Attendant care program direct funding pilot evaluation

• Karen R. Fisher, Carolyn Campbell-McLean
• Social Policy Research Centre

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29 August 2008The Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care (DADHC) is piloting a direct funding project in conjunction with the Attendant Care Program (ACP). The direct funding pilot aims to complement the objectives of the ACP, which provides support to individuals with physical disabilities with a range of tasks and activities to allow them to live and participate in their communities. The evaluation compares three ACP funding options, which differ in who employs the attendant carers, who receives the funding from DADHC and who is responsible for management and reporting:


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Employer model – the service provider is the attendant carers’ employer; in some organisations, clients can chose to participate in some attendant carer management decisions, such as recruitment. DADHC pays the funds to the service provider and the service provider is accountable to DADHC for the management of funds and reporting. Thirty two service providers are registered with DADHC to provide this model.


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Cooperative model – the client is the attendant carers’ employer; the service provider supplies administrative and management support. DADHC pays the funds to the service provider and the service provider is accountable to DADHC for the management of funds and reporting. One provider offers this model.


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Direct funding – the client is responsible for all attendant carer employment and management. DADHC pays the funds directly to the client, who is accountable to DADHC for the management of funds and reporting.

The pilot project is providing funds directly to ten current ACP clients for the direct purchase of personal care services. This is intended to provide clients with greater control over the choice and management of the support they receive as well as to promote more flexible and responsive services for clients.