Unit of competency details

CHC08 Version 3 

CHC08 Version 4 

Description 

N/A

CHCRCP402A Conduct assessment of carer’s needs

New unit in V4

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.

• Complete the intake screening process

1.1 Respond promptly to the enquiry received

1.2 Identify the need for and engage an interpreter service when required

1.3 Assess the carer’s eligibility to access available services

1.4 Clearly explain the intake process and how information is used, including requirements for mandatory data collection

1.5 Explain and apply privacy and confidentiality principles, practices and procedures

1.6 Explain what service the organisation can provide

1.7 Gather information to enable assessment of the carer’s priority of need

1.8 Identify the need to refer the carer to another agency for assessment and arrange the referral, if required

• Undertake the assessment process

2.1 Use an open, empathic and confident manner with the carer to establish a rapport and obtain their consent to participate in the assessment process

2.2 Ensure the assessment focuses on the care relationship rather than the individual and empowers both the carer and the care recipient

2.3 Implement the appropriate level of assessment based on the outcomes of the intake screening process

2.4 Clearly explain the assessment process and how information is used

2.5 Complete the assessment process holistically using a conversational approach in line with organisation guidelines, procedures and instruments

2.6 Adjust communication processes as required when assessing carers with special needs

2.7 Recognise and respond to situations of either the carer or the care recipient according to organisation guidelines

2.8 Seek advice from supervisor, as required, to determine service issues associated with assessment information

2.9 Document information within identified timeframe and according to relevant guidelines

• Clarify the carer’s needs

• 3.1 Display positive regard to assist the carer to talk freely about their concerns and needs without fear of judgement
• 3.2 Encourage and allow the time for the carer to share their story

3.3 Recognise and respond to the impact of complex care issues on the carer

3.4 Assist the carer to identify issues external to, and which impact on, their caring role

3.5 Establish the carer’s unmet needs within the limits of the level of assessment

3.6 Identify and prioritise the carer’sneed for a service

• Apply skills which assist the assessment process

• 4.1 Use active listening skills to help establish a rapport with the carer, and identify their needs
• 4.2 Use language that the carer understands
• 4.3 Develop an empoweringrelationship which assists the carer to clarify options, seek support and decide on next steps to address problems and/or meet current needs

4.4 Ensure all communication with the carer reflects understanding and respect for individual differences and needs

4.5 Use peer and/or supervisor support to seek advice and knowledge, and problem solve collaboratively

4.6 Guide the carer to remain focussed on issues related to their caring role

• Address own personal factors likely to impact on the assessment process

• 5.1 Identify and develop personal attributes and attitudes likely to facilitate the assessment process
• 5.2 Demonstrate awareness of personal issues or attitudes likely to impact negatively on the assessment process and manage appropriately
• 5.3 Use constructive strategies for dealing with strong carer emotionsand stressful situations
• 5.4 Discuss with peers and/or supervisor own personal reactions to these strong carer emotions or stressful situations
• 5.5 Use a range of effective self-care strategies for responding to impactful client presentations or situation
• 5.6 Use peer and/or supervisor support to seek advice and knowledge, and problem solve collaboratively
• 5.7 Identify limit of ability through self-reflection and seek assistance, advice and knowledge from peers/management

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 best assessed in the workplace or in a realistic simulated workplace setting under the normal range of workplace conditions
• Consistency of performance should be demonstrated over the required range of situations relevant to the workplace
• 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 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
• Resources essential for assessment include:
• relevant assessment tool for assessment and data collection
• workplace health and safety (WHS) guidelines
• relevant organisation and legislative guidelines, standards and procedures

Method of assessment:

• In cases where the learner does not have the opportunity to cover all relevant aspects in the work environment, the remainder should be assessed through realistic simulations, projects, previous relevant experience or oral questioning on ‘What if?’ scenarios
• Assessment of this unit of competency will usually include observation of processes and procedures, oral and/or written questioning on essential knowledge and skills and consideration of required attitudes
• Where performance is not directly observed and/or is required to be demonstrated over a ‘period of time’ and/or in a ‘number of locations’, any evidence should be authenticated by colleagues, supervisors, clients or other appropriate persons

Related units:

This unit should be assessed in conjunction with the following related unit:

• CHCRCP403A Support carers to access information and services

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.

Intake screening process includes:

• Collection of personal data about the carer
• Collection of required minimum data
• Determination of eligibility of service
• Establishment of next steps for assessment
• Identification of priority for assessment
• Referral to another service

Level of assessment refers to:

• Quick assessment for emergency situations
• Shallow and broad assessment process which includes broad, general questions of all the assessment domains
• In-depth assessment includes specific exploration of identified domains

Assessment process may require the use of tools which may include:

• ACCNA-R
• Caregiver Reaction Assessment scale (CRA)
• Carer Strain Index (CSI)
• K10
• Self Rated Burden scale (SRB)
• Zarit
• Organisation or state specific assessment tools:
• service coordination tool template (SCOTT)
• ongoing needs identification tool (ONI)

Carers with special needsinclude but are not limited to:

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and CALD carers
• Carers who have cognitive impairment
• Carers who have hearing impairment
• Carers with dementia
• Carers with mental health problems
• Carers with a speech impediment or decreased verbal communication
• Carers living in rural and remote locations
• Carers who may have experienced social exclusion and/or trauma

Carer’s needs may include:

• Advocacy
• Case management
• Counselling
• Guided referral for other service
• Information on available services
• Respite services (direct and indirect)

Complex care issues may include but are not limited to:

• Abusive situations by either the carer or care recipient
• Behaviours of concern by the care recipient
• CALD issues
• Family dynamics
• Hidden carers
• High-level support needed for the care recipient
• Situations where the needs of the carer and care recipient are in conflict
• Young carers

Identify and prioritise the carer’s need for a service includes taking into account:

• Adequacy of available respite to the carer
• How much time the carer needs to spend caring
• Increasing needs of the care recipient
• Level of the carer emotional stress/strain (using a screening tool)
• Number of care recipients being cared for
• Other informal and formal support available or currently provided
• Presence of other events affecting the carer’s capacity to care
• Reason the carer has made contact
• Special difficulties, including behaviours of concern
• Whether early intervention or education and training may significantly reduce the risk of serious deterioration or future crisis
• Whether the carer has physical or mental exhaustion or illness (using a screening tool)
• Whether the carer’s health is deteriorating

Active listening skills may include:

• Appropriate brief encouragers which help the carer relate their story and concerns
• Balancing the frequency of questions
• Hearing the carer’s concerns
• Paraphrasing (reflection of content)
• Recognising when higher levels of care may be indicated
• Reflection of feelings ,thoughts, behaviours and experience (content)
• Summarising and closure
• Understanding the carer’s context
• Using open and closed questions to expand or clarify understanding

Empoweringrelationshipmay include:

• Active listening
• Avoid use of labelling
• Exploring options and potential consequences with the carer
• Facilitating informed carer choices
• Focus the carer on identifying immediate needs and concerns
• Identify achievable tasks to be addressed after the assessment
• Identifying and affirming carer’s strengths and opportunities
• Reframing, summary and closure

Strategies for dealing with strong carer emotionsand stressful situations include:

• Awareness of personal vulnerabilities which may be triggered during an assessment process
• Containment skills
• Debriefing
• Externalise carer emotions
• Managing tone, pitch and pace of voice
• Seeking advice from supervisor

Range of effective self-care strategies may include:

• Constructive feedback about assessment skills
• Debriefing and defusing
• Knowing when and how to ask for back-up/support
• Recognition and processing of assessment-related experiences
• Reflection on practice
• Self monitoring