Elements and Performance Criteria

Advocacy on behalf of the child may be directed to:
Other workers
Parents
Schools
Management of services
Family members
Community members
Government departments

Rights include:
Right to be heard and believed
Continuity of care
A safe environment
To be accepted
Freedom from criminal acts
Protection from abuse
Protection of their property
Freedom from discrimination

Needs include:
Health
Emotional and psychological well being
Social participation and development
Development of skills and abilities
Development of personal and cultural identity
Safety

Concerns include:
Troubles and issues expressed by the child such as unmet needs, worries, family problems, practical difficulties and social issues

Stereotypes include those in relation to:
Disabilities
Gender
Culture and race
Familial expectations
Cultural expectations about children's place/abilities
Family structure/composition
Appearance

Challenging stereotyping may be via:
Allaying concerns based on misunderstanding
Providing information to parents and others about the range of expectations about children
Interpreting children's behaviour in a different way

Critical aspects of assessment:
Demonstrated ability to advocate or promote the rights and needs of children

Essential knowledge:
Statements of rights
Advocacy approach and advocacy services including self advocacy approach
Awareness of discriminatory actions
An understanding of the vulnerability of children to exploitation
Referral procedures
Empowerment principles and strategies
Organisational standards, policies and procedures

Essential skills:
High level of communication skills in listening, focusing, empathy, negotiating, probing, clarifying information, providing clear information, influencing, assertiveness
Responsiveness and sensitivity to child's concerns, rights and responsibilities
Problem solving skills
Seeking of appropriate advice
Sensitivity to parent's concerns, rights and responsibilities

Resource implications:

Assessment requires access to a range of opportunities defined in the Range Statement. This includes:

A childcare workplace
Access to children's services, resources and equipment
Access to the local environment

Consistency in performance:
Consistency in performance is best assessed for a range of age groups, a small range of advocacy issues and over a number of assessment situations

Context of assessment:
This unit is best assessed in the workplace or in a realistic simulated workplace setting under the normal range of workplace conditions