Elements and Performance Criteria

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.


Counselling therapies must include:
Cognitive behaviour therapy
Person-centred therapy


Additional elective counselling therapies may include but are not limited to:
Behaviour therapy
Expressive therapies
Family therapy
Gestalt therapy
Narrative therapies
Solution focused therapy
Transactional analysis


Competence should be assessed in relation toat least four client issueswhich may include:
Children/adolescents
Domestic violence
Family issues
Grief and loss
Parenting
Pregnancy
Relationship
Self-esteem
Social isolation
Stress management


Counselling skills may include, but are not limited to:
High level communication skills
Advanced skills in observation, questioning and providing feedback
Appropriate use of micro-skills for influence
Analysis of behaviour to identify and/or clarify underpinning beliefs and values
Accurate note taking in the counselling environment and reflection on counselling interactions
Role modelling
Reflection on own involvement in counselling, including reactions, responses, emotional involvement, objectivity, areas of self-deception and influencing the counselling process


Client issues requiring referral may include, but are not limited to:
Indicators relating to potential:
Child protection issues
Suicide prevention/intervention
Domestic and family violence
Mental health issues
Alcohol and other drugs (AOD) issues

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
Evidence of competence must be demonstrated in relation to at least four client issues, using at least five counselling therapies, which must include:
cognitive behaviour therapy
person-centred therapy
This unit of competency will be assessed in the workplace or in a simulated workplace and under the normal range of workplace conditions
Evidence of competency in this unit will need to be assessed over a period of time in order to gather evidence of performance
This will include contexts applicable to the work environment, such as actual or simulated workplace situations involving a combination of direct, indirect and supplementary forms of evidence
Evidence will be determined by selection from the Range Statement, justified in terms of work requirements, work roles and responsibilities and occupational specialisations


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 delivered and assessed independently, however holistic assessment practice with other community services units of competency is encouraged
Where assessment is conducted within the workplace there are no resource implications above those normally available in the workplace


Method of assessment:
For valid and reliable assessment of this unit, competency should be demonstrated in a range of situations which must include observation of performance in an actual workplace or in a setting that realistically simulates work conditions:
observation should include key aspects described in elements, performance criteria and relevant aspects of the Range Statement of the unit
where face-to-face observation is not possible, video recordings may be provided
In addition assessment methods may include:
written questioning
role play
supervised/guided discussion
candidate's critique of their 'performance' to demonstrate cognitive understanding of theory