Unit of competency details

Descriptor 

This unit describes the knowledge and skills required to identify, develop, implement, monitor and review programs to meet the needs of clients

Application 

This unit may apply in a range of community service contexts and may focus on services and programs to address specific client issues, in areas of work such as: aged care, disability, mental health and alcohol and/or other drugs

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 programs and service requirements to meet client needs

1.1 Use client information to target service provision for clients  and to enable quality service to be provided

1.2 Investigate the needs of clients according to organisation procedures

1.3 Establish and apply procedures to monitor, assess and report client satisfaction with service delivery

1.4 Interact and consult with clients as required to monitor changing needs so they can be addressed

1.5 Seek advice or services from other workers or agencies or primary health practitioners as required

2. Develop and implement programs for meeting client needs

2.1 Undertake appropriate planning to ensure client needs are met

2.2 Put in place mechanisms to ensure client service information is recorded, maintained and applied to future client dealings so service developments are well informed and appropriate

2.3 Develop programs as required

2.4 Review client services  in consultation with clients and other relevant people  including primary health practitioners

2.5 Monitor client service delivery to ensure it upholds the organisation's reputation, addresses individual client differences and meets duty of care responsibility

2.6 Identify and address problems in addressing client needs in accordance with organisation procedures

2.7 Maintain all relevant documentation relating to clients and service delivery and communicate in accordance with organisation procedures

2.8 Maintain high standards of client service delivery in line with procedural and legislative requirements

2.9 Seek provision of services from other workers, agencies or primary health practitioners as required

2.10 Facilitate strategies and opportunities to meet the needs of people and develop according to organisation policies and procedures

2.11 Facilitate individual differences, rights, needs and preferences within programs

2.12 Incorporate special needs  in the development of programs and services

2.13 Communicate the needs of clients to carers and other workers as required

2.14 Make available appropriate program resources 

3. Monitor and review programs

3.1 Ensure changes to client service are within policy and budgetary frameworks

3.2 Ensure the provision of training as required for implementation  to meet changing client needs and community expectations

3.3 Modify specified aspects of the service or service delivery as needed to meet changing client and service requirements

3.4 Ensure changes to client service are within procedural and legislative requirements and maintain high standards of delivery

3.5 Undertake appropriate planning to ensure client needs are met

3.6 Develop required programs

3.7 Make referrals to external services as appropriate

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:

• Design and development of client services and principles of effective service delivery
• Specific client services provided by the organisation and associated policies and procedures
• Strategic planning and organisation development
• Evaluation principles and practices
• Local, Commonwealth or State services and associated Commonwealth or State regulations, acts or guidelines re service provision
• Community resources
• Cultural differences and practices
• Common health problems encountered in clients
• Depending on the work role or services provided, specific knowledge of particular groups or issues may be required, such as:

• alcohol and other drugs (AOD)
• cultural and linguistic diversity
• risk of self-harm
• gender issues and specific needs of women and/or men
• community education
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• mental health
• homelessness

• Where clients are aged the following specific knowledge is required:

• maximising independence
• health promotion
• emotional, psychological and spiritual needs
• cultural, religious and ceremonial needs
• maintenance of an adequate diet
• dementia
• personal hygiene
• dressing and grooming
• mobility and exercise

• Where clients may have disabilities the following specific knowledge is required:

• relevant legislation relating to disability issues
• relevant specific culture and language used by people with disabilities
• knowledge specific to working with families and family systems
• understanding different client requirements according to different disabilities
• networks in the disability sector

continued  ...

Essential knowledge  (contd ):

• Where clients may have disabilities the following specific knowledge is required (contd):

• consumer needs and rights including duty of care
• principles of empowerment/disempowerment in relation to people with disabilities
• principles of access and equity
• current issues facing clients and existing services for addressing needs and rights
• principles and practices of confidentiality
• knowledge specific to working with people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
• knowledge specific to working with people at risk of self-harm
• organisation policies, practices and programs relating to the work role
• organisation occupational health and safety policies and procedures
• organisation philosophy and guidelines
• rights and responsibilities of people with disabilities
• understanding of stereotypes of people with disabilities
• available client services
• awareness of own attitudes to people with disabilities
• awareness of discriminatory actions
• common risks to safety

• Where clients experience mental health issues the following specific knowledge is required:

• structural, political and other social factors which operate to maintain discrimination against people affected by mental health problems
• structural, political and other social factors which can be addressed to improve mental health promotion, such as:
• gender
• language
• culture
• ethnicity
• age
• socioeconomic status
• broad knowledge of mental illness and disability issues
• internal structure of the mental health system and its relationship within the broader context of health services, welfare services and government
• policies relevant to mental health at national, state and local level
• relevant agencies and services which may assist in promoting and advocating for mental illness and/or psychiatric disability issues
• political lobbying processes
• use of media for advocacy purposes
• key stakeholders and how to access them
• understanding of the balance between the rights of the general community and the rights of people with a mental illness and/or psychiatric disability
• relevant regulatory, legislative and legal requirements relating to mental health issues

continued  ...

Essential knowledge  (contd ):

• Where clients experience mental health issues the following specific knowledge is required (contd):

• knowledge specific to working with people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
• knowledge specific to working with people at risk of self-harm
• knowledge specific to the following areas:
• working with clients with alcohol and other drugs issues
• working with women
• working with men
• working with children and young people
• working with aged clients
• working with corrective services clients
• working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients
• community education

• Where clients experience AOD issues the following specific knowledge is required:

• legal and organisation knowledge:
• legal and organisation requirements for client registration, allocation and referral
• organisation policies on reporting and confidentiality
• organisation policies and procedures for documenting work with clients
• understanding agency role, agency target group and the impacts on the local community
• range of AOD specific treatment intervention options including detoxification, in-patient treatment programs, outpatient treatment services, and brief interventions
• effects of AOD use:
• signs and symptoms of medical risk associated with AOD use
• stages and symptoms of AOD withdrawal
• basic health issues relating to alcohol and/or other drugs use e.g. malnutrition, blood borne diseases, skin infestations, effects of drug use on health, cognitive, social, emotional development and impact on others
• basic pharmacology - types of drugs; dose levels; effects of specific drugs; tolerance; treatment approaches broadly
• the effects of alcohol related brain injury
• consequences and effects of drug substitution/replacement
• effects of prescribed drugs on the use of other drugs
• patterns of drug use in Australia and the local community
• range of use and use scenarios e.g. lifestyle context of illegal drug use
• legal issues:
• legal status of drugs
• legal issues surrounding AOD use
• policy:
• public health model - interaction of impact of drugs, individual and the environment
• harm minimisation including a range of approaches: prevention, early intervention, abstinence, specialist treatment, supply control and safer drug use

continued  ...

Essential knowledge  (contd ):

• Where clients experience alcohol and other drugs issues the following specific knowledge is required (contd):

• working with clients:
• common relapse precipitants
• a range of strategies for working with clients
• strategies to promote participation in programs
• range of cultural contexts - lifestyle, set of beliefs, customs
• client empowerment/disempowerment
• rights of workers and clients
• different lifestyles
• self-esteem, abuse issues, self-awareness, own biases, ethical obligations re: helping relationships
• types of counselling e.g. motivational interviewing, brief and intensive intervention, relapse prevention
• protocols around use of interpreters
• client-centredness
• case management principles
• working with clients at risk of self-harm:
• suicidal or self-harming behaviour, ideation or intention
• no-suicide contracts and other protective strategies
• links between predisposing factors for self-harm, drug use and mental health problems
• legal and ethical obligations regarding clients at risk of self-harm or with mental illnesses

Essential skills :

It is critical that the candidate demonstrate the ability to:

• Consult effectively with the client/s
• Respond to specific client needs
• Establish and maintain a network of service providers, including health practitioners

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:

• Analyse client needs
• Demonstrate oral communication skills required to fulfil the job role in the organisation/service:

• oral communication skills may include:
• listening, asking questions, providing encouragement, clarifying meaning, clarifying a situation, explaining the needs of aged people to other workers
• language used may be English, sign language or community language depending on client group

• Demonstrate literacy competence required to fulfil the procedures of the organisation/service:

• language used may be English or community language depending on the service/ organisation

• Demonstrate written communication skills required to fulfil the job role as specified by the service/organisation:

• Written skills may include:
• completion of reports or documentation, selecting appropriate language and detail depending on the purpose of the report and the intended audience
  (e.g. documentation for funding, accreditation documents, client notes etc)
• language used may be English or a community language depending on client group and organisation
• communication support is incorporated as required (e.g. using dictionaries, medical books, other reports)

• Demonstrate reading skills required to fulfil the job role as specified by the service/organisation:

• skills may include reading written material such as policies, procedure manuals and program materials, understanding and interpreting their content

• Demonstrate application of skills in:

• Consultation
• Strategic planning
• Organisation development
• Review and evaluation
• Safe and effective use and coordination of relevant technology in line with occupational health and safety (OHS) guidelines

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
• This unit is most appropriately assessed in the workplace or in a simulated workplace setting under the normal range of workplace conditions
• Assessment should include all aspects of service provision i.e. analyse, review, plan and develop service etc

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
• Resources required for assessment include access to relevant workplace or simulated realistic workplace setting where assessment may take place

Method of assessment :

• Assessment may include observations, questioning or evidence gathered from the workplace
  e.g. testimonials from clients

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 services are :

• Specific to the organisation

Clients may include :

• Individual members of the public
• Other organisations, community groups, individuals and health providers
• Other work areas of the organisation
• Senior management
• Service users

Relevant people may include :

• Clients
• Family and personal network of clients
• Other workers including health providers

Special needs may relate to :

• Disabilities
• Language
• Gender
• Culture
• Age
• Remote location

Training as required for implementation may be identified by :

• Relevant program manager
• Supervisor

Appropriate program resources may include :

• Aids and equipment
• Qualified and/or specially trained staff