Unit of competency details

Unit Descriptor 

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to provide a healing response to expressions of grief, loss and trauma

Application 

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander SEWB workers may apply these skills and knowledge as part of primary health care services

Successful completion of this unit equips Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health Workers to provide support related to social and emotional wellbeing and does not infer that they are qualified counsellors

Pre-requisite unit 

This unit must be assessed after successful achievement of pre-requisite:

• HLTAHW507B Work effectively in social and emotional well being

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 effects of loss , grief and trauma 

1.1 Clarify impact of specific loss , grief and /or trauma  at the individual, family and community level

1.2 Take into account historical impact of loss, grief and trauma on Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people

1.3 Recognise culturally appropriate expressions of loss and grief

1.4 Identify and respect specific approaches and responses of individuals, families and communities to loss, grief and/or trauma

2. Provide a healing response  to loss, grief and/or trauma

2.1 Determine appropriate healing response  to loss, grief and/or trauma in relation to the needs of each situation and the individuals involved

2.2 Provide appropriate support and available resources to assist individuals and families to deal with their loss, grief and/or trauma

2.3 Provide timely referral as appropriate to support ongoing healing in line with the needs of the situation and individuals involved

2.4 Maintain duty of care, confidentiality and cultural protocols

3. Maintain individual and community safety and cultural security in response to trauma

3.1 Recognise effects of stress on individuals and communities in relation to experiences of loss, grief and trauma, including transgenerational trauma and grief

3.2 Identify culturally appropriate strategies for responding to stress at the community, family and individual levels

3.3 Monitor own stress level in relation to working in the area of loss, grief and trauma, including transgenerational trauma and grief and use appropriate stress management strategies

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

This includes knowledge of:

• Concepts of loss and grief
• Nature and effects of psychological trauma
• Effects of spiritual trauma
• Effects of transgenerational trauma and grief
• Effects of colonisation and institutional racism on Aboriginal people
• Cultural protocols and taboos
• Organisational codes of conduct and ethical codes
• Referrals to specialist services
• Indicators of health issues e.g. substance misuse, mental illness
• Statutory responsibilities including duty of care requirements
• Narrative therapy approaches
• Negative effects of stress/stress indicators
• Symptoms of post traumatic stress
• Awareness of own values and attitudes around loss, grief and trauma
• Organisational policies and practices

Essential skills :

It is critical that the candidate demonstrate the ability to:

• Develop culturally appropriate responses to situations of loss, grief and trauma
• Address safety issues effectively

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

This includes the ability to apply skills in:

• Counselling
• Cultural
• Culturally appropriate approaches to therapy
• Communication
• Networking
• Negotiation
• Assessment
• Dealing with cross-cultural issues
• Stress management

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 of assessment :

• The individual being assessed must provide evidence of specified essential knowledge as well as skills
• 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

Conditions of assessment :

This unit includes skills and knowledge specific to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander culture

Assessment must therefore be undertaken by a workplace assessor who has expertise in the unit of competency or who has the current qualification being assessed and who is:

• Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander him/herself

or:

• accompanied and advised by an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person who is a recognised member of the community with experience in primary health care

Context of assessment :

A bush/residential setting is preferred for delivery of this competency to ensure that the participants are able to complete, or work with their colleagues to support their completion of, a healing journey away from external influences such as work or home (though with sufficient proximity to their home to enable them to deal with emergencies that may arise)

The setting will also enable the participants to appreciate and acknowledge the cultural practices and healing of the traditional landowners and traditional healers in the appropriate context

Related units :

This unit may be assessed independently or in conjunction with other units with associated workplace application

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.

Cultural respect 

This competency standard supports the recognition, protection and continued advancement of the inherent rights, cultures and traditions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

It recognises that the improvement of the health status of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people must include attention to physical, spiritual, cultural, emotional and social well being, community capacity and governance

Its application must be culturally sensitive and supportive of traditional healing and health, knowledge and practices

Community control 

Community participation and control in decision-making is essential to all aspects of health work, and the role of the health worker is to support the community in this process

Supervision 

Supervision must be conducted in accordance with prevailing state/territory and organisation legislative and regulatory requirements

References to supervision may include either direct or indirect supervision of work by more experienced workers, supervisors, managers or other health professionals

A person at this level should only  be required to make decisions about clients within the organisation's standard treatment protocols and associated guidelines

Legislative requirements 

Federal, state or territory legislation may impact on workers' practices and responsibilities. Implementation of the competency standards should reflect the legislative framework in which a health worker operates. It is recognised that this may sometimes reduce the application of the Range of Variables in practice. However, assessment in the workplace or through simulation should address all essential skills and knowledge across the Range of Variables

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health Workers may be required to operate in situations that do not constitute 'usual practice' due to lack of resources, remote locations and community needs. As a result, they may need to possess more competencies than described by 'usual practice circumstances'

Under all circumstances, the employer must enable the worker to function within the prevailing legislative framework

Losses may include :

• Loss of family/community member
• Loss through disability/illness
• Loss through miscarriage/abortion
• Loss of culture/language/community/land
• Loss of livelihood/house/possessions
• Loss through incarceration
• Losses incurred through the effects of institutional racism

Trauma may include :

• Physical
• Psychological
• Spiritual
• Emotional (transgenerational)

Communities may include :

• Traditional
• Rural, remote or metropolitan
• Individuals or groups within a community
• People with specified needs

Healing responses may include :

• Individual, family, couple counselling
• Group work
• Involvement of elders
• Community action
• Oral, written, audio-visual resources
• Narrative approach

Resources may include :

• Those of the organisation
• Those acquired from other agencies
• System/support/administration/policy
• Material/financial/facilities/equipment
• Developmental/information/training
• Information technology