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Support people that need it the most in a career as an aged care assistant. This course specialises in providing in demand home and community support services and also supports relationships with, a wide range of people, including carers and families.
Want to find out more about this industry?
Students in community services benefit from sharing information about organisations, initiatives and leading expertise in our Community Services Facebook page.
Community Services at SM TAFE Facebook page
Is this the right course for you?
Have you got what it takes to be successful in this career? Our Core Skills guide lists the skills and attributes necessary to study and work in this field.
This qualification is directly aligned with priority industry areas where the jobs are today, and into the future. As part of the state government Lower fees, local skills initiative, from 1 January 2020 through to 31 December 2025 you'll only pay half the course fees, capped for each year at $1,200; or $400 (plus resource fee) if you're aged 15—24 or eligible for a concession. Find out more
This course requires vaccination, police clearance and working with children check prior to work placement. See the important information tab for instructions.
- work effectively in the aged care industry
- caring for the elderly and enabling them to maintain independence
- understanding and supporting people with dementia
- safety procedures and ethical behaviour
- infection control practices
- working with cultural diversity
- workplace health and safety
In order to make an informed choice about the suitability of this course, you must take into account the essential skills and knowledge required to undertake this study.
- excellent observational skills - to be able to identify changes in behaviour, abilities and environment
- good communication skills to liaise/work with a range of people - clients families and co-workers
- good listening and writing skills and the ability to follow instructions
- be able to deal with physical demands of manual tasks
- basic problem solving skills and the ability to respond to immediate safety risks
- Tolerance, patience and the willingness to work with people from different backgrounds and cultures
| School Leaver | Non-School Leaver | AQF |
|---|---|---|
| OLNA or NAPLAN 9 Band 8 | C Grades in Year 10 English and Maths or equivalent | Certificate I or Certificate II |
Student must be over 18 years of age, or due to turn 18 during their enrolment, as the industry generally does not provide work placements for students under 18, making younger people unable to complete the qualification.
Attendance in class
You will need to attend class for one semester when studied full-time.
As well as the in-class component, you will need to complete approximately five hours of additional study each week outside of class hours, including private study, assignment preparation, and research.
You will need to have the basic technical requirements for at-home study. If you don’t have access to a computer and WiFi at home, we recommend using our library computers during library hours.
Work placement
120 hours of work placement is mandatory for completion of this course in stage two, this will be arranged by SM TAFE. Students who are under 18 years old are reminded that it will be difficult to secure work placement as a minor, making them unable to complete the qualification.
Students will also be required to have a flu vaccination (no more than one year old) to be eligible to go out on community placement.
What you need for your first day of class
On your first day you should bring your SM TAFE confirmation enrolment receipt, your student ID and stationery (pen and exercise book).
You will need to wear closed in shoes. PPE is provided.
All students enrolled in Individual Support are encouraged to obtain First Aid training (HLTAID011 is preferred). It is your responsibility to organise and pay for the training.
You may be required to obtain a Working With Children Check and National Police Clearance prior to a supervised work placement. This will depend on the organisation you arrange your work placement with.
For more information visit:
https://workingwithchildren.wa.gov.au(opens in a new tab)
https://www.police.wa.gov.au/Police-Direct/National-Police-Certificates(opens in a new tab)
Under the current guidelines for access to Aged care facilities, there may be a requirement to have evidence of a current flu vaccination.
Mandatory vaccination requirements
This course requires you to undertake a mandatory work placement with an employer associated with an industry outlined in the COVID-19 mandatory vaccination policy. This means that you must be triple dose vaccinated prior to your work placement. For the latest information on vaccine requirements for students visit our COVID-19 update page.
Students will also be required to have a flu vaccination (no more than one year old) to be eligible to go out on community placement.
Please note this list should be used as a guide only as job titles and qualification requirements may vary between organisations.
Work placement is mandatory for completion of this course. You will need to arrange a suitable work placement within industry which will involve your attendance at a workplace.
To access free career planning and job search assistance, visit the Jobs and Skills Centres page.
Select your preferred campus and apply
Click on your preferred campus and study mode below to get started with your application.
Semester 1, 2023
Mandurah - Full time - On Campus
| Duration | 1 Semester | ||||||||||||
| When | Semester 1, 2023 | ||||||||||||
| Where | Mandurah | ||||||||||||
| How | On Campus | ||||||||||||
| Course fee |
|
Indicative fees and charges
The fees quoted are estimates only and are for all units in the course for students enrolling on a full-time basis. If you are a student that has successfully completed a lower-level qualification that is a prerequisite for this course, you will only pay for the units that you need to enrol into to complete this course. Please view the full list of Fee disclaimers.
Rockingham - Full time - On Campus
| Duration | 1 Semester | ||||||||||||
| When | Semester 1, 2023 | ||||||||||||
| Where | Rockingham | ||||||||||||
| How | On Campus | ||||||||||||
| Course fee |
|
Indicative fees and charges
The fees quoted are estimates only and are for all units in the course for students enrolling on a full-time basis. If you are a student that has successfully completed a lower-level qualification that is a prerequisite for this course, you will only pay for the units that you need to enrol into to complete this course. Please view the full list of Fee disclaimers.
Thornlie - Full time - On Campus
| Duration | 1 Semester | ||||||||||||
| When | Semester 1, 2023 | ||||||||||||
| Where | Thornlie | ||||||||||||
| How | On Campus | ||||||||||||
| Course fee |
|
Indicative fees and charges
The fees quoted are estimates only and are for all units in the course for students enrolling on a full-time basis. If you are a student that has successfully completed a lower-level qualification that is a prerequisite for this course, you will only pay for the units that you need to enrol into to complete this course. Please view the full list of Fee disclaimers.
Semester 2, 2022
Rockingham - Full time - On Campus
| Duration | 1 Semester | ||||||||||||
| When | Semester 2, 2022 | ||||||||||||
| Where | Rockingham | ||||||||||||
| How | On Campus | ||||||||||||
| Course fee |
|
Indicative fees and charges
The fees quoted are estimates only and are for all units in the course for students enrolling on a full-time basis. If you are a student that has successfully completed a lower-level qualification that is a prerequisite for this course, you will only pay for the units that you need to enrol into to complete this course. Please view the full list of Fee disclaimers.
Thornlie - Full time - On Campus
| Duration | 1 Semester | ||||||||||||
| When | Semester 2, 2022 | ||||||||||||
| Where | Thornlie | ||||||||||||
| How | On Campus | ||||||||||||
| Course fee |
|
Indicative fees and charges
The fees quoted are estimates only and are for all units in the course for students enrolling on a full-time basis. If you are a student that has successfully completed a lower-level qualification that is a prerequisite for this course, you will only pay for the units that you need to enrol into to complete this course. Please view the full list of Fee disclaimers.