Self Management Options

Fully Self-managed option

You can fully self‑manage your SAH funding — but it does come with real responsibilities.

Here’s the clear, structured breakdown of exactly what work you would do, based on the Support at Home self‑management guidance from the Department of Health and Aged Care.

Your core responsibilities when you fully self‑manage

Choosing and managing your own workers

You take the lead on selecting the people who support you.

You are responsible for:

  • Finding and choosing your support workers (local, independent, or through platforms like Mable)

  • Agreeing on hourly rates

  • Agreeing on what tasks they will do

  • Setting the days, times, and length of visits

  • Changing workers if they don’t suit you

This is the heart of self‑management: you decide who comes into your home and when.

Organising your own schedule

You manage your own timetable.

You are responsible for:

  • Booking your workers

  • Adjusting times when needed

  • Cancelling or rescheduling sessions

  • Making sure your support hours fit within your budget

Your provider does not organise your roster — you do.

Approving invoices and spending

Your provider holds the money, but you decide how it is used.

You are responsible for:

  • Checking invoices from workers or suppliers

  • Approving payments

  • Ensuring the services match your Support Plan

  • Making sure spending stays within your quarterly budget

  • Letting your provider know if something looks wrong

Your provider processes the payments, but you control what gets approved.

Staying within your Support Plan and SAH rules

Self‑management gives freedom, but it must stay within the SAH service list.

You are responsible for:

  • Making sure the services you book are allowed under SAH

  • Making sure the services match your assessed needs

  • Not booking services outside your plan (e.g., gardening if it’s not approved)

  • Asking for a plan review if your needs change

If your needs change, you must request a review with your provider or My Aged Care.

Participating in safety and compliance

Your provider still oversees safety — but you must cooperate.

You are responsible for:

  • Letting your provider know if something goes wrong

  • Reporting concerns about a worker

  • Following any safety instructions in your plan

  • Keeping your home reasonably safe for workers

  • Letting your provider know if you’re going away or entering hospital

If you go 12 months without receiving services, your funding is withdrawn.

Keeping basic records

You don’t need to do formal bookkeeping — your provider does that — but you must keep simple personal records.

You are responsible for:

  • Keeping copies of agreements with workers

  • Keeping notes about hours worked

  • Keeping receipts for purchases (if applicable)

  • Tracking your spending against your budget

Your provider will give you budget statements, but you monitor your usage.

Communicating with your provider

Even when self‑managing, you still work in partnership with your registered provider.

You are responsible for:

  • Updating your provider about changes in needs

  • Asking for help if something becomes confusing

  • Responding to provider requests (e.g., safety checks, plan reviews)

  • Letting them know if you want to change your level of self‑management

Self‑management is optional — you can switch back at any time.

In summary: What YOU do vs what your provider does

You do (your responsibilities):

  • Choose workers

  • Set schedules

  • Approve invoices

  • Track your budget

  • Ensure services match your plan

  • Keep basic records

  • Communicate changes

  • Participate in safety processes

Your provider does (their responsibilities):

  • Holds your funding

  • Processes payments

  • Ensures compliance with SAH rules

  • Provides safety oversight

  • Reviews and updates your Support Plan

  • Supports you if something goes wrong

Choosing your level of involvement

Partial self‑management is not one fixed model — it’s a menu.

You decide which tasks you want to manage yourself, such as:

  • Choosing your workers

  • Setting your own schedule

  • Approving invoices

  • Tracking your budget

Your provider covers the rest.

This means your responsibilities depend on which parts you choose to keep.

What YOU do (your responsibilities)

Choose your workers (if you want to)

Most partially self‑managing clients choose:

  • Who supports them

  • What tasks workers do

  • The hourly rate

  • The days and times that suit them

If you prefer, your Coordination Service can do this part for you.

Decide your schedule (optional)

You may choose to:

  • Book your own workers

  • Change or cancel appointments

  • Coordinate times directly

OR you can ask your Coordination Service to manage the roster for you.

Approve your spending

This is the responsibility most people keep.

You are responsible for:

  • Checking invoices

  • Approving payments

  • Making sure services match your Support Plan

  • Staying within your budget

Your registered provider processes the payments — you just approve them.

Stay within your Support Plan

Even with partial self‑management, you must:

  • Book services that match your assessed needs

  • Follow the SAH service list

  • Request a plan review if your needs change

Your Coordination Service helps guide you, but you make the day‑to‑day decisions.

Participate in safety and compliance

You are responsible for:

  • Reporting incidents or concerns

  • Keeping your home safe for workers

  • Letting your Coordinator know if you’re unwell, hospitalised, or away

  • Responding to safety check‑ins

Your registered provider handles the formal compliance work.

Keep simple personal records

You may need to keep:

  • Worker agreements

  • Notes about hours worked

  • Receipts for purchases (if applicable)

Your provider keeps the official records.

What your Registered Provider and/or Coordination Service does (their responsibilities)

Holds and manages your funding

They:

  • Hold your SAH budget

  • Process payments

  • Provide monthly budget statements

  • Ensure spending meets SAH rules

Provides safety, compliance, and oversight

They:

  • Complete your intake

  • Write and update your Support Plan

  • Conduct risk and safety checks

  • Provide disaster and continuity support

  • Ensure your services meet SAH requirements

Manage any tasks you don’t want to do

Depending on your preference, they can:

  • Book workers

  • Handle cancellations

  • Source new workers

  • Negotiate rates

  • Manage all communication with providers

You choose how much you want to be involved.

In summary

Partial self‑management = flexibility.

You keep the parts you enjoy or feel confident with, and your provider handles the rest.

You typically do:

  • Choose workers

  • Approve invoices

  • Decide your schedule

  • Make day‑to‑day decisions

  • Communicate changes

Your provider and/or coordinator does:

  • Hold and manage the funds

  • Process payments

  • Ensure compliance

  • Provide safety oversight

  • Manage any tasks you don’t want to do

Partially Self-managed option

You share the workload with your Coordination Service.
You keep control over the parts you want to manage — usually choosing workers and approving spending — while your Coordination Service handles the admin, scheduling, or anything you don’t want to do.

It’s flexible, and you can adjust the level of involvement over time.

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