Unit of competency details

CHC08 Version 3 

CHC08 Version 4  

Comments 

CHCCS504A Provide services to clients with complex needs

CHCCS504B Provide services to clients with complex needs

ISC upgrade changes to remove references to old OHS legislation and replace with references to new WHS legislation. Updated terminology 'challenging behaviour' to 'behaviours of concern'. No change to competency outcome.

Descriptor 

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required by community workers to provide services to people with complex needs

Application 

This unit applies to workers in the community services sector who may be working with people who have complex and multiple needs

Workers may include social housing workers, mental health workers, family violence workers, drug and/or alcohol (AOD) workers, disability workers, forced migrant workers and generalist support.

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. Work with clients facing a range of issues

1.1 Apply a demonstrated understanding of issues that client may face including:

• mental health
• AOD
• imprisonment
• family violence
• homelessness
• child protection
• disability
• trauma/grief
• acquired brain injuries
• cultural issues

1.2 Apply a demonstrated understanding of associated and impacting issues:

• access and equity to services in the wider social environment
• trauma/grief
• health
• cognitive/social
• personal safety

1.3 Recognise the impacts complex issues may have on significant others

2. Develop strategies to engage clients with one or more identified needs

2.1 Recognise impacts of stigma associated with complex needs on an individual, their family and significant others and on the community

2.2. Undertake a work health and safety (WHS) assessment of the environment and personal safety

2.3 Apply appropriate personal boundaries

2.4 Demonstrate rapport building techniques and trust development with the client

2.5 Use appropriate strategies and procedures to identify and respond to potential behavioural issues

2.6 Observe and monitor behaviour to identify behavioural risk

2.7 Respond to behavioural risk to ensure safety of client and self and report and/or refer appropriately

3. Assess and prioritise need

3.1 Identify needs in conjunction with the client

3.2 Assess client safety needs in conjunction with the client

3.3 Determine priorities in conjunction with the client

3.3 Coordinate a plan in conjunction with the client to address identified needs

3.4 Recognise circumstances in which a service and/or worker is no longer able to provide the level of service required

4. Refer and follow up identified needs

4.1 Access and/or negotiate resources in order to deliver identified services

4.2 Communicate with other organisations and share information in accordance with appropriate protocols and relevant legislation

4.3 Determine all service providers' understanding of the service delivery plan and their roles and responsibilities within that plan

4.4 Seek feedback from the client and/or their advocate when evaluating effectiveness of the service delivery plan

4.5 Seek advice and assistance from relevant professionals where appropriate when the client's goals are not being reached

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:

• Legislative requirements:

• relevant acts
• privacy
• duty of care

• Work health and safety (WHS)
• Customer service principles
• Personal values
• Access and equity principles
• Social justice principles
• Psychological first aid principles
• Consumer rights and responsibilities
• Broad understanding of community services sector including:

• mental health
• AOD
• gambling
• torture/trauma/grief/loss
• disabilities
• behavioural disorders
• family violence
• child protection
• prison system
• social housing/homelessness

Essential skills:

It is critical that the candidate demonstrate the ability to:

• Prioritise and manage the changing service needs of the client with complex and multiple needs
• Recognise own limitations and need for assistance
• Recognise agency's limitations
• Work collaboratively with colleagues, professionals and other services

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 application of skills in:

• negotiation and persuasion
• liaising and networking
• safety assessment

• Demonstrate oral communication skills required to develop rapport with client

• oral communication skills may include:

• listening
• asking questions
• providing encouragement
• minimising impact of behaviours of concern

• language used may be English, sign language or community language depending on client group

• Demonstrate literacy competency required to fulfil the procedures of the organisation/ service
• Safely use and coordinate the use of relevant technology effectively in line with WHS 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 will be most appropriately assessed in the workplace or in a simulated workplace and under the normal range of workplace conditions
• This unit may be contextualised to reflect its application to:

• a range of age related areas such as youth work and aged care
• a range of 'issue' types

• It is recommended that assessment or information for assessment will be conducted or gathered over a period of time and cover the normal range of workplace situations and settings
• Where, for reasons of safety, space, or access to equipment and resources, assessment takes place away from the workplace, the assessment environment should represent workplace conditions as closely as possible

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 and linguistically diverse (CALD) environments
• 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
• In particular, assessment is recommended in conjunction with:

• CHCCS500B Conduct complex assessment and referral
• CHCNET501C Work effectively with other services and networks

• Resources required for assessment include:

• access to appropriate workplace or simulated workplace where assessment can take place
• relevant organisation policy, protocols and procedures

Method of assessment may include:

• Observation in the workplace
• Written assignments/projects
• Case study and scenario analysis
• Questioning
• Role play simulation

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.

Safety of client and self may refer to:

• Domestic violence
• Unpredictable client behaviour (e.g. aggression, dementia, mental health issues and AOD issues)
• Hazardous environments
• Specific identified health and safety risks

Complex issues may include:

• Mental health
• AOD
• Family violence
• Poverty
• Disability
• Behaviours of concern
• Age
• Aboriginality
• Cultural diversity

Complex needs with associated stigma may include but are not limited to:

• Mental illness
• Homelessness
• AOD use
• Family violence