Respite Care Jobs in Melbourne
Register your availability as a respite carer in Melbourne with Carevo. We present your profile to NDIS and aged care providers in our network so they can contact you directly.
Get work near you
- Tell us your availability and credentials
- Get found by providers hiring near Melbourne
- Providers reach out to you directly
- Free for workers, no agency fees
Two minutes. Providers reach out to you.
How it works
Carevo is not a job board with fixed listings. You register once, and providers come to you.
Register your availability
Tell us your role, availability and credentials. Two minutes, no CV needed.
We present you to the network
Carevo puts your profile in front of NDIS and aged care providers hiring near Melbourne.
Providers reach out to you
Providers contact you directly. You choose which conversations to take.
Working as a respite carer in Melbourne
Melbourne sits in the Melbourne (City) local government area, home to around 47,285 residents. A population this size means steady, ongoing demand for respite carers across both NDIS and aged care, and providers here recruit through the year.
Population
47,285
Local council
Melbourne (City)
Region
Greater Melbourne, VIC
Postcode
3000
The provider network in Melbourne
Register once and you are visible to the providers hiring in your area.
492
NDIS & aged care providers operate in Melbourne
406
of them hire respite carers and similar roles
119
families near Melbourne recently asked Carevo to find care
Providers in the Carevo network near Melbourne
These providers operate in Melbourne and are part of the Carevo network. Register your availability and providers like these can reach out to you directly.
How active the Melbourne care market is
A busy local market means more providers actively looking for workers. This is what activity around Melbourne looks like.
361
claimed, actively managed provider businesses in Melbourne
6,805
times providers near Melbourne were alerted to new work
77%
of new requests near Melbourne are picked up within an hour
Care most requested near Melbourne
The support families near Melbourne ask Carevo for most often, from 115 real requests. Strong local demand means more work for respite carers.
What the role involves
Respite carers provide planned, time-limited support to people with disability or older Australians when their usual carer needs a break. This could be a few hours during the day, an overnight stay, a weekend, or a longer planned period. The key responsibility is to maintain the participant’s routine and wellbeing while the primary carer is away.
In Melbourne and surrounding areas, respite care often happens in the participant’s own home. In some cases it takes place in a dedicated short-term accommodation (STA) facility. Either way, you are stepping into an environment where the participant has established preferences and routines, and your job is to follow those as closely as possible.
Day-to-day tasks vary significantly depending on the participant. You might be assisting with personal care, preparing meals, administering medication reminders, supporting community access, or simply providing company and engagement during leisure activities. Reading support plans carefully and communicating well with primary carers before and after each shift is essential.
Who you would support
Respite carers typically work with people who have physical, intellectual, or psychosocial disability, as well as older adults receiving aged care services. Some participants require high-intensity support. Others are quite independent and mainly need supervision and companionship.
Many families in Melbourne rely on respite care as part of their NDIS plan to give primary carers the break they need. When you do your job well, you are supporting the whole family, not just the participant.
How Carevo works
Carevo is not a traditional job board. It is a curated availability directory for care workers across Australia.
Here is the process. You register on Carevo with details about your experience, the type of support you can provide, your availability, and the areas near Melbourne where you are willing to work. Carevo then shares your profile with NDIS providers and aged care organisations in our network that are actively looking for respite workers.
When a provider finds your profile and considers you a good match, they contact you directly. You review the arrangement, ask questions about the participant and what the role involves, and decide whether it suits you. You are not committed to anything until you agree.
Pay and working arrangements
Respite care pay rates under the NDIS vary depending on the time, day, and complexity of support required. Aged care rates are set under the relevant award. Carevo does not set or negotiate pay on your behalf. Those conversations happen directly between you and the provider.
Required qualifications
The experience and qualities providers in the Carevo network look for in a respite carer.
Checks and credentials
What you need to start respite carer work, with indicative cost and timing. You can register your availability with Carevo before every check is finalised.
Varies by state, around $110 to $160 · Valid 5 years, 4 to 8 weeks to process
Varies, around $50 to $80 · Valid 3 years (renewed by employers), often issued within days
Free · Online, around 90 minutes
Around $90 to $160 · 1-day course, valid 3 years (refresh CPR every 12 months)
Varies by state, around $80 to $130 (free for volunteers) · Valid 2 to 5 years depending on state
Around $200 to $2,000 (often subsidised or free via state programs) · 5 to 6 months, includes 120 hours of work placement
Varies (licence renewal around $30 to $100 per year) · Ongoing, must remain current
What respite carer pay looks like
Respite carers are generally paid under the SCHADS Award home care or disability stream, with overnight and weekend work attracting additional penalty rates and allowances.
| Weekday | $30 to $39 an hour |
| Saturday | $45 to $58 an hour |
| Sunday | $59 to $77 an hour |
| Public holiday | $74 to $97 an hour |
Casual employees receive a 25% loading on top of these rates (often quoted as roughly $38 to $49 an hour for ordinary casual hours).
Indicative hourly rates based on the SCHADS Award (MA000100), reviewed July 2025. Modern award rates are national and do not vary by state. Pay is set by each provider and can be higher under an enterprise agreement. General information only, not financial advice.
Respite Carer work near Melbourne
Register once and you can be matched with providers across these areas too.
Frequently asked questions
Does Carevo have respite carer jobs in Melbourne I can apply for?
Carevo is not a traditional job board. Instead of applying for fixed listings, you register your availability and credentials once. We present your profile to NDIS and aged care providers hiring respite carers near Melbourne, and they contact you directly about work that suits you.
Does it cost anything to register?
No. Registering your availability with Carevo is free for workers. There are no agency fees and no charge to be presented to providers in our network.
What do I need to start respite carer work near Melbourne?
Most respite carer roles need a current Police Check and an NDIS Worker Screening Check, plus any role-specific qualifications. You can register your interest before every check is finalised and let providers know what is still in progress.
How soon will providers contact me?
It depends on demand near Melbourne and on your availability and credentials. Providers in the Carevo network review registered workers regularly and reach out directly when your profile matches what they need.
Do I have to accept work that is offered?
No. You choose which providers to talk to and which work to take on. Registering simply makes you visible to providers hiring near Melbourne.
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