The short answer
Before your first shift, ask who to contact in an emergency, how rosters and changes are communicated, what you need to report after each shift, who supplies equipment, and how your hours get approved and paid.
Starting with a new team means learning a new system fast, often before your first shift even begins. The questions below help you find out how things actually work day to day, not just what the job ad said.
1. Who do I contact if something goes wrong on shift
Ask for a name and phone number, not just an office line. Find out who you call for a medical concern, who you call for a rostering problem, and whether that changes on weekends or after hours. Write it down before your first shift, not during it.
2. How will I get my roster and how far in advance
Some teams post rosters weekly, others fortnightly. Ask whether you will see your roster in an app, by text, or on a printed sheet, and whether you can see participant details you need for the shift or whether that comes separately. If the team uses rostering software, ask how you log in and what you can see from your phone.
3. How are shift changes and cancellations handled
Plans change. Ask how you will be told if a shift is cancelled, moved, or a participant is unavailable, and how much notice is typical. Also ask what a chargeable cancellation means for you, since some shifts still count even if the visit does not go ahead.
4. What reporting do I need to do after each shift
Ask whether shift notes are typed into an app, written by hand, or emailed. Ask what counts as an incident that needs a separate report, and who reads it. If you are new to a particular participant, the checklist in Your First Shift With A New Participant is a useful companion to this one.
5. Who supplies equipment and consumables
Gloves, hoists, communication devices, vehicle requirements for transport support. Ask what the team provides, what the participant's household provides, and what you are expected to bring yourself.
6. How and when do I submit my hours
Ask whether you submit hours daily or weekly, who approves them, and roughly how long approval and pay take. Some smaller teams use software where you submit shifts and an admin approves them before payroll runs, others still use paper timesheets.
7. What happens if a participant needs something outside my role
Support work has clear boundaries around things like medication, personal care levels, and behaviour support. Ask who to call if a participant asks for something you are not trained or rostered to do, so you are not guessing in the moment.
8. Who do I ask about pay, leave or entitlements
This is a genuine employment question, not something a checklist article can answer for you. Ask for the name of the person who handles pay and conditions questions, and keep their contact details somewhere easy to find.
A worked example
Dean joined a small support team after two years with a larger provider. At orientation he asked the eight questions above and wrote the answers in his phone notes. It turned out shift notes went into an app after each visit, cancellations under two hours' notice were still paid, and the person to call after hours was the on-call coordinator, not the office manager he had met that morning. None of this was in the induction pack. Asking directly saved him a confused phone call during his first weekend shift.
Practical takeaway
- Get a named after-hours contact before your first shift, not just an office number
- Confirm how and when you will see your roster and any changes to it
- Know exactly what to report after a shift and where it goes
- Find out what equipment is supplied versus what you bring
- Ask how hours are submitted and roughly when approval happens
- Save the answers somewhere you can check quickly, not just in your memory from orientation day
Frequently asked questions
What if the team does not have clear answers to these questions
That is useful information too. A team that cannot tell you who to call after hours or how shift notes work may still be sorting out its own processes, which is worth knowing before you commit to shifts.
Should I ask about pay rates and entitlements at the interview or after starting
Pay and entitlement questions are genuine employment matters best raised directly with the person managing your contract, ideally before you accept shifts, since this article only covers day-to-day operational questions.
Do I need to ask these questions even if I am experienced
Yes. Every team runs rosters, reporting and equipment slightly differently, even when the participants and support types are familiar to you.
What if my roster or shift notes are managed through an app I have not used before
Ask the office for a quick walkthrough on your first day, and check whether there are any short how-to videos or guides the team already points staff to.