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Self-Managing Support at Home: Can You Choose Your Own Carer?

Published 14 October 2026  |  Last updated 14 October 2026

One of the most common questions we hear from Canberra families is some version of: "Can Mum keep the carer she already knows?" or "Can we pick a local worker instead of whoever the provider sends?" Under Support at Home, the answer is often yes, through an option called self-management. But it works through your registered provider, not around them, and it helps to understand exactly what you're taking on before you ask.

What self-management actually means

Self-management lets you, or a family member helping you, take on some of the organising your provider would otherwise do. According to the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, that can include:

• choosing and coordinating your services
• choosing your own workers and scheduling when they visit
• paying invoices and seeking reimbursement
• keeping track of your budget
• finding your way around the aged care system
• sourcing assistive technology and home modifications

It isn't all-or-nothing. Some families only want to choose the carer and set the schedule; others want to handle almost everything. What you take on depends on your needs, preferences and abilities — and it has to be agreed with your provider and written into your care plan.

What your provider still does

Self-managing doesn't mean going it alone. Your registered Support at Home provider:

• Stays responsible for your care. Even when you choose the worker, your provider engages them and remains accountable for the services you receive.
• Checks the people delivering your care. Any worker you choose has to meet aged care workforce requirements, and it's your provider's job to make sure they do.
• Still provides care management. Providers set aside 10% of each participant's budget for care management whether or not they self-manage, and must deliver at least one direct care management activity each month.
• Keeps spending within the rules. Your budget can only be spent on services that are on the Support at Home service list and in your support plan.

Choosing your own carer: "third-party workers"

If your provider agrees, you can use a third-party worker — someone who isn't one of the provider's own employees. Your provider engages that worker for you, either directly or through another organisation, called an associated provider, that delivers services on the provider's behalf. This is how families keep a carer they already trust, or bring in a small local team that knows their area.

What it costs

When you self-manage, the overhead your provider can add to a third-party service is capped at 10% of the actual cost of that service, and it has to be included in the final price you're shown. You can also negotiate a lower overhead. If you aren't self-managing, this 10% cap doesn't apply, so the overhead can be higher.

Your usual contribution rules still apply on top of that. Personal care — help with showering, dressing, toileting and similar — has been fully government-funded since 1 October 2026, so there's no contribution for it. Independence and everyday living services, such as cleaning, gardening and transport, keep their means-tested contributions; our guide to contribution categories explains how those work.

Is self-management right for your family?

It tends to work well when:

• someone in the family is comfortable organising visits and keeping an eye on the budget
• you already have a carer or local business in mind
• you want more say over who visits and when

It can be harder going when care needs are changing quickly, when there are complex clinical needs, or when nobody has the time to coordinate. In those situations a fully managed arrangement is often simpler — and you can always revisit self-management later.

How to get started

1. Ask your provider whether they offer self-management, and which activities they're happy for you to take on. Not every provider does, and some specialise in it.
2. Ask what overhead they add to third-party services. Remember the 10% cap, and that it's negotiable.
3. If you have a carer or local business in mind, ask how the provider engages third-party workers or associated providers, and how long that usually takes.
4. Get it written into your care plan: who does what, who your workers are, and how invoices are handled.

If you haven't been approved for Support at Home yet, start with our guide to what happens at a My Aged Care assessment.

Where Elvana Care fits in

Elvana Care is a family-run home care business based in Canberra. We deliver in-home support as an associated provider, through clients' registered Support at Home providers — so your package always stays with your provider, and we deliver the services you've agreed on. If you're self-managing, or thinking about it, and you'd like a consistent local team for personal care, domestic assistance, social support or transport across Canberra, Queanbeyan, Karabar and Yass, your provider can engage us, and we're happy to help you have that conversation with them.