Unit of competency details

Descriptor 

This unit describes the knowledge and skills required to develop a response plan to deal effectively with potentially harmful behaviour in the context of risk management

Application 

The knowledge and skills of this unit of competency are used by workers to develop and implement plans and strategies to reduce the likelihood of harm to clients and others in the alcohol and other drugs (AOD) sector

Pre-requisite 

This unit must be assessed after achievement of related unit:

• CHCICS305A Provide behaviour support in the context of individualised plans

Employability Skills 

This unit contains Employability Skills

Elements define the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

The Performance Criteria specify the level of performance required to demonstrate achievement of the Element. Terms in italics are elaborated in the Range Statement.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Identify risks of harm in the alcohol and other drugs sector

1.1 Identify possible client circumstances that have the potential to be harmful to others 

1.2 Use research findings to identify and confirm the nature and range of each potential risk 

1.3 Determine environmental factors  that could contribute to client responses

1.4 Complete a risk assessment matrix to determine the level of risk

1.5 Confirm findings with an appropriate person 

2. Prepare a response plan

2.1 Use research findings to identify appropriate response hierarchies  for specific risks

2.2 Appropriately identify proactive support strategies  wherever possible

2.3 Determine legal and ethical aspects of possible responses 

2.4 Determine duty of care consideration  and responsibilities

2.5 Prepare and document response plans for specific risks within the context of appropriate response hierarchies, legal and ethical considerations and duty of care responsibilities

2.6 Confirm response plans with an appropriate person 

3. Guide and support workers to implement strategies

3.1 Provide workers with guidance and support to understand the purpose of the response plan

3.2 Guide and support workers to implement the response plan plans according to duty of care, ethical and legal requirements

3.3 Evaluate worker ability to implement response plan according to legal, ethical and duty of care requirements

3.4 Monitor worker ability to implement the response plan according to legal, ethical and duty of care requirements

3.5 Conduct ongoing monitoring of worker ability to implement the response plan according to legal, ethical and duty of care requirements

4. Monitor effectiveness of response plan

4.1 Monitor strategies to determine effectiveness in developing and maintaining positive and adaptive responses and a safe environment

4.2 Monitor strategies to minimise risk of harm to the person and others

4.3 Monitor strategies to determine level of intrusion on person's dignity and self-esteem

5. Complete documentation

5.1 Comply with organisation's and legal reporting requirements

5.2 Complete documentation according to organisation policy and protocols

5.3 Maintain documentation in a manner consistent with reporting requirements

5.4 File documentation in line with organisation policy and protocols

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level required for this unit.

Essential knowledge :

The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the identified work role

These include knowledge of:

• Organisation policies and procedures relating to behaviour management (including restrictions on the use of aversive procedures), occupational safety and health, critical incidents, accident and incident reporting, dignity of risk and duty of care and use of least restrictive alternative
• Principles of effective communication
• Purpose and function of behaviour
• Behavioural responses associated with AOD issues
• What influences behaviour
• Duty of care consideration
• Ethical considerations when dealing with other people's behaviour
• Legal considerations, especially in regard to restraint, imprisonment and abuse
• Knowledge and skills across a range of response including:

• reinforcement strategies including, sampling, menus, individualisation of schedules and differential reinforcement schedules
• use of advanced self protective strategies (e.g. passive self defence)
• strategies that avoid behaviour escalation (advanced)
• advanced proactive strategies based on functional and cognitive assessment

• Advanced proactive strategies based on functional and cognitive assessment
• Principles of behaviour response plans
• Knowledge and skills in crisis management (advanced)
• Reporting procedures for incidents and accidents
• Referral procedures for specialist services
• Individual rights and equality

Essential skills :

It is critical that the candidate demonstrate the ability to:

• Demonstrate knowledge and application of organisation policies and procedures relating to behaviour management, occupational safety and health, critical incidents, accident and incident reporting, dignity of risk and duty of care
• Demonstrate mastery of techniques in data collection, generating hypothesis and functional assessment
• Apply advanced crisis management strategies
• Develop an individual response plan
• Develop a crisis response plan
• Monitor the effectiveness of a response plan

In addition, the candidate must be able to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the identified work role

These include the ability to:

• Demonstrate well developed problem solving skills
• Demonstrate application of knowledge and skills in:

• reinforcement strategies including: sampling, menus, individualisation of schedules and differential reinforcement schedules
• use of advanced self protective strategies (e.g. passive self defence)
• strategies that avoid behaviour escalation (advanced)
• advanced proactive strategies based on functional and cognitive assessment

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the Performance Criteria, Required Skills and Knowledge, the Range Statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate this unit of competency :

• The individual being assessed must provide evidence of specified essential knowledge as well as skills
• Assessment should be conducted on more than one occasion to cover a variety of circumstances to establish consistency
• A diversity of assessment tasks is essential for holistic assessment

Access and equity considerations :

• All workers in community services should be aware of access, equity and human rights issues in relation to their own area of work
• All workers should develop their ability to work in a culturally diverse environment
• In recognition of particular issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, workers should be aware of cultural, historical and current issues impacting on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• Assessors and trainers must take into account relevant access and equity issues, in particular relating to factors impacting on Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients and communities

Context of and specific resources for assessment :

• This unit can be assessed independently, however holistic assessment practice with other community services units of competency is encouraged
• Resource requirements include access to all relevant resources commonly provided in the disability service setting, including:

• relevant organisation policy and procedure manuals, legislation and standards
• organisation mission statement, strategic and business plan
• other documentation relevant to the work context such as:
  . individual routines
  . staff routines
  . neuropsychological reports
  . behaviour support plans
  . data collection techniques
  . specific communication tools
  . skills development plans
  . accident and incident forms
  . referral forms
  . lifestyle review package
  . functional assessment tools

Method of assessment may include :

• Observation of work performance
• Written tasks
• Interview and questioning
• Authenticated portfolio/log book
• Supporting statement of supervisor/s
• Authenticated evidence of relevant work experience and/or formal/informal learning

RANGE STATEMENT 

The Range Statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Add any essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts.

Client circumstances that have the potential to be harmful to others may include :

• Intoxication
• Amphetamine psychosis
• Disinhibition

The nature and range of each potential risk may include :

• Confusion
• Delusions
• Fear
• Self-harm
• Impaired social judgement
• Impaired decision-making
• Targeted aggressive behaviour
• Random, untargeted aggressive behaviour

Environmental factors may include :

• Unfamiliar surroundings
• 'Busy' surroundings
• Responses to other people (positive and negative)

Appropriate person may include :

• Supervisor
• Psychologist
• Health professional
• Police

Appropriate response hierarchies may include :

• Proactive intervention
• Advanced proactive intervention
• Interrupt and redirect
• Deescalate
• Passive self defence
• Protect self and others
• Seek additional support

Legal and ethical aspects of possible responses may include :

• Power imbalance
• Reasonable force
• Imprisonment
• Deprivation of rights
• Occupational health and safety (OHS)

Duty of care considerations may include 

• Foreseeable harm/injury
• Reasonable action
• Reasonable person

Proactive support strategies may include :

• Ecological manipulations - making changes in the persons environment that will reduce the likelihood of the problem behaviour occurring
• Positive programming - long term instructional programs designed to give the person greater skills and competencies
• Focused support strategies - these include differential reinforcement strategies, stimulus control and instructional control

Organisation policies and procedures may include :

• Behaviour management guidelines
• Occupational safety and health policies and procedures
• Emergency procedures

Inappropriate behaviours may include those that :

• Have the potential for physical harm or destruction (e.g. hurting self or others, damaging property)
• Lasts for a long time (e.g. either in a single incident or in multiple incidents over time)
• Isolates the person, it stops them from engaging in valued roles (with friends, family, community access, work) e.g. disinhibition / perseveration / depression
• Interferes with the person's learning and developing new skills
• Reduces quality / enjoyment of life

Strategies to assist in reducing and managing challenging behaviour :

• Functional assessment
• Data collection
• Generating a hypothesis
• Multi-element support plans

• proactive
• ecological manipulations
  e.g. making changes to the person's environment, changing the teaching method, reviewing and changing the learning goals
• positive programming
  e.g. teaching general skills, teaching coping skills, teaching functionally equivalent skills
• focused support
  e.g. differential reinforcement schedules

• Reactive strategies
  e.g. antecedent management, interrupt and redirect, geographical containment, emergency physical containment and individualised emergency management plans
• Seeking expert assistance