Tips for Incident Reporting: A Guide for Support Workers
Good incident reports keep participants safe, help us spot patterns and show the quality of support our team provides.
As Disability Support Workers, writing clear and detailed reports is one of the most important parts of the role.
Here are five simple tips to help you get incident reporting right, every time.
Tip 1: Not every report is reportable
Completing an Incident Report does not automatically make it a Reportable Incident. A Reportable Incident is a specific type of incident that meets the NDIS Commission's criteria and needs extra reporting or notification.
Do not tick the Reportable Incident box just because you have completed an Incident Report. Tick it only when the incident involves one of these:
Death of a participant in connection with NDIS supports or services
Serious injury to a participant in connection with NDIS supports or services
Abuse or neglect of a participant, including allegations
Unlawful sexual or physical contact with, or assault of, a participant
Sexual misconduct against, or in the presence of, a participant, including grooming
Unauthorised restrictive practice, where a practice is not authorised or not used in line with the participant's Behaviour Support Plan
If you're unsure whether an incident is reportable, complete your report in full and speak to your Service Manager.
Tip 2: Write what you did
The Actions Taken section should record every action you personally took. Short phrases don't tell the reader what actually happened.
Don't write: "As above." or "Staff supported JS." or "Staff followed the behaviour support plan."
Do write each action clearly. For example: Staff 1 provided verbal reassurance and encouraged JS to move away from the kitchen. Staff 1 kept a safe distance and used low-arousal communication. Staff 2 moved other participants away and contacted the Service Manager. JS was supported to move to the lounge room, where staff monitored him until he returned to baseline.
Tip 3: Night shifts, write the real times
When reporting sleep disturbances during a passive shift, record the actual period the participant was awake and what support you gave. Use the times they were awake, not just the time you noticed or checked on them.
For example: JS woke at approximately 1:15am and remained awake until 1:45am. Staff provided verbal reassurance and encouraged JS to return to bed. JS returned to bed at approximately 1:45am.
If the participant wakes again, record each period separately. Not sure of the exact time? Write the closest accurate time you can. Never make up a time.
Tip 4: Two staff? Say who did what
On a 2:1 shift, the report needs to show what each support worker was doing. Use Support Worker 1 (SW1) and Support Worker 2 (SW2) throughout.
For example: At approximately 4:20pm, JS began yelling and hitting the wall. SW1 stayed with JS and used calm, low-arousal communication, encouraging him to move to the lounge. SW2 made the environment safe by moving objects away and giving space. JS settled after about 10 minutes. SW1 continued supporting JS while SW2 documented the incident and contacted the Service Manager.
Tip 5: Tell the full story
The person reading your report may not have been there and may have no other information. Your report needs to tell the complete story.
Before you submit, check it answers these questions:
What happened?
What time did it happen?
Where did it happen?
Who was involved?
What was the participant doing?
What did SW1 do, and SW2 if applicable?
What prompts or strategies were used?
How did the participant respond?
What happened afterwards?
Who was contacted or notified?
What follow-up action was taken?
Did the participant return to their usual presentation?
Your detail makes a difference
An Incident Report isn't just a box to tick. It's an important record of the support you provide. If you took an action, write it down. If two staff were there, say what each of you did.
Thank you to our whole team for the care you bring to every shift, and for keeping our documentation accurate, detailed and true to the quality of your support.
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