Disability employment services in Melbourne, Victoria

Melbourne VIC 3000

It only takes one minute and it's free.

Disability Employment Services (DES) is now Inclusive Employment Australia. Compare providers that help you find and keep a job, free for eligible people.

409 providers cover Melbourne · 2 minutes to first enquiry acceptance in Melbourne

Disability employment help in Melbourne

409 providers in Melbourne
Free for eligible people, government funded
Includes DES, now Inclusive Employment Australia
Free. One request, providers contact you.

It only takes one minute and it's free.

Disability employment help in Melbourne

409 providers in Melbourne
Free for eligible people, government funded
Includes DES, now Inclusive Employment Australia
Free. One request, providers contact you.

Recent activity in Melbourne

Measured to 23 October 2026

83
care requests from Melbourne: 5,501
providers reached: 1,492
opened the contact details

Carevo platform activity, not a measure of care quality or availability. A provider opening enquiry details records an intention to make contact, not an appointment or care delivered. How we measure this.

Activity figures describe Carevo enquiries, not appointments or care quality. Acceptance timing excludes unclaimed enquiries. Confirm current capacity directly. Measurement period and method.

See all providers in Melbourne, VIC

About Disability Employment Services in Melbourne

This guide compares disability employment service providers in Melbourne, ordered by service match, distance, register status and activity on Carevo. The 10 providers listed here all service Melbourne and surrounding areas.

Frequently Asked Questions

How quickly do providers respond to enquiries in Melbourne?

Based on 1426 accepted enquiries on Carevo in Melbourne, providers accept enquiry details with a median of 2 minutes. 76% of enquiries in Melbourne have enquiry details accepted within 1 hour, and 90% within 24 hours. This covers every service in Melbourne, so it differs from the disability employment services figure below.

How many disability employment service providers are there in Melbourne?

There are currently 409 disability employment service providers serving Melbourne listed on Carevo. These include DES-registered providers, NDIS Capacity Building employment specialists, and vocational rehabilitation services.

How much do disability employment services cost in Melbourne?

DES is free to eligible job seekers. NDIS employment-related Capacity Building supports range from $100 to $190 per hour. Workplace modifications funded through the Employment Assistance Fund are free to eligible employees and employers. Confirm funding eligibility before engaging any paid service.

Am I eligible for Disability Employment Services?

You are eligible for DES if you have a disability, injury, or health condition that creates a barrier to employment, you are of working age (15 to 64), an Australian resident, and either on an income support payment or assessed as eligible by Services Australia. DES is not restricted to NDIS participants.

Can I work and receive the Disability Support Pension at the same time?

Yes, within limits. DSP recipients can work up to a certain number of hours per fortnight without losing their pension. Income support is reduced progressively as earnings increase. Centrelink can advise on the specific thresholds that apply to your situation. DES providers are also familiar with the interaction between DSP and employment income and can help you plan your work arrangements accordingly.

What is the difference between DES and NDIS employment supports?

DES is an Australian Government program focused on job search, placement, and post-placement support. It is free and available to eligible people regardless of NDIS participation. NDIS employment supports under Capacity Building address specific skill-building goals that prepare a participant for employment, such as communication skills, travel training, or work experience support. The two programs are complementary and can be accessed simultaneously.

What workplace modifications can I access?

The Employment Assistance Fund provides funding for workplace modifications including accessible furniture, ergonomic equipment, assistive software, screen magnification, Auslan interpreting, and physical access improvements. Your employer applies for EAF funding through JobAccess. The modifications must be reasonably necessary to enable you to perform your job.

Can I choose my own DES provider?

Yes. You can choose which DES provider you work with in Melbourne and can change providers if you are not satisfied with the service. When choosing a provider, ask about their employment outcomes, experience with your specific disability or condition, industry connections in your area of interest, and the level of ongoing support they provide after job placement.

What support is available if I lose my job?

Your DES provider continues to support you for up to two years after you start work. If you lose your job within that period, contact your DES provider as soon as possible. They can assist you with next steps, help resolve any workplace issues if relevant, and support you into a new role. If your DES period has ended, you can re-register with DES or access other employment programs through Centrelink.

Care services available in Melbourne

How many providers cover each type of support in Melbourne.

Support Workers1047 providers

Social Support1001 providers

Personal Care983 providers

Cleaning969 providers

Transport919 providers

Life Skills892 providers

Supported Independent Living825 providers

Support Coordination810 providers

Respite Care705 providers

Nursing609 providers

View all services →

How Much Do Disability Employment Services Cost in Melbourne?

Disability employment services in Melbourne are largely government-funded, meaning most participants pay little or nothing for access to core employment support. The main programs are free to job seekers. For NDIS-funded employment-related supports, costs are governed by the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits.

Disability Employment Services (DES) funded by the Australian Government are provided at no direct cost to job seekers. DES providers receive government funding based on employment outcomes. Participants can access job readiness support, resume and interview preparation, workplace modifications, and ongoing in-employment support through these programs.

For NDIS participants who need employment-related Capacity Building supports outside the DES program, such as work experience preparation, social skills development, or vocational assessment, these are funded through NDIS Capacity Building under Finding and Keeping a Job. Rates for these supports typically range from $100 to $190 per hour.

Specialist employment consultants engaged privately, or additional supports beyond what DES provides, may involve private fees. Confirm whether a service is government-funded or privately charged before engaging.

Time	Indicative rate
DES (Disability Employment Services) - government funded	Free to participant
NDIS Capacity Building - employment supports	$100 - $190/hr
Vocational assessment	$150 - $250/hr
Job readiness coaching (NDIS funded)	$100 - $190/hr
Workplace modification support	Free via Employment Assistance Fund

DES is funded by the Australian Government and free to eligible job seekers. NDIS employment support rates are set by the NDIS Pricing Arrangements. The Employment Assistance Fund (EAF) covers workplace modifications and equipment for employees with disability. Confirm funding eligibility before engaging services.

Source: NDIS pricing schedule 2026-27

What does disability employment services cost? Full pricing and funding guide

How to Pay for Disability Employment Services in Melbourne

Most disability employment services in Melbourne are funded through government programs, making them accessible at no direct cost to participants.

Disability Employment Services (DES): DES is an Australian Government program providing free employment support for people with disability, injury, or health conditions. To access DES, you register with Services Australia (Centrelink). DES providers offer services including job search assistance, resume and interview preparation, on-the-job training support, and post-placement follow-up. Providers receive outcome-based funding from the government.

NDIS Capacity Building (Finding and Keeping a Job): NDIS participants can use their Capacity Building budget to fund additional employment-related supports. This may include vocational assessment, work experience preparation, social and communication skills development, and support worker assistance during work experience placements. These supports complement, rather than replace, DES.

Employment Assistance Fund (EAF): Employees with disability and their employers can access the EAF for workplace modifications, equipment, Auslan interpreting, Deafness support, and other adjustments that enable a person to perform their job. The EAF is administered by JobAccess and is free for eligible applicants.

JobAccess Advisory Service: The free JobAccess service provides telephone and online advice to job seekers, employees, and employers about workplace adjustments, DES, and other employment support options. This can be a useful first step in identifying the right program for your situation.

What to Expect from Disability Employment Services in Melbourne

Disability employment services help people with disability prepare for, find, and keep paid employment. The specific support you receive depends on your goals, your disability, and the program you are accessing.

For DES, the process begins with an intake assessment. Your DES provider will talk with you about your work history, skills, goals, and any barriers to employment. They will develop a Job Plan with you that outlines the steps and supports for your job search. From there, you will work with a consultant who assists with resume writing, job applications, interview preparation, and connecting with employers.

Once you start employment, your DES provider continues to support you and your employer. This post-placement support is a key feature of DES and helps address any issues that arise in the early weeks and months of a new job. Support continues for up to two years after you start work.

For NDIS-funded employment supports, the process is more tailored. Your support coordinator or NDIS planner can help you identify the specific supports you need and connect you with providers who offer vocational assessments, skills development, or supported work experience. These supports are designed to address specific barriers that DES alone may not fully address.

You should expect employment service providers to work at your pace and respect your employment goals, not push you into roles that do not suit you. If a provider is not meeting your needs or not listening to your preferences, you have the right to change providers.

How to check a provider's credentials

Carevo shows register-sourced status fields and links you to the official Australian registers so you can confirm the current entry yourself. Here is what each listing shows and where to check it. A listing on Carevo is not an endorsement.

NDIS registration

Listings show whether a provider reports being NDIS registered. You can confirm a provider's current registration and approved support types yourself on the NDIS Commission's public provider register.

Source: NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission

Aged care approval

The aged care approval label is sourced from the Australian Government's My Aged Care provider register. Confirm the current entry and the services listed there before choosing a provider.

Source: My Aged Care (Department of Health and Aged Care)

ABN you can check

Most listings include the provider's Australian Business Number, shown on the profile. You can look it up on the Australian Business Register to confirm the business is registered and active.

Source: Australian Business Register

Complaints process

If you have a concern about any provider, you can lodge a complaint with the NDIS Commission or the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission at any time. We also accept complaints via our own channel.

Source: NDIS Commission / Aged Care Commission

Disability Employment Services at a glance

Funding: Australian Government (Department of Social Services) - free for eligible participants
Availability: Weekdays
Wait time: Confirm current availability and a start date directly with the provider
Cost: Free (Australian Government funded)
Hours: Business hours with flexible appointments
Median enquiry acceptance: 2 minutes

Most requested support in Melbourne

Based on 513 actual requests from participants and families in Melbourne on Carevo.

Cleaning 193 requests · 969 providers

Personal care 135 requests · 983 providers

Therapy 70 requests · 488 providers

Gardening 47 requests · 336 providers

Transport 35 requests · 919 providers

Meal Services 33 requests · 324 providers

Real care requests submitted by people in Melbourne through Carevo. Updated each build from inquiry records.

Care demand in Melbourne

In the last 90 days, participants, families and coordinators in Melbourne made 296 care requests through Carevo, and 38% were marked urgent. The funding mix was 39% NDIS, 54% Home Care Package or aged care, and 7% privately funded.

Based on real requests submitted to Carevo. Updated each build.

Victoria Regulations & Compliance

In Victoria, NDIS providers may be registered with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, and registered providers comply with the NDIS Practice Standards. Registration is mandatory only for specified supports and circumstances, such as specialist disability accommodation, plan management, and supports involving regulated restrictive practices. Self-managed and plan-managed participants may generally choose registered or unregistered providers; NDIA-managed participants must use registered providers. Aged care providers operate under the Aged Care Quality Standards. Victoria also maintains its own Disability Worker Registration Scheme, requiring disability workers to meet additional state-level standards. Registered providers are audited by the NDIS Commission.

NDIS Quality & Safeguards Commission

Phone: 1800 035 544

Website: ndiscommission.gov.au

Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission

Phone: 1800 951 822

Website: agedcarequality.gov.au

Statement of Rights Complaints Policy Privacy Policy

About Melbourne

Population 65+, Greater Melbourne

745,089 (15.1%)

State avg 18.6%

Need help with daily activities

274,090 (5.5%)

State avg 6.1%

Nearest hospital

Royal Melbourne Hospital

Public transport

Free Tram Zone

Pharmacies

Chemist Warehouse Bourke Street • Priceline Pharmacy Melbourne Central

Community support

City of Melbourne Seniors Festival • Multicultural Hub programs

Australia's most multicultural city. Diverse international communities including Greek, Italian, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Indian.

Flat CBD grid with excellent tram accessibility. Free City Circle tram. Most buildings have lift access.

Postcode: 3000

Data: ABS Census 2021 (Greater Melbourne)

Language support in Melbourne

Melbourne has a large Mandarin-speaking community (8.4% of residents), so finding disability employment services in a shared language matters here. These are the main languages spoken at home locally (ABS Census 2021). When you get matched, ask providers which of their staff speak your language and whether they can keep that worker as your regular. Interpreters are free through TIS National for NDIS appointments, and My Aged Care can arrange them for aged care assessments.

Mandarin care in Melbourne普通话9628.4%Spanish care in MelbourneEspañol4083.6%

Speaker counts are persons using the language at home in this postcode. Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021 (table G13). Carevo connects families with providers and does not deliver care itself.

The response time above is based on 1,426 requests of all types in Melbourne. We do not yet have enough disability employment services requests in Melbourne to report how many providers respond to a typical request here. How we calculate our numbers

How we rank providers

Rankings in Melbourne use directory relevance and observable activity on Carevo: service match, distance, register-sourced status fields, whether an enquiry can reach the provider, and recent response and connection activity. Rankings are recalculated daily. They do not assess care quality or recommend a provider.

How this list is built. Providers shown here are registered with the NDIS for Assistance to access and/or maintain employment and/or education and Specialised Supported Employment, or offer employment support and related disability and aged care services. Generalist providers who only mention this service in passing are excluded, so the list reflects genuine, demonstrated capability.
Activity on Carevo. We measure recent actions such as connecting on an enquiry, opening its contact details, responding, and an inquirer reporting whether a connection helped. These are platform activity signals, not an assessment of the support delivered.
Service match. Providers are ranked by how closely their registered services and capabilities match what you are searching for.
Register-sourced status. NDIS registration fields come from the NDIS Commission provider register. Aged care approval fields come from the My Aged Care register. These statuses are ranking inputs, not Carevo endorsements, and you should confirm the current register entry before choosing a provider.
Carevo enquiries. Providers who have paused requests from us are moved down among providers with the same relevance. They stay visible and are marked as not receiving Carevo enquiries.
Recent activity. Providers active on Carevo recently (a connection, a login, or a profile update) get a small boost, the same signal shown as "Active this week" on their card. It is deliberately small: stronger relevance and condition evidence outweigh a recent login.
Local presence. Providers confirmed in Melbourne rank above those covering only the broader region.

What the enquiries status means

It answers one question: would a request sent through Carevo today actually reach them? It is not a rating, it is not about the provider's books, and it is not a statement about their capacity, their waiting list, or the quality of their care.

Receiving: At least one contact on their account is set up to receive new requests from us, and someone has signed in recently enough for us to say a person is there.
Not receiving: Every contact on the account has unsubscribed or paused, so we have no way to pass an enquiry on.
No status shown: We cannot tell either way, so we say nothing rather than label the provider. The account is set to receive enquiries, but nobody has signed in recently, or there are no contact details on file. It is not a negative mark, and most listings sit here.

A provider who is not receiving our enquiries may well be taking new clients directly. Providers set this themselves and can turn it back on at any time from their Carevo account or from any email we send them. Providers not receiving our enquiries are moved down the list and never hidden. It is refreshed daily, so a provider who resumes, or signs in, reappears within a day.

What the Carevo activity rating means

The Strong activity rating describes how a provider behaves on Carevo, not the care they deliver.

Where it starts: Every provider starts at a baseline of 50.
What moves it: Enquiries from the last 90 days. The strongest positive is a care seeker naming that provider as the one who helped them. The clearest negative is connecting on an enquiry and never opening the contact details.
How it is kept honest: Recalculated daily from scratch, shown only above the baseline and only with at least two scored signals, and removed automatically when either stops being true. It cannot be purchased.

It is not an endorsement, a recommendation, or an assessment of care quality, and we do not screen providers for complaints. Complaints are handled by the NDIS Commission and the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission. See the full activity rating methodology.

409

providers in Melbourne

35,248

providers nationally

How we calculate provider numbers

Disability Employment Services in nearby Inner Melbourne locations

Little River East Melbourne Flemington Southbank Clifton Hill West Melbourne Docklands Port Melbourne All of VIC →

Sources and content responsibility

Carevo maintains this service guide. The funding and directory wording was checked on 15 September 2026. This is not a clinical review. Confirm a practitioner's qualifications, suitability, fees and current availability before booking.

Travel must be agreed before booking under the applicable funding rules. Carevo does not publish a verified 2026-27 per-kilometre cap. Ask for an itemised quote. Send a correction.

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Recent activity in Melbourne

About Disability Employment Services in Melbourne

Frequently Asked Questions

Care services available in Melbourne

How Much Do Disability Employment Services Cost in Melbourne?

How to Pay for Disability Employment Services in Melbourne

What to Expect from Disability Employment Services in Melbourne

How to check a provider's credentials

Disability Employment Services at a glance

Most requested support in Melbourne

Care demand in Melbourne

Victoria Regulations & Compliance

About Melbourne

Language support in Melbourne

How we rank providers

Disability Employment Services in nearby Inner Melbourne locations

Sources and content responsibility

Browse by condition in Melbourne

Other services in Melbourne

Need support in Melbourne?

Disability Employment Services providers near me

Magnus Homecare

Syltem Health Care

Better Capacity Access Care

Not finding the right match?

Southern Star Care

Auslife Disability Care

Gentle Care Services

Nurses Caring 4 You

Clover Leaf Sanctuary

Reverence Community Care

Your Life Your Choice Care Services

Not finding the right match?

Recent activity in Melbourne

About Disability Employment Services in Melbourne

Frequently Asked Questions

Care services available in Melbourne

How Much Do Disability Employment Services Cost in Melbourne?

How to Pay for Disability Employment Services in Melbourne

What to Expect from Disability Employment Services in Melbourne

How to check a provider's credentials

Related pages in Melbourne

Disability Employment Services at a glance

Most requested support in Melbourne

Care demand in Melbourne

Victoria Regulations & Compliance

About Melbourne

Language support in Melbourne

How we rank providers

Disability Employment Services in nearby Inner Melbourne locations

Sources and content responsibility

Browse by condition in Melbourne

Other services in Melbourne

Need support in Melbourne?