Personal and community support worker attitudes

Population groups

• Indigenous status

  Do personal and community support workers' attitudes towards people with disability vary for First Nations and non-Indigenous personal and community support workers?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of responses from personal and community support workers (aged 18 and over) that were positive on being disability confident and responding positively to people with disability, by Indigenous status. In 2022, 90% of responses from First Nations personal and community support workers were positive about being disability confident and responding positively to people with disability, as were 79% of responses from non-Indigenous personal and community support workers (please note that the proportion for the First Nations group has a high margin of error and should be used with caution).

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  Indigenous status	% of support workers responses that are positive	95% Confidence Interval
  First Nations	*90%	(80.2%–100.0%)
  Non-Indigenous	79%	(76.0%–81.2%)
  All persons	79%	(76.2%–81.3%)

  Notes:

  • * Should be used with caution: proportion has a Margin of Error (MoE) >10 percentage points or proportion ± MoE is <0% or >100%.

  1. Restricted to people aged 18 and over who were employed in residential care or social or community support sector at the time of interview.
  2. Personal and community support workers attitudes to people with disability are based on 6 questions about the confidence in responding positively to and the ability to advise, assist or treat people with disability. The measure is presented as a proportion of responses that are positive. Respondents who had non-valid responses to more than 2 questions are excluded from the calculation.
  3. Indigenous status is voluntarily self-reported based on the ABS Indigenous Status Standard.

  Source: DSS (Department of Social Services) 2023. Australia's Disability Strategy Survey – Share with us 2022, DSS, DSS and AIHW analysis of unit record data, accessed 24 July 2023.

  * Should be used with caution: proportion has a Margin of Error (MoE) >10 percentage points or proportion ± MoE is <0% or >100%.

  Source: Department of Social Services – Australia’s Disability Strategy Survey – Share with us | Data source overview
  

• Sex and gender

  Do personal and community support workers' attitudes towards people with disability vary by gender?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of responses from personal and community support workers (aged 18 and over) that were positive on being disability confident and responding positively to people with disability, grouped by gender. In 2022, 81% of responses from male personal and community support workers were positive about being disability confident and responding positively to people with disability, as were 78% of responses from female personal and community support workers, and 68% of responses from personal and community support workers whose gender was recorded as 'Non-binary/Other' (please note that the proportion for 'Non-binary/Other' gender category has a high margin of error and should be used with caution).

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  Gender	% of support workers responses that are positive	95% Confidence Interval
  Males	81%	(76.2%–85.6%)
  Females	78%	(74.9%–81.1%)
  Non-binary/ other	*68%	(43.6%–93.3%)
  All persons	79%	(76.2%–81.3%)

  Notes:

  • * Should be used with caution: proportion has a Margin of Error (MoE) >10 percentage points or proportion ± MoE is <0% or >100%.

  1. Restricted to people aged 18 and over who were employed in residential care or social or community support sector at the time of interview.
  2. Personal and community support workers attitudes to people with disability are based on 6 questions about the confidence in responding positively to and the ability to advise, assist or treat people with disability. The measure is presented as a proportion of responses that are positive. Respondents who had non-valid responses to more than 2 questions are excluded from the calculation.

  Source: DSS (Department of Social Services) 2023. Australia's Disability Strategy Survey – Share with us 2022, DSS, DSS and AIHW analysis of unit record data, accessed 24 July 2023.

  * Should be used with caution: proportion has a Margin of Error (MoE) >10 percentage points or proportion ± MoE is <0% or >100%.

  Source: Department of Social Services – Australia’s Disability Strategy Survey – Share with us | Data source overview
  

• Age group

  Do personal and community support workers' attitudes towards people with disability vary by age group?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of responses from personal and community support workers (aged 18 and over) that were positive on being disability confident and responding positively to people with disability, grouped by age. In 2022, 82% of responses from personal and community support workers aged 45–64 were positive about being disability confident and responding positively to people with disability, as were 78% of responses from personal and community support workers aged 25–44.

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  Age group	% of support workers responses that are positive	95% Confidence Interval
  18–24	*71%	(61.1%–81.9%)
  25–44	78%	(74.2%–82.0%)
  45–64	82%	(78.2%–85.5%)
  65 and over	*75%	(64.2%–85.6%)
  All ages	79%	(76.2%–81.3%)

  Notes:

  • * Should be used with caution: proportion has a Margin of Error (MoE) >10 percentage points or proportion ± MoE is <0% or >100%.

  1. Restricted to people aged 18 and over who were employed in residential care or social or community support sector at the time of interview.
  2. Personal and community support workers attitudes to people with disability are based on 6 questions about the confidence in responding positively to and the ability to advise, assist or treat people with disability. The measure is presented as a proportion of responses that are positive. Respondents who had non-valid responses to more than 2 questions are excluded from the calculation.

  Source: DSS (Department of Social Services) 2023. Australia's Disability Strategy Survey – Share with us 2022, DSS, DSS and AIHW analysis of unit record data, accessed 24 July 2023.

  * Should be used with caution: proportion has a Margin of Error (MoE) >10 percentage points or proportion ± MoE is <0% or >100%.

  Source: Department of Social Services – Australia’s Disability Strategy Survey – Share with us | Data source overview
  

• Cultural and linguistic diversity status

  Do personal and community support workers' attitudes towards people with disability vary by cultural and linguistic diversity background?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of responses from personal and community support workers (aged 18 and over) that were positive on being disability confident and responding positively to people with disability, by culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) status. In 2022, 74% of responses from personal and community support workers with CALD backgrounds were positive about being disability confident and responding positively to people with disability, as were 81% of responses from personal and community support workers in the non-CALD group.

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  Cultural and linguistic diversity status	% of support workers responses that are positive	95% Confidence Interval
  CALD	74%	(68.4%–79.9%)
  Non-CALD	81%	(78.1%–83.5%)
  All persons	79%	(76.2%–81.3%)

  Notes:

  1. Restricted to people aged 18 and over who were employed in residential care or social or community support sector at the time of interview.
  2. Personal and community support workers attitudes to people with disability are based on 6 questions about the confidence in responding positively to and the ability to advise, assist or treat people with disability. The measure is presented as a proportion of responses that are positive. Respondents who had non-valid responses to more than 2 questions are excluded from the calculation.
  3. Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) cohort includes people not born in a main English-speaking country and/or who mainly speak a language other than English at home.

  Source: DSS (Department of Social Services) 2023. Australia's Disability Strategy Survey – Share with us 2022, DSS, DSS and AIHW analysis of unit record data, accessed 24 July 2023.

  Source: Department of Social Services – Australia’s Disability Strategy Survey – Share with us | Data source overview
  

• Location

  Do personal and community support workers' attitudes towards people with disability vary by location?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of responses from personal and community support workers (aged 18 and over) that were positive on being disability confident and responding positively to people with disability, by location. In 2022, 78% of responses from personal and community support workers in greater capital city areas were positive about being disability confident and responding positively to people with disability, as were 81% of responses from personal and community support workers in the rest of state or territory locations.

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  Location	% of support workers responses that are positive	95% Confidence Interval
  Greater capital city	78%	(74.2%–81.1%)
  Rest of state/territory	81%	(76.9%–84.5%)
  All locations	79%	(76.2%–81.3%)

  Notes:

  1. Restricted to people aged 18 and over who were employed in residential care or social or community support sector at the time of interview.
  2. Personal and community support workers attitudes to people with disability are based on 6 questions about the confidence in responding positively to and the ability to advise, assist or treat people with disability. The measure is presented as a proportion of responses that are positive. Respondents who had non-valid responses to more than 2 questions are excluded from the calculation.
  3. Locations are based on the Greater Capital City Statistical Areas (GCCSAs) classification.

  Source: DSS (Department of Social Services) 2023. Australia's Disability Strategy Survey – Share with us 2022, DSS, DSS and AIHW analysis of unit record data, accessed 24 July 2023.

  Source: Department of Social Services – Australia’s Disability Strategy Survey – Share with us | Data source overview
  

• Disability status

  Do personal and community support workers' attitudes towards people with disability vary by their own disability status?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of responses from personal and community support workers (aged 18 and over) that were positive on being disability confident and responding positively to people with disability, by disability status. In 2022, 78% of responses from personal and community support workers with disability were positive about being disability confident and responding positively to people with disability, as were 79% of responses from personal and community support workers without disability.

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  Disability status	% of support workers responses that are positive	95% Confidence Interval
  With disability	78%	(73.5%–81.8%)
  Without disability	79%	(76.0%–82.5%)
  All persons	79%	(76.2%–81.3%)

  Notes:

  1. Restricted to people aged 18 and over who were employed in residential care or social or community support sector at the time of interview.
  2. Personal and community support workers attitudes to people with disability are based on 6 questions about the confidence in responding positively to and the ability to advise, assist or treat people with disability. The measure is presented as a proportion of responses that are positive. Respondents who had non-valid responses to more than 2 questions are excluded from the calculation.
  3. With disability includes those with disability or restrictive long-term health condition.

  Source: DSS (Department of Social Services) 2023. Australia's Disability Strategy Survey – Share with us 2022, DSS, DSS and AIHW analysis of unit record data, accessed 24 July 2023.

  Source: Department of Social Services – Australia’s Disability Strategy Survey – Share with us | Data source overview
  

• Carer status

  Do personal and community support workers' attitudes towards people with disability vary by their carer status?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of responses from personal and community support workers (aged 18 and over) that were positive on being disability confident and responding positively to people with disability, by carer status. In 2022, 87% of responses from personal and community support workers who were both paid and unpaid carer were positive about being disability confident and responding positively to people with disability, as were 68% of responses from personal and community support workers who were not a carer.

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  Carer status	% of support workers responses that are positive	95% Confidence Interval
  Paid carer (only)	83%	(79.9%–86.5%)
  Unpaid carer (only)	*73%	(62.4%–83.5%)
  Both paid and unpaid carer	87%	(82.9%–91.2%)
  Not a carer	68%	(62.8%–74.1%)
  All persons	79%	(76.2%–81.3%)

  Notes:

  • * Should be used with caution: proportion has a Margin of Error (MoE) >10 percentage points or proportion ± MoE is <0% or >100%.

  1. Restricted to people aged 18 and over who were employed in residential care or social or community support sector at the time of interview.
  2. Personal and community support workers attitudes to people with disability are based on 6 questions about the confidence in responding positively to and the ability to advise, assist or treat people with disability. The measure is presented as a proportion of responses that are positive. Respondents who had non-valid responses to more than 2 questions are excluded from the calculation.

  Source: DSS (Department of Social Services) 2023. Australia's Disability Strategy Survey – Share with us 2022, DSS, DSS and AIHW analysis of unit record data, accessed 24 July 2023.

  * Should be used with caution: proportion has a Margin of Error (MoE) >10 percentage points or proportion ± MoE is <0% or >100%.

  Source: Department of Social Services – Australia’s Disability Strategy Survey – Share with us | Data source overview
  

• Experience of living with a person with disability

  Do personal and community support workers' attitudes towards people with disability vary by their experience of living with a person with disability?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of responses from personal and community support workers (aged 18 and over) that were positive on being disability confident and responding positively to people with disability, by experience of having lived with someone who had disability. In 2022, 83% of responses from personal and community support workers who have previously lived with someone who had disability were positive about being disability confident and responding positively to people with disability, as were 77% of responses from personal and community support workers who have never lived with someone who had disability.

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  Experience of living with a person with disability	% of support workers responses that are positive	95% Confidence Interval
  Currently lives with someone with disability	81%	(75.1%–86.6%)
  Previously lived with someone with disability	83%	(77.4%–89.2%)
  Never lived with someone with disability	77%	(73.8%–80.3%)
  All persons	79%	(76.2%–81.3%)

  Notes:

  1. Restricted to people aged 18 and over who were employed in residential care or social or community support sector at the time of interview.
  2. Personal and community support workers attitudes to people with disability are based on 6 questions about the confidence in responding positively to and the ability to advise, assist or treat people with disability. The measure is presented as a proportion of responses that are positive. Respondents who had non-valid responses to more than 2 questions are excluded from the calculation.

  Source: DSS (Department of Social Services) 2023. Australia's Disability Strategy Survey – Share with us 2022, DSS, DSS and AIHW analysis of unit record data, accessed 24 July 2023.

  Source: Department of Social Services – Australia’s Disability Strategy Survey – Share with us | Data source overview
  

• Personal connection to a person with disability

  Do personal and community support workers' attitudes towards people with disability vary by their personal connection to someone with disability?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of responses from personal and community support workers (aged 18 and over) that were positive on being disability confident and responding positively to people with disability, by personal connection with someone who had disability. In 2022, 86% of responses from personal and community support workers who had a teacher or lecturer with disability were positive about being disability confident and responding positively to people with disability, as were 68% of responses from personal and community support workers who had not personally known someone with disability.

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  Personal connection with a person with disability	% of support workers responses that are positive	95% Confidence Interval
  Close family member	82%	(78.1%–85.5%)
  Partner	81%	(73.3%–87.9%)
  Close friend	85%	(81.6%–88.3%)
  Work colleague	83%	(79.6%–85.9%)
  Boss or work supervisor	80%	(70.8%–88.7%)
  Teacher or lecturer	86%	(82.3%–90.6%)
  Classmate	83%	(79.7%–85.8%)
  Any personal connection	80%	(77.7%–83.1%)
  No personal connection	68%	(60.2%–76.0%)
  All persons	79%	(76.2%–81.3%)

  Notes:

  1. Restricted to people aged 18 and over who were employed in residential care or social or community support sector at the time of interview.
  2. Personal and community support workers attitudes to people with disability are based on 6 questions about the confidence in responding positively to and the ability to advise, assist or treat people with disability. The measure is presented as a proportion of responses that are positive. Respondents who had non-valid responses to more than 2 questions are excluded from the calculation.

  Source: DSS (Department of Social Services) 2023. Australia's Disability Strategy Survey – Share with us 2022, DSS, DSS and AIHW analysis of unit record data, accessed 24 July 2023.

  Source: Department of Social Services – Australia’s Disability Strategy Survey – Share with us | Data source overview
  

• Education

  Do personal and community support workers' attitudes towards people with disability vary by education level?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of responses from personal and community support workers (aged 18 and over) that were positive on being disability confident and responding positively to people with disability, by highest level of education. In 2022, 82% of responses from personal and community support workers who had completed a certificate or diploma were positive about being disability confident and responding positively to people with disability, as were 70% of responses from personal and community support workers who had completed Year 12.

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  Highest level of education	% of support workers responses that are positive	95% Confidence Interval
  None or below Year 12	*83%	(70.2%–95.4%)
  Year 12	70%	(60.1%–79.3%)
  Certificate/Diploma	82%	(79.0%–85.9%)
  Bachelor Degree or higher	75%	(71.3%–79.7%)
  All persons	79%	(76.2%–81.3%)

  Notes:

  • * Should be used with caution: proportion has a Margin of Error (MoE) >10 percentage points or proportion ± MoE is <0% or >100%.

  1. Restricted to people aged 18 and over who were employed in residential care or social or community support sector at the time of interview.
  2. Personal and community support workers attitudes to people with disability are based on 6 questions about the confidence in responding positively to and the ability to advise, assist or treat people with disability. The measure is presented as a proportion of responses that are positive. Respondents who had non-valid responses to more than 2 questions are excluded from the calculation.

  Source: DSS (Department of Social Services) 2023. Australia's Disability Strategy Survey – Share with us 2022, DSS, DSS and AIHW analysis of unit record data, accessed 24 July 2023.

  * Should be used with caution: proportion has a Margin of Error (MoE) >10 percentage points or proportion ± MoE is <0% or >100%.

  Source: Department of Social Services – Australia’s Disability Strategy Survey – Share with us | Data source overview
  

• Sexual orientation

  Do personal and community support workers' attitudes towards people with disability vary by sexual orientation?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of responses from personal and community support workers (aged 18 and over) that were positive on being disability confident and responding positively to people with disability, by sexual orientation. In 2022, 79% of responses from personal and community support workers who were straight (heterosexual) were positive about being disability confident and responding positively to people with disability, as were 78% of responses from personal and community support workers whose sexual orientation was gay, lesbian, bisexual, or other.

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  Sexual orientation	% of support workers responses that are positive	95% Confidence Interval
  Straight (heterosexual)	79%	(76.0%–81.6%)
  Gay, lesbian, bisexual, or other	78%	(70.6%–85.5%)
  All persons	79%	(76.2%–81.3%)

  Notes:

  1. Restricted to people aged 18 and over who were employed in residential care or social or community support sector at the time of interview.
  2. Personal and community support workers attitudes to people with disability are based on 6 questions about the confidence in responding positively to and the ability to advise, assist or treat people with disability. The measure is presented as a proportion of responses that are positive. Respondents who had non-valid responses to more than 2 questions are excluded from the calculation.

  Source: DSS (Department of Social Services) 2023. Australia's Disability Strategy Survey – Share with us 2022, DSS, DSS and AIHW analysis of unit record data, accessed 24 July 2023.

  Source: Department of Social Services – Australia’s Disability Strategy Survey – Share with us | Data source overview