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Shift types
Direct, Group and Intensive support, and what changes for each.
Last updated · 10 November 2026
Schedulers with create or edit access choose the type before delivery. Prepare the participant records and approved worker availability first.
Every shift has a Type, set on the create form. It decides how many workers and participants the shift has and how it is priced. You choose it from three pills at the top of the Add shift form.
| Type | Workers and participants | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| Direct Support | One worker, one participant. The everyday 1:1 shift. | Standard 1:1 rate. |
| Group Support | One or more workers supporting several participants at once. | Shared Group Activities rates are allocated among eligible participants; agreed per-participant rates are used as entered. |
| Intensive Support | More than one worker for one participant, for example 2:1 or 3:1. | Each worker is billed at the full 1:1 rate. |
Note
Intensive is meant for more than one worker on one participant. Leave an Intensive shift with a single worker and OneForce Care flags a non-blocking Single-worker intensive shift warning: “Intensive is a multi-worker shift type. Add another worker, or use Direct support for a single worker.” It does not stop you saving; it is a nudge that Direct support is the right type for one-to-one delivery.
Note
Group support has two extra rules. Every participant on the shift must share the same pricing region, checked as you select them, and the Location section changes shape: instead of one address, you list a pickup address per participant (or group of participants) plus a shared Destination drop-off, on by default. See Create a shift for the field-by-field detail.
Tip
Adding the workers differs by type when you assign a worker: Group support uses Add assignment to attach participants per worker, while Intensive uses the Assigned workers multi-select.
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Group pickup rows identify where participants start. This saved example uses one shared address and no destination; worker allocations are set separately below.
Match the type to the service
- Direct Support: Jordan visits Mavis alone for two hours. Create one participant’s shift and choose Jordan in Assigned worker.
- Group Support: Jordan supports Mavis and Elliot on a shared outing. Select both participants, record their pickup locations, then attach the people Jordan supports in Participants for this assignment. Add another worker assignment only for a genuine staffing allocation.
- Intensive Support: Jordan and Priya both support Mavis during the same visit. Select Mavis once and add both workers in Assigned workers. Check and publish each worker’s assignment separately.
Several workers attending the same location does not by itself mean Group Support. Count who receives support and who provides it, then check that the selected support and agreement match the arrangement.
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Group Support allocates participants to individual workers. This selected tab attaches Mavis to Jordan; the second worker has a separate tab.
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Intensive Support uses Assigned workers for several workers serving one participant. Each tab keeps its own vehicle and travel choices.
Group attendance and pricing
The worker clocks in explicitly before recording pickups. Pickup and early-departure times then describe each participant’s attendance. For shared hourly care, the division can change as participants join or leave. Charged cancellations, waived seats and programs of support have their own treatment, so one fixed ratio does not describe every minute. Check the support’s agreed rate basis and delivered attendance during review.
Choose the type before assigning workers
- Open Schedule > Scheduling > Add shift and choose the Type.
- Select one participant for Direct or Intensive, or the attendees for Group. Complete the time and location and create the shift.
- Open Manage assignments. Direct has one worker; Group uses Add assignment with participants allocated to each worker; Intensive uses Assigned workers.
- Check the participant allocations and, when billing is enabled, the support selections and agreed rate basis before publishing.
Sleepover is a support selection, not a fourth shift type. Choose the type that matches the actual workers and participants, then select the appropriate support. Once a worker clocks in or provider travel begins, planned details including the type lock. Use the delivery-review controls for eligible corrections.
Correct a type chosen in error
Before work starts, open Edit Shift, check whether the type is editable and correct it before completing assignment setup. Recheck the participant list, pickup locations, worker assignments, allocations and support choices after a type change; the fields serve different purposes for each type. If a published assignment prevents changing its setup, unpublish it first where allowed. Save, reopen and verify the result before publishing again. Do not change a type just to clear a pricing warning without checking the actual service.