The short answer is yes, if they have an ABN (a few other things are important too), but thinking long term there is more to it than that.
Here are some points to help you think it through, there can be pros and cons, here are a few to consider.
This may change the relationship you have with them, the friendship you had, may feel different to you.
Employing someone, even on a casual basis, can be more complex than you might think.
What will be involved in their role in supporting your child? How particular are you and how will you manage it if they don’t perform the task as you want it done? Are you comfortable letting them know when their performance is not up to scratch?
Providing negative feedback or intensive support to improve their performance can be frustrating for both parties and complicated by history as friends.
If you hire them, they will be in your home and will see your family in different situations to how you would normally relate to them.
We can put on a nice show for our friends, but at home day to day, things play out differently. Your friend, and now employee, will see on your good days and your not so good days. They should see you in different states too, they are your support worker, there to provide assistance to help you navigate the ups and downs.
If you lose your cool, will you be concerned about them telling others? You can put things in place to manage this, for example, implementing a confidentiality agreement. It may sound complex but it’s easy to do and just involves a brief, clear conversation and the confidentiality agreement to be signed.
By hiring this friend, you may shift an informal social support, into them becoming part of the therapeutic network.
Are you taking away an informal support for your child? Does your child need this friendship more than practical support? A good network of professionals is important, but a good network of friends is essential too.
Will your child struggle to learn boundaries if you hire a friend?
We all use health professionals throughout our lives, however, when your child/young person has an additional need or disability, this may mean health professionals are more frequently needed to help them develop and thrive. If you hire a friend, this situation could be potentially confusing for them. Are they a professional they only liaise with at work or a friend they run into in the neighbourhood and hang out with? This is a matter of weighing the costs and benefits for your child and family.
Of course, managing thoughtfully could be a wonderful opportunity to help your child understand and learn about boundaries.
How will it affect the relationship if you need to let them go?
There are ways to reduce the chances of being in a situation where you are firing your friend/friend’s child. One of them is taking time to set up clear expectations at the beginning. This helps you anticipate any situations or problems and therefore limit them, for example, using a role description to clearly outline the jobs as part of their role.
Remember, there are many reasons this could be great for everyone!
If they are live close by, they may be more flexible with availability.
They may be happier to do small numbers of hours at a time, this will stretch your funding further. They also know your child well, know how your family work and this could promote a smoother transition into your family. This may also mean that training them will be much easier.
But it is more important than ever to ensure certain processes are in place, such as setting up a confidentiality agreement and putting a role description in writing (a list of their jobs when working for you) and appropriate insurance.
Sometimes this can strengthen your child/young person’s network, especially if they do not know this friend especially well.
Working together can give them a chance to get to know your friend and broaden their network.
If you are interested in hiring a friend or someone in your network, there are many things to consider. The download attached can help you on your way.
Need help hiring and managing a support worker? It can seem like a big job, which is why we have created resources to help you with this.
The steps are broken down into short videos with notes and downloads. You can pick and choose which parts you do at any time.
These courses can be funded by NDIS if you are self or plan managed.
For more information click the button below:
