Agencies and legal professionals that hire a communication partner must make sure the person they hire:
- has the necessary skills and experience
- has agreed in writing to comply with the Communication Partner Code of Conduct (PDF 135KB)
- complies with any other law relevant to the work (for example, they have a suitable working with children check).
They must also:
- inform the communication partner about the role and the services needed for the specific job
- agree to the cost of the service and to pay those costs.
Engaging a communication partner (PDF 1517KB)
Qualifications
People who can act as communication partners include:
- certified speech pathologists (members of Speech Pathology Australia)
- registered occupational therapists
- psychologists registered with the Psychology Board of Australia
- developmental educators who are full members of Developmental Educators Australia Incorporated
- social workers with a membership status with the Australian Association of Social Workers.
The communication partner must:
- have at least five years’ experience working with people with complex communication needs
- agree in writing to comply with the Communication Partner Code of Conduct (PDF 135KB).
Communication partners may charge a fee for their services and the person who hires the partner is responsible for payment.
