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.


Causes of incidents may include actions and events from:
Others which jeopardises the safety and well being of clients, colleagues and others with in the work environment
History of alleged or substantiated issues of child protection nature
History of domestic and family violence
Actual or potential violent behaviour
Incidents of self-harm and suicidal behaviour
Inappropriate expressions of intense anger and/or fear
Unauthorised entry to services
Hostage taking
Bomb threats to individuals and/or services
Threats of intimidation
Engaging hostile involuntary clients


Assess these for relevance to safety may include:
Obtaining information about individuals or group posing threats or hostility
Ensuring children and other vulnerable client groups are able to be easily and immediately removed from potential or real crisis situations
Determining the most appropriate and accessible escape exits in a crisis
Identifying the need for additional staff is required to ensure safety of individuals
Awareness of immediate environment and indicators of crisis situations as listed above.
Analysing communication exchanges and behaviours of clients to determine levels of risks


Information on potential responses may include:
Separating parties in conflict
Defusing strategies:
talking with individuals in a calm manner
modelling negotiation
empathising
adopting silence where appropriate
Engaging specialist service interventions, eg, mental health services, drug and alcohol services
Seeking emergency services, e.g. ambulance, fire or police services
Cultural support specialists, e.g. elders, ministers of religions
Using communication skills including:
listening and understanding
speaking clearly and directly
persuading effectively
being appropriately assertive
negotiating responsively


Assistance may include:
Contacting support for the client or colleague affected by the incident e.g. significant others, emergency services, other services providers
Facilitating referrals to other services
Assisting with writing incident reports
Assisting the client to exit real or potential risk situations


Reports may include:
Incident reports as determined by the organisations policies on critical incidents
Workplace Health and Safety reports relating to relevant legislation
Witness reports for legal action
Observational reports to contribute policy revision


Provide debriefing and support may include:
Ensuring colleagues and clients have opportunity to talk through a structured debriefing process individually or in team environment
Allowing workers to self select timeout when required to ensure effective practices following a critical incident
Assisting workers to access external support services post critical incidents
Providing a list of potential services for individuals to access appropriate debriefing
Monitoring and providing peer support to workers affected by critical incidents

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
Observation of workplace performance is essential for assessment of this unit. however, simulated workplace assessment is acceptable
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 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:
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 competence 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 workplace settings, any evidence should be authenticated by colleagues, supervisors, clients or other appropriate persons


Method of assessment:
Observation in the workplace where possible together with one or more of the following:
written assignments/projects or questioning should be used to assess knowledge
case study and scenario as a basis for discussion of issues and strategies to contribute to best practice
The assessment environment should not disadvantage the candidate
Assessment practices should take into account any relevant language or cultural issues related to Aboriginality, gender or language barriers other than English
Where the candidate has a disability, reasonable adjustment may be applied during assessment
Language and literacy demands of the assessment task should not be higher than those of the work role