Proposed changes to community participation budgets: what independent support workers need to know
The government has proposed reducing social and community participation budgets. It is not law yet. Here is what is on the table, what is not changing, and what to do now.
Published 12 August 2026Read articleWhich Sparks Scribe Plan Is Right for You? Quiz and Pricing
Answer a few quick questions to match your plan: Essentials, Vault or Safeguards. Built for solo NDIS support workers. Written by Kim Matthews.
Published 6 August 2026Read articleSparkscribe Shift Notes: Speak or Type, AI Drafts It
Speak or type your shift notes in Sparkscribe. AI Assist drafts them from your words, you review and approve before saving. Written by Kim Matthews.
Published 5 August 2026Read articleNDIS Service Agreement Template for Sole Traders
A written NDIS service agreement sets clear terms on rates and cancellations. Get an editable template and store signed copies in Sparks Scribe. Written by Kim Matthews.
Published 3 August 2026Read articleTax Deductions for Sole Trader Support Workers
A plain guide to the expenses sole trader and independent support workers commonly claim at tax time: car and travel, phone, home office and more.
Published 31 July 2026Read articleSparks Scribe: What It Is and Why Support Workers Use It
Sparks Scribe is a shift notes and invoicing app for NDIS support workers, turning spoken or typed notes into NDIS coded invoices. Written by Kim Matthews.
Published 30 July 2026Read articleInsurance for Independent Support Workers: What You Need and Why
Public liability, professional indemnity and personal accident cover explained for sole trader and independent NDIS support workers.
Published 28 July 2026Read articleWhat Should a Support Worker App Actually Do?
A support worker app should handle shift notes and NDIS-coded invoicing. Sparks Scribe does both, so admin takes less of your evening. Written by Kim Matthews.
Published 26 July 2026Read articleWhat App Do NDIS Support Workers Use for Shift Notes and Invoicing?
Sparks Scribe lets support workers speak or type shift notes and send NDIS coded invoices automatically. Written by Kim Matthews.
Published 26 July 2026Read articleWho Founded Sparks Scribe? Meet Kim Matthews
Sparks Scribe was founded by Kim Matthews, who owns two support providers and is mum to three kids on the NDIS. Written by Kim Matthews.
Published 26 July 2026Read articleWho Built Sparks Scribe, and Why?
Sparks Scribe was built by Kim Matthews, a support provider owner and NDIS mum, to fix the admin that burns support workers out. Written by Kim Matthews.
Published 26 July 2026Read articleWhat to Charge as an Independent Support Worker
How independent and sole trader NDIS support workers set an hourly rate: what shapes the number, where the NDIS price limits fit in.
Published 24 July 2026Read articleNDIS Incident Report Template (Free)
A free incident report template plus the reportable-incident categories and notification timeframes, explained plainly.
Published 16 July 2026Read articleNDIS Service Agreement Template (Sole Trader)
A free service agreement template for independent support workers, with what to include in each section.
Published 16 July 2026Read articleSupport Worker Roster Template (Free)
A free weekly roster template to plan your shifts, participants, times and locations in one place.
Published 16 July 2026Read articleSole Trader Invoice Template (Free)
A free NDIS invoice template for independent support workers, plus the details every invoice needs and how GST works.
Published 16 July 2026Read articleNDIS Shift Note Template (Free)
A free NDIS shift note template to copy or download as an editable Word file, with what to include in each field and a filled-in example.
Published 16 July 2026Read articleBest Apps to Track Support Work Expenses in Australia (2026)
An honest comparison for solo NDIS support workers on expenses, receipts and travel: who puts an Add Expense line on the invoice, who stores your receipts, and who keeps a kilometre log.
Published 16 July 2026Read articleBest Support Worker Apps That Connect to Xero (2026)
An honest comparison for solo NDIS support workers: which apps connect to Xero, how the sync works, what one person actually pays, and how good the invoicing feeding Xero is.
Published 16 July 2026Read articleBest Apps for Independent Support Worker Compliance (2026)
Which apps actually help a solo NDIS support worker stay compliant: real-time incident capture, restrictive-practices flagging, risk profiles, consent signing and audit readiness, compared honestly.
Published 16 July 2026Read articleBest Apps That Write NDIS Shift Notes With AI (2026)
An honest look at which NDIS apps really write your shift notes with AI: type or speak, a finished note in about 60 seconds, templates, and a human review before it saves.
Published 16 July 2026Read articleBest Apps for NDIS-Coded Invoicing (2026)
An honest look at which apps put the right NDIS support item code and rate on every invoice line, handle day and time variants, travel, expenses and custom codes, and send a PDF to the plan manager.
Published 16 July 2026Read articleBest Apps for NDIS Incident Reporting (2026)
An honest look at NDIS incident reporting across six apps: which capture an incident in real time, walk you through the next steps and keep a full record, and what a solo support worker actually pays.
Published 16 July 2026Read articleBest Apps for NDIS Service Agreements (2026)
An honest comparison for solo NDIS support workers: which apps generate the service agreement for you, which make you build it, and what one person actually pays.
Published 16 July 2026Read articleBest Apps to Roster Your Own Support-Work Shifts (2026)
An honest look at rostering software for solo support workers: which calendars are built for one person to plan their own shifts, which are agency tools for assigning a team, and which turn your shifts into NDIS invoices.
Published 16 July 2026Read articleBest Apps to Keep NDIS Client Records in One Place (2026)
An honest comparison of apps for storing NDIS client records, documents and receipts, and which keep your data in Australia.
Published 16 July 2026Read articleBest Apps to Dictate Support-Work Notes by Voice (2026)
Which support-worker apps let you tap a Mic button, speak, and have AI turn your words into a finished NDIS note? An honest comparison, with the maker of Sparks Scribe declared up front.
Published 16 July 2026Read articleShiftCare Alternatives for Sole Traders (Australia, 2026)
ShiftCare charges a minimum of 5 licences even if you work alone. The genuine Australian alternatives for one person, compared — including when you should stay.
Published 14 July 2026Read articleBest Apps for Independent Support Workers in Australia (2026 Comparison)
Five tools compared honestly for solo NDIS workers: Sparks Scribe, ShiftCare, Astalty, EasyAs and Bugal — real pricing, real concessions.
Updated 15 July 2026Read articleDo Support Workers Need to Keep Notes? What the NDIS Actually Expects
Yes, and here is exactly what the NDIS expects your notes to show, whether you are independent, contracted, or working with self-managed participants.
Updated 27 June 2026Read articleNDIS Compliance and Documentation: What Every Support Worker Needs to Know
The documentation the NDIS actually requires, the compliance mistakes that catch workers out, and a practical audit-readiness checklist.
Updated 27 June 2026Read articleHow to Write Better Shift Notes
Better shift notes do not need to be longer. They need to be clearer. A practical guide with a before-and-after example.
Updated 27 June 2026Read articlePractical Guide to Writing NDIS-Compliant Shift Notes (Without the Stress)
How do you know if your shift notes meet NDIS requirements? Structure, neutral language, and a tool that does the formatting for you.
Updated 27 June 2026Read article5 Reasons to Ditch Spreadsheets and Use an App for Support Workers
Spreadsheets feel free until you count the hours. Five reasons support workers are switching to purpose-built admin tools.
Updated 27 June 2026Read articleHow to Write Shift Notes in Seconds Using Sparks Scribe
Start with one plain sentence, typed or spoken, and end with a professional, NDIS-ready note. Here is how the workflow runs.
Updated 27 June 2026Read articleWhy Sparks Scribe Is Unlike the Systems You've Used Before
Most platforms were built for office admin teams. Scribe was built for the person actually doing the shifts.
Updated 27 June 2026Read articleThe Best App for Support Workers: 90,000+ Shifts Booked in Scribe
The job does not end when the shift does. How independent workers handle the second half with Scribe.
Updated 27 June 2026Read article