy goals but struggle with consistency between sessions
✓You want more practice without paying full therapist rates every visit
✓You need someone to come to you — at home or in the community

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You've got a therapy plan. Your occupational therapist, physiotherapist, or speech pathologist has set out clear goals. But between sessions, things stall. The exercises don't happen. The strategies don't get practised. And your NDIS or Support at Home funding sits unused.

That's where an allied health assistant comes in. An allied health assistant in Melbourne (sometimes called a therapy assistant) is a trained support worker who bridges the gap between professional therapy and everyday life. They work under your therapist's supervision to help you actually do the work your plan outlines: more frequent practice, more consistency, more real-world progress, without the cost of constant therapist hours.

This guide explains what allied health assistants do, what they don't do, how they fit into both NDIS and Support at Home funding, and how to know if one is right for you.

What is an allied health assistant?

An allied health assistant is a trained worker who helps you carry out a therapy plan created by a qualified therapist. They don't diagnose, assess, or design the plan; instead, they help you practise it.

An allied health assistant is a healthcare worker who has demonstrated competencies to provide person-centred, evidence-informed therapy and support to individuals and groups, to help protect, restore and maintain optimal function, and promote independence and well-being.

Source: AHANA

Think of it this way: your therapist is the architect who designs the plan. Your allied health assistant is the builder who helps you construct it, day by day, week by week.
They might have completed a Certificate III or Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance (usually through TAFE). Many also have a background in disability support, aged care, or related health fields. The key requirement is that they work under a registered therapist's direct supervision.
In Australia, allied health assistants work across hospitals, community health services, disability support, aged care, and private practice. They're increasingly part of NDIS plans and Support at Home arrangements, especially as demand for therapy has grown and waiting lists have stretched.

What allied health assistants can do

Allied health assistants carry out a wide range of therapy-related tasks, always under a qualified therapist's direction.

Supporting therapy programs prescribed by allied health professionals, including: helping to implement exercise programs, practising daily routines, using communication strategies, reinforcing behavioural goals, and supporting community participation.

Source: NDIS Support Catalogue

Occupational therapy goals

Practising daily routines - showering, dressing, meal prep
Building organisation and routines
Learning to use new equipment safely
Emotional regulation and coping strategies

Physiotherapy & exercise

Guided exercise programs designed by your physio
Mobility and balance practice
Strength work and safe movement patterns
Support after an injury, fall, or surgery

Speech Pathology

Communication practice and drills
Swallowing exercises
Help using communication devices or apps

Dietetics & Nutrition

Meal planning and preparation under a dietitian's guidance
Reinforcing dietary goals and habits

Community Participation

Practising public transport use
Attending appointments and activities
Building social confidence and connections

Every single task flows from a plan your therapist has created. Your assistant isn't improvising; they're implementing.

What allied health assistants cannot do

This is critical to understand. There are clear boundaries to the role.

Allied health assistants do not possess the qualifications to diagnose conditions or prescribe treatments to their clients. They work under the delegation and supervision of an allied health professional, who retains clinical responsibility for the client's care.

Source: AHPRA

Specifically, allied health assistants cannot:

Diagnose conditions or identify new problems
Prescribe or recommend treatment changes
Create or design a therapy plan
Make independent clinical decisions
Assess progress and write formal reports without therapist direction
Work without supervision or oversight

If your allied health assistant notices something concerning (pain, new symptoms, unexpected changes), they report it to your therapist. Your therapist makes the clinical decision.

This is a safety feature, not a limitation

It means your qualified therapist stays in charge of your care and progress, while you get more hands-on support between their visits.

How supervision works, and why it matters

Your therapist supervises your allied health assistant. This supervision is not casual; it's a legal and professional responsibility.

Allied health professionals are responsible for assessing, diagnosing, and planning the best way to provide support. Allied health assistants work under direction of an allied health professional, to support the participant to implement the support plan.

Source: NDIS Quality & Safeguards Commission

Assess & Plan

Your therapist meets with you to assess and plan.

Delegate & Brief

Your therapist explains the plan to your allied health assistant, showing them exactly what to do.

Implement

Your assistant carries out the plan in your home or community.

Report Back

Your assistant reports back to your therapist on how things are going.

Review & Adjust

Your therapist checks in regularly: reviewing progress, observing sessions, and adjusting the plan as needed.

The supervision frequency depends on the complexity of your plan and your assistant's experience. For straightforward goals, it might be monthly check-ins. For complex cases, it could be weekly or more.
Your therapist holds the clinical responsibility. That means if something goes wrong, your therapist is accountable. This is why they're careful about what they delegate and how they oversee it.

Allied health assistants for NDIS participants

If you're on an NDIS plan, allied health assistant support is a great option, and it can stretch your funding significantly. It's usually claimed under one of these funding categories:

How it works in the NDIS

Allied health assistant support is claimed under your NDIS plan, usually through one of these funding categories:

Capacity Building

Skills and goals that build independence and capability

Improved Daily Living

Supports that help you with activities of daily living

Core Supports

Regular, ongoing support for daily needs

The Cost Advantage

Here are the current NDIS price limits (as of 2025–26):

Service	Hourly Rate
Qualified therapist (OT, speech, physio)	$193.99
Allied health assistant Level 2	$86.79
Allied health assistant Level 1	$56.16

Example: Your NDIS plan has $5,000 for OT over three months. That's ~26 hours of therapist time. But if your therapist spends 5 hours assessing and planning, then your assistant spends 21 hours practising the plan with you, you've had way more contact and consistency.

Your Therapist Stays Your Therapist

If you already see a therapist and trust them, you don't have to change. Many NDIS participants keep their existing therapist and add an allied health assistant to bridge the gap between sessions. Your therapist retains full responsibility for your plan.

If you already have a team in place, your allied health assistant works alongside your NDIS support workers, reinforcing the same goals so your whole plan pulls in one direction.

Getting started with NDIS allied health assistant support

Discuss it with your support coordinator or plan manager.
Ask if your current plan includes funding for therapy or therapeutic supports.
If you have a therapist, ask if they work with allied health assistants.
If you need a therapist, Kema Care can help you find one — then we'll arrange the assistant support.
Your therapist will design the plan; our assistant will carry it out.

Allied health assistants for Support at Home

If you or your loved ones are receiving aged care support, such as Dementia care, the landscape changed in November 2025. Home Care Packages have been replaced by the new Support at Home programme, and allied health now sits in a different place.

If you or your loved ones are receiving aged care support such as Dimentia care, the landscape changed in November 2025. Home Care Packages were replaced by the new Support at Home programme, and allied health sits in a different place now.

What changed

Under Support at Home for Aged care clients, allied health services are classified as Clinical Care. This matters because clinical care is fully government-funded: you do not pay a co-contribution towards allied health, no matter your income or assets.

Clinical care services, including allied health and nursing, are fully funded by the government and are not subject to a co-contribution.

Source: Department of Health and Aged Care

No cost to you

If your aged care assessment identified allied health needs (occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech pathology, dietetics, podiatry), that funding is now part of your plan and comes straight from the government.

Home Care Packages Complete Guide

Still working out where you sit in the aged care system? It helps to understand how the funding is structured, so read our complete guides to Home Care Package Level 1, Level 2, Level 3 and Level 4 to see which level of support matches your needs.

How allied health assistants fit in

When your Support at Home plan includes allied health, an allied health assistant can help you make the most of it. If your therapist designs exercises or routines, your assistant can help you practise them between sessions. The cost model is simpler here because the government funds it directly, but the principle is the same: more consistent, hands-on support between appointments, at no extra cost to you.

Getting started with Support at Home allied health support

Check your Support at Home notice-of-decision letter; it lists what's included in your plan.
If allied health is listed, ask your care provider or support coordinator to arrange an allied health assistant.
If you don't have a therapist yet, the care provider can help you find one.
Your therapist will assess your needs and create a plan; an assistant will help you carry it out.

You can also explore Kema Care's at-home support services to see how assistant visits fit alongside the everyday help you already receive at home.

Allied Health Assistant vs. Therapist

Key differences so you understand what each role brings.

	Qualified Therapist	Allied Health Assistant
Assesses your needs	✓	×
Diagnoses conditions	✓	×
Creates your therapy plan	✓	×
Designs interventions	✓	×
Makes clinical decisions	✓	×
Practises therapy with you	–	✓
Supervision	Supervises the assistant	Works under therapist supervision
Qualifications	University degree + registration	Certificate III/IV in Allied Health Assistance
Cost (NDIS)	$193.99/hour	$56–$87/hour*

You need the therapist for the expertise and clinical oversight. You benefit from the assistant for the consistency and frequency of practice. They're not in competition, they're partners in your care.

* All of Kema's allied health assistants are Level 2 and the $56.16 rate is only the assistant's part of a joint session. It is not the full cost.

What does it mean?

Sometimes your assistant works in the same session as your therapist. When that happens, you pay for both people:

Therapist: $193.99 per hour
Assistant: $56.16 per hour
Total: $250.15 per hour

How Kema Care Works

We bring all the pieces together in one coordinated model.

Step 1

Match You With a Qualified Therapist

We help you find an occupational therapist, physiotherapist, speech pathologist, dietitian, or other allied health professional who matches your needs, location, and goals. If you already have a therapist you trust, we work alongside them.

Step 2

Your Therapist Creates a Plan

Your therapist assesses your needs and designs a specific plan with clear, measurable goals. This might be improving daily living skills, building strength, developing communication strategies, or working towards community participation.

Step 3

Our Allied Health Assistant Carries It Out

Our trained assistant works under your therapist's supervision to help you practise and implement the plan. We come to you (your home, your community, wherever makes sense for your goals). We're consistent, reliable, and trained to support your specific therapy type.

Step 4

Progress Review and Adjustment

Your therapist reviews progress regularly, adjusts the plan as you progress, and ensures everything is working. We report back on how practice is going, what's working, and where you need support.

Service Areas

Epping, Mernda, Mill Park, Bundoora, Greensborough, Wollert, South Morang, Doreen, Roxburgh Park, Craigieburn, and nearby suburbs across Melbourne's northern suburbs.

Multilingual Team

Arabic, Turkish, Hindi, Italian, Persian, Chinese, Albanian. work with someone who understands your culture and routine.

Getting started: your next steps

If you think an allied health assistant could help you, here's how to move forward.

Have a therapist

Talk to them about adding allied health assistant support.
Ask them to outline what the assistant will help you practise.
If they're open to it, let us know. we coordinate from there.

No therapist yet

Contact Kema Care for a free consultation.
We'll help you find a qualified professional for your needs.
Once they assess you and create a plan, we'll arrange the assistant.

Not sure you're eligible

Tell us your situation. NDIS, Support at Home, or still assessing.
We'll walk you through what's possible under your funding.
We'll explain exactly what an assistant can do for your goals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Only a qualified, registered therapist can diagnose. If your assistant notices something new or concerning, they report it to your therapist, who makes the clinical decision.

No. If you already have a therapist you trust, we work alongside them. Your therapist stays in charge of your plan and progress.

Under NDIS, the cost is set by the NDIS Price Guide: $56.16 per hour (Level 1) to $86.79 per hour (Level 2). Under Support at Home, allied health is fully government-funded—there's no cost to you for clinical care services.

Yes. Allied health assistant support is fundable under NDIS, typically under Capacity Building or Improved Daily Living. Check with your support coordinator or plan manager to confirm your plan includes this funding.

Yes. Allied health is part of the Clinical Care category under Support at Home, and clinical care is fully government-funded with no co-contribution.

They mean the same thing. Some providers use "therapy assistant" because it's clearer for participants. Both describe a qualified allied health worker who supports therapy goals under a qualified therapist's supervision.

That depends on your plan and your goals. Some people have weekly sessions. Others have sessions multiple times per week. Your therapist designs the frequency as part of your plan.

Allied health assistants can support most therapy types: occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech pathology, exercise physiology, dietetics, and more. The key is that your therapist designs the goals—then your assistant helps you reach them.

If you have a therapy plan but struggle with consistency between sessions, or if you need more practice than your therapist can provide in scheduled visits, an allied health assistant usually helps. A free consultation with Kema Care can help you figure out if it's a fit for your situation.