Emergency and Disaster Planning in Care Services
Prepare for and respond to emergencies in care settings.
$47
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Non-accredited short course
Incident management and reporting course online
Course overview
Knowing what to do when something goes wrong is an essential part of safe disability support. A clear, timely response helps protect people, ensures concerns are addressed and supports improvements in everyday care.
The Get My Course Incident Management and Reporting short course introduces the practical steps involved in recognising, responding to and reporting incidents. Explore the difference between internal incident reporting and NDIS reportable incidents, including how to respond to allegations and record near misses.
Learn how to support the person affected, write factual records, escalate concerns and contribute to incident reviews within your role. The course also explores how communication, participant involvement and learning from incidents help services prevent recurring problems.
Important
Learning should be applied alongside your employer’s procedures and current reporting requirements.
Course objectives
- Recognising incidents and concerns: Understand incidents, allegations and near misses, and why concerns should be raised promptly.
- Understanding reportable incidents: Explore the NDIS reportable incident categories and the distinction between worker responsibilities and provider notification duties.
- Responding in the moment: Prioritise safety, support the person affected, seek appropriate help and notify the relevant workplace contact.
- Recording and reporting: Document what you saw, heard or were told using clear, factual language.
- Supporting incident reviews: Understand how reviews consider contributing factors, involve participants and identify improvements.
- Communicating and following up: Respect privacy, use appropriate reporting channels and contribute to a workplace culture that encourages honest reporting.
What does the Incident Management and Reporting Course Pack Include?
Practical resources you can keep and use whenever needed.
Reference Guide
Revisit key information about incident recognition, immediate responses, documentation and reporting responsibilities.
Workbook
Reinforce your learning and test your understanding through practical, non-graded activities.
Workplace Checklist
Follow important response and reporting steps, including supporting the person, recording facts and escalating concerns.
Who this course is for
- Disability support workers delivering NDIS supports
- Workers in supported accommodation and community support services
- Personal care workers supporting people with disability
- Casual and agency workers who need to understand incident reporting expectations
- Team leaders and supervisors seeking a refresher on incident management principles
- People preparing to enter disability support work
- The course focuses on disability support and the NDIS context. Other care settings may have different reporting requirements
Course outcomes
What you will be better prepared to do
1
Recognise incidents, allegations and near misses that need attention
2
Take appropriate immediate action to protect safety
3
Respond calmly and respectfully to the person affected
4
Record observations and disclosures without assumptions or judgement
5
Notify your supervisor or designated contact promptly, including after hours
6
Understand the difference between internal reporting and external notification
7
Respect privacy while meeting reporting responsibilities
8
Support participant involvement and access to advocacy
9
Contribute factual information to incident reviews within your role
10
Identify lessons that can help reduce the chance of similar incidents happening again
On the job
How the learning connects with everyday work
Scenario 1
Injury during a support activity
A participant is injured during a support activity.
Prioritise safety, seek appropriate help, notify the relevant contact and record what happened.
Scenario 2
A disclosure of possible abuse
A participant tells you about possible abuse.
Listen respectfully, document their account accurately and escalate the concern without waiting for proof.
Scenario 3
A medication error caught in time
A medication error is caught before medication is given.
Recognise the near miss and record it through the workplace process so contributing risks can be addressed.
Scenario 4
An incident outside office hours
An incident occurs outside normal office hours.
Use the designated on-call or after-hours reporting pathway promptly.
Scenario 5
Unsure if it’s reportable
You are unsure whether an incident is reportable to the NDIS Commission.
Raise the concern with the appropriate person so the provider can assess its notification obligations.
Scenario 6
Asked to keep a concern secret
A participant asks you to keep a safety concern secret.
Explain your reporting responsibilities sensitively while respecting their privacy and preferences wherever possible.
Scenario 7
Similar incidents keep happening
Similar incidents keep happening.
Contribute factual observations to a review and help identify practical changes to prevent recurrence.
Six simple steps
How the course works
1
Enrol online
Register for the course and start anytime.
2
Work through the lessons
Explore incident recognition, immediate responses, reporting and follow-up.
3
Download your Course Pack
Keep the Reference Guide, Workbook and Workplace Checklist for ongoing use.
4
Connect learning with practice
Consider realistic workplace situations and appropriate actions within your role.
5
Complete the course requirements
Finish the required learning and any confirmed assessment activities.
6
Receive your certificate
Receive your Certificate of Completion after successfully meeting the course requirements.
How your learning is checked
- Identifying incidents, allegations and near misses
- Choosing appropriate immediate response steps
- Writing factual incident records
- Using internal escalation pathways
- Distinguishing worker responsibilities from provider notification duties
- Respecting participant privacy and involvement
- Learning from incidents to improve support practices
What you will receive
After successfully meeting the course requirements, learners will receive a Certificate of Completion for the Get My Course Incident Management and Reporting short course. You will also have your downloadable Course Pack to support continued learning and workplace reference.
Certificate of Completion
Awarded once you meet all course requirements.
This is non-accredited training. The Certificate of Completion is not a nationally recognised qualification or Statement of Attainment.
Why Incident Management and Reporting Matters in Care Work
Incidents can affect a person’s safety, wellbeing, trust and confidence in their support. Responding promptly and respectfully helps ensure the person receives assistance and their concerns are taken seriously.
Clear records and timely reporting give the appropriate people the information they need to assess concerns, coordinate follow-up and meet reporting responsibilities.
Incident management also supports prevention. Reviewing what happened—and the conditions that contributed to it—can lead to better communication, clearer procedures, improved training and safer support.
Frequently asked questions
What will I learn in this course?
You will learn how to recognise incidents, respond to immediate concerns, support the person affected, document facts and report through appropriate channels. You will also explore participant involvement, incident reviews and continuous improvement.
Who is this course suitable for?
The course is suitable for disability support workers, community support workers, casual and agency staff, team leaders and people preparing to work in disability support.
Do I need previous experience?
The course introduces core incident management concepts for people new to disability support and provides a refresher for existing workers.
When can I start?
You can start anytime. Enrol online and begin learning when it suits you.
Is this course nationally accredited?
No. This is a non-accredited Professional Development Short Course. Successful learners receive a Certificate of Completion.
Is every incident reportable to the NDIS Commission?
No. Internal incident reporting covers a broader range of events and concerns. Registered NDIS providers must notify the Commission of incidents that meet the reportable incident requirements. Raise concerns promptly so the appropriate person can assess them.
Should I report something if it is only an allegation?
Yes. Raise allegations through the appropriate reporting pathway without waiting for proof. Record what was disclosed or observed and avoid conducting your own investigation.
What should I do about a near miss?
Record and report it through your workplace’s internal process. Near misses can reveal risks before someone is harmed. If the circumstances suggest a reportable incident, escalate them for assessment.
Will I be responsible for reporting to the NDIS Commission?
External notifications are generally submitted by the provider’s authorised personnel. Your role is to respond appropriately, document facts and promptly notify the designated contact, unless your position includes additional responsibilities.
What if the participant does not want me to report the incident?
Explain your reporting responsibilities calmly and respectfully. Protect their privacy and involve them in the response wherever possible, but do not promise secrecy when a concern must be escalated.
Will I learn how incidents are investigated?
You will explore the purpose of incident reviews, contributing factors, participant involvement and corrective action. Any investigation responsibilities depend on your role, training and your organisation’s procedures.
Can I keep the course resources?
Yes. Download the Reference Guide, Workbook and Workplace Checklist and keep them for future reference alongside current workplace procedures.
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I recently finished my Certificate 1V in Training and Assessment with Getmycourse. They have been amazing; tutors and administrators were helpful .
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The training and assessment improved how I deliver training, organise sessions, and conduct assessments. This qualification has given me more confidence and strengthened my professional skills.
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