If you're setting up support for the first time, or reviewing what you already have, you'll notice there isn't one single way support is delivered in Australia. Support providers are generally engaged through one of three structures, and which one fits often comes down to how your plan is managed, how much admin you want to carry yourself, and how much control you want over who actually shows up.
What "digital platform provider" actually means
You'll also see the term "digital platform provider" used a lot, and it's worth being clear on what it does and doesn't tell you. It describes how you find and book support (through an app or website, rather than a phone call to an agency), not who delivers it. Underneath that umbrella, there are two structurally different setups: the support workers can be employees of the platform's operating company, or they can be independent contractors who list their own services on the platform. That employment distinction, not the app itself, is what actually drives most of the practical differences below.
The three underlying models
Traditional agency: A provider directly employs support workers, usually under the SCHADS Award, and manages rostering, supervision and complaints internally. You have a formal relationship with the organisation, not with an individual worker, and a worker is typically rostered across a number of clients within their working week. Registration status varies by provider, some traditional agencies are NDIS-registered, some aren't.
Employed-platform: Support workers are employees, with the organisation carrying registration, insurance and compliance, and an app or website layered on top so participants can browse profiles and choose who supports them directly. Bookings happen through the platform, but admin such as invoicing and rostering changes still sits with the organisation.
Open marketplace: Independent contractors list their own profile and set their own rates, which can be adjusted over time. There's no employer in the relationship, you engage the contractor directly. Following mandatory NDIS digital platform registration from 1 July 2026, platforms themselves are generally required to meet NDIS Practice Standards, though that doesn't automatically mean each individual contractor is separately registered as an NDIS provider.
Where Like Family fits
Like Family's Social Carers are independent contractors, the same underlying structure as an open marketplace. The difference is what Like Family adds on top of that structure.
| Traditional providers | Employed-platform providers | Like Family | Online & independent providers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment structure | Employee | Employee | Independent contractor | Independent contractor |
| NDIS registered | Some | Some | ✓ | Some |
| Choose your own support worker | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Control what you book and when | Limited | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Vetted and verified support workers | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Some |
| Customer Care support when you need it | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Some |
| Insurance included | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Some |
| Flat, transparent pricing | Some | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Manage support via app plus a dedicated team | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | Some |
In practice, that means Like Family carries the choice and flexibility of an independent-contractor platform, along with the registration, vetting, flat pricing and Customer Care usually associated with an employed one.
Which NDIS plan types can use which model
- NDIA-managed (agency-managed) plans can generally only engage NDIS-registered providers. Since registration varies within both the traditional and employed-platform categories, and most individual independent contractors aren't separately registered, it's worth confirming a specific provider's status rather than assuming it from the model alone. Like Family is a registered NDIS provider, so it's generally available to NDIA-managed participants.
- Plan-managed plans can generally engage registered or unregistered providers, so all of the above are usually available.
- Self-managed plans have the most flexibility and can generally engage any provider or contractor, registered or not.
If you're not sure how your plan is managed, or whether a specific provider fits it, your plan manager or Support Coordinator can confirm this before you commit. (These rules are set by the NDIA and NDIS Commission and can change, so it's always worth checking current requirements against your own plan.)
What's included with Like Family
- Vetting, not just listings: Every Social Carer goes through a screening and verification process, including police checks, reference verification, and relevant qualifications or verified experience, before joining the Like Family community.
- Insurance cover: Like Family covers insurance for Social Carers, so cover isn't left to an individual contractor to arrange.
- Flat, transparent pricing: Rates are set by Like Family, not negotiated or varied by individual Social Carers, with no hidden fees or mid-engagement changes.
- Dedicated Customer Care: Available by phone, email and SMS, and involved in matching Members with the right Social Carer rather than leaving that search entirely self-directed.
- Interest-based matching, with free meet and greets: Support is matched on shared interests and personality, and Members get five free meet and greets to find the right fit before committing
- Built-in admin: Invoicing, payments and plan budget tracking are handled through the platform.
- Consistency by design: Because you choose and keep working with the same Social Carer, support is built around an ongoing relationship rather than rotating rostered shifts.
Choosing what's right for you
All of these are legitimate ways support is delivered across Australia today, and the right fit depends on your plan type, how much admin you want to manage, and how much you value choosing your person directly. If a registered provider, vetted consistency, and real choice over who supports you all matter, that's the specific combination Like Family is built around.
Does Like Family sound like the right fit for you? Explore our Social Carers to see who's available near you, or Contact our Customer Care team at hello@likefamily.com.au or call 1800 545 332.