Unit of competency details

Descriptor 

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to work positively with the carers and/or families of clients based on an understanding of their support needs across a range of service settings including aged care, disability and community care

Application 

This unit would be applied where workers provide support to clients, carers and families across a range of service types and settings

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 positively with carers  and families

1.1 Demonstrate the range of patterns/structures of current family life and the concept of family care giving

1.2 Identify key issues for carers in the support of a family member who is aged and/or has a disability and support implementation within the context of different family patterns and access to resources

1.3 Identify the impacts of caring on individuals and family relationships

1.4 Identify the range of responsive services required by the carer to support the care relationship with the client

1.5 Implement strategies to support the rights of families and carers 

1.6 Implement a range of positive strategies for involving families and carers in design and delivery  of supports offered to them and the client

2. Analyse life cycle transitions for carers and families and the implications for direct care workers

2.1 Identify transitions as major life changes for clients, their family members and friends

2.2 Identify client pathways into service settings and the implications for carers , families and friends

2.3 Identify potential positive and negative impacts that transitions  may create for family, carers and friends

2.4 Support carer and family to identify and use strategies to maximise positive aspects of transition 

2.5 Support carers, families and friends to maximise ongoing care and involvement in the life of the client in a range of service settings

2.6 Identify strategies and practices that can be implemented to support the life cycle transition  experiences of carers and families

3. Analyse strategies  to promote carer health and well being

3.1 Identify issues that may impact on the physical and emotional health and well being of the carer

3.2 Identify and analyse the barriers to self care  for carers

3.3 Identify systems and strategies that can be implemented to promote the health and well being of carers

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:

• Relevant organisation policy
• Relevant legislation and policy including

• Carers Charter; Carer Recognition Legislation; State Carers Policy (SA)
• Department of Human Services Victoria Recognising and Supporting Care Relationships Policy Framework 2006 and Action Plans for Aged care, mental Health and Disability
• Carer Recognition Act 2004 (WA)
• Caring for Carers in the ACT - A plan for Action 2004-2007
• Carer Recognition Policy 2003 (QLD)
• NSW Carers statement 1999 (NSW)
• Anti-discrimination Act 1977 (NSW) - Carers' responsibilities amendment
• Child protection legislation

• Carer demographics
• Carer support organisations and resources
• Relevant policies and procedures of the organisation in relation to carers and families
• Current service delivery philosophy and models
• Range of family patterns/structures and their impact on family member who is aged and/or has a disability
• Understanding attitudes, stereotypes, false beliefs and myths associated with caring
• Impact of the caring role on family, carers and friends
• Strengths-based philosophy and practice
• Effective communication techniques
• Strategies to work positively with families, carers and friends
• Strategies to support the maintenance of relationships through life cycle transitions
• Rights and responsibilities of cares
• Friendship rights
• Confidentiality and privacy principles and practice when working with a family, carer and friends

Essential skills :

It is critical that the candidate demonstrate the ability to:

• Analyse the impact of the caring role on carers
• Establish strategies to support the emotional and life cycle impacts of caring on individuals and families
• Evaluate strategies to support life cycle transitions for carers and the implications for direct care workers
• Establish a partnership using carer friendly practices
• Analyse strategies to promote carer health and well being
• Establish and maintain healthy professional/work boundaries
• Apply strategies to work positively with families
• Communication strategies required to work effectively with families, carers and friends
• Apply strategies required to support relationships through life cycle transitions
• Identify carer needs
• Maintain confidentiality
• Participate in strengths-based solution finding

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:

• Apply reading and writing skills required to fulfil work role in a safe manner and as specified by the organisation/service:

• this requires a level of skill that enables the worker to follow work-related instructions and directions and the ability to seek clarification and comments from supervisors, clients and colleagues
• industry work roles will require a literacy level that will enable workers to interpret international safety signs, read client service delivery plans, make notations in client records and complete workplace forms and records

• Apply oral communication skills required to fulfil work role in a safe manner and as specified by the organisation:

• this requires a level of skill and ability to follow work-related instructions and directions and to seek clarification and comments from supervisors, clients and colleagues

• Apply verbal and non-verbal communication skills:

• industry work roles will require effective verbal and non-verbal communication skills to ask questions, clarify understanding and meaning, recognise and interpret non-verbal cues, adapt communication styles to meet specific needs, provide information and express encouragement and support including active listening and empathy

• Apply basic problem solving skills to resolve problems within organisation protocols
• Work effectively with clients, social networks, colleagues, supervisors and other services/agencies

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
• 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 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:

• appropriate 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.

Carers are defined as :

• Family members and friends who provide care and support for a person with a disability, and/or who is frail aged and/or has a mental illness and/or chronic condition

Strategies to support the rights of families and carers may include :

• Information about carer legislation
• Access to an assessment
• Information and access to complaint procedures
• Access to an independent advocate

Positive strategies for involving families and carers in the design and delivery may include :

• Encouraging positive contact between the family, carer and friends with the service
• Encouraging positive contact between the family, carer and friends with the client
• Consultation
• Provision of information in appropriate formats

Implications for carers may be :

• Changes in role, relationships, identity, family structure and dynamics
• Pathways into informal and formal care
• Planning for the future
• Accessing services and resources e.g. eligibility, waiting lists etc
• Social impacts e.g. isolation
• Financial impacts
• Family communication

Transitions may include :

• Pre caring
• Taking on a carer role
• Engaging formal services
• Life cycle transitions e.g childhood, adolescence, young adulthood, middle and older age
• Client entry into day or overnight respite
• Client move from home to a supported residential setting
• End of life/palliative care

Strategies to maximise the positive aspects of transition may include :

• Acknowledge anxiety
• Provide opportunities for active involvement
• Maximise support structure
• Acknowledge loss and grief issues
• Promote the benefits of taking time for self care
• Provide reassurance

Strategies to support clients to maintain relationships through life cycle transitions may include :

• Sharing interests and meaningful activities together
• Sharing time and meals together
• Sharing feelings about any difficulties
• Mutual respect
• Having valued roles
• Privacy and confidentiality

Barriers to self care may include :

• Physical
• Emotional
• Spiritual
• Cultural
• Upbringing
• Personality

Strategies may include :

• Learning about the client's condition
• Accessing supportive health professionals and services
• Pastoral care
• Self awareness
• Counselling
• Basics of healthy caring
• A self care plan