Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to respond appropriately to client and colleague expressions of grief and deal effectively with personal grief. It involves using appropriate communication techniques and identifying and implementing strategies for assisting grieving clients and colleagues.

Application of the unit 

This unit applies to a wide range of staff and forms part of a basic requirement for all jobs within the funeral services industry.

Prerequisite units 

Nil

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the required performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge and/or the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1

Interact with grieving clients.

1.1

Identify grief responses .

1.2

Respond to grieving clients according to workplace policies and procedures .

1.3

Identify social , cultural and religious differences  that may affect grief responses.

1.4

Identify and apply appropriate communication techniques  and interpersonal skills when responding to grieving clients.

2

Provide support for colleagues in grief situations.

2.1

Identify colleagues experiencing difficulty in coping with grief according to workplace policies and procedures.

2.2

Identify and apply appropriate communication techniques and interpersonal skills to respond to colleague's grief needs.

2.3

Identify and apply strategies for informal grief support .

3

Deal with personal grief.

3.1

Identify personal grief responses.

3.2

Identify and apply strategies for responding to personal grief.

3.3

Identify and access workplace information resources  for meeting staff grief needs.

3.4

Participate in debriefing and peer support sessions with other staff members according to workplace policies and procedures.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills 

• communication skills, including listening and understanding, using language and concepts appropriate to cultural differences, and using and interpreting non-verbal communication to identify and apply appropriate responses to colleagues or clients who may be experiencing grief
• interpersonal skills to relate to people from a range of social, cultural, religious and ethnic backgrounds and with a range of physical and mental abilities
• ability to maintain confidentiality of client and colleague information
• literacy skills to identify and access workplace information resources
• teamwork skills to participate in debriefing and peer support.

Required knowledge 

• physical and emotional manifestations of grief and trauma
• strategies for dealing with grief and trauma
• social, religious and cultural differences and traditions in relation to the expression of grief and trauma
• workplace policies and procedures, in regard to:
• identifying colleagues having difficulty in coping with grief
• maintaining confidentiality of colleagues
• debriefing and peer support systems
• professional funeral services industry parameters and protocols for dealing with grief and trauma.

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit 

Evidence of the following is essential:

• the identification and response to client and colleague grief according to workplace policies and procedures and funeral services industry protocols
• use of appropriate communication techniques with grieving clients and colleagues from a range of social, cultural and religious backgrounds and implementation of strategies for dealing with own grief
• interaction with grieving clients and colleagues on multiple occasions to ensure consistency of performance and ability to respond to different situations.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Assessment must ensure:

• demonstration of skills in an environment where grief reactions can be assessed and appropriate responses applied
• interaction with grieving clients and colleagues
• access to relevant documentation, such as information resources related to grief and trauma.

Methods of assessment 

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

• observation of candidate applying appropriate communication techniques and responses to grief and trauma with clients, colleagues and self
• role play, demonstrating responses to grief and trauma
• written or verbal questioning to assess knowledge and understanding of grief responses
• review of portfolios of evidence and third-party workplace reports of on-the-job performance by the candidate.

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example:

• SIFIND001B Work effectively in the funeral services industry.

Employability skills embedded in this unit should be assessed holistically with other relevant units that make up the skill set or qualification and in the context of the job role.

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. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. 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) may also be included.

Grief responses  may include:

• crying
• fear
• pain
• depression
• anger
• sadness
• disbelief
• denial
• shock
• violence
• humour
• relief
• withdrawal
• confusion.

Workplace policies and procedures  may include:

• codes of conduct
• confidentiality requirements
• frequency of debriefing and peer support sessions.

Social , cultural and religious differences  may include:

• religion of client or colleague
• cultural response to death
• age of deceased person
• relationship of client or colleague to deceased person
• circumstances surrounding the death
• number of losses experienced by client or colleague
• level of family or community support
• existence of family conflict
• health of client or colleague
• disability.

Communication techniques  may include:

• non-verbal language, such as touch or supportive body language
• active listening
• active questioning.

Strategies for informal grief support  may include:

• debriefing
• empathic listening
• conflict resolution
• referral for counselling.

Workplace information resources  may include:

• location and contact details of grief care services
• print references
• videos
• websites
• support groups
• grief care service information.

Sector 

Funeral Services

Competency field 

Working in Industry