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

This unit is best assessed in the workplace or in a simulated workplace under the normal of range conditions

Assessment should be gathered on one or more occasions but must reflect the normal range of client situations encountered in the workplace

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 assessed independently, however holistic assessment practice with other community services units of competency is encouraged

Method of assessment:

Consistent performance and development would be expected to be demonstrated involving a combination of oral and written tasks while also featuring simulated and actual practice
Examples might include:

group exercises

written (e.g. journal) and verbal responses to questioning

simulated exercises

Related units:

This unit is recommended to be assessed in conjunction with related unit:

CHCCS426A Provide support and care relating to loss and grief

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

These include knowledge of:

Distinctive features of suicide bereavement and related issues

Recognition of the impact of trauma

Principles of working with persons bereaved by suicide (including bereavement and suicide prevention)

Awareness of how suicide bereavement can impact the health and well being of an individual

Awareness of how the presence of a mental illness in an individual before a suicide can complicate reactions to loss and grief of those bereaved

Differences and boundaries among education, support and therapeutic approaches

Knowledge at the jurisdictional level of police and coronial procedures and those of other relevant agencies

Health promotional approach to adversity including the awareness and value of community capacity building

Understanding of the impact of lifespan and developmental issues on reactions to suicide bereavement e.g. children, the elderly

Awareness of the Mindframe guidelines

Awareness of National and State/territory suicide prevention strategies and frameworks

Knowledge and use of evidence-based approaches to suicide bereavement support

Essential skills:

It is critical that the candidate demonstrate the ability to:

Take proactive measures that facilitate early access to suicide bereavement support when required

Address needs of the individual, family and community in planning to deal with the aftermath of suicide, including the identification of external support agencies as well as individual strengths

Apply intervention responses to address elevated suicide risk, and other risk taking behaviours, and increase safety

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

These include the ability to:

Apply verbal and non-verbal approaches to effectively deal with and respond to each individual

Use effective communication skills, including:

use empathic listening skills

use appropriate communication techniques to respond to individual needs

provide information clearly and sensitively

obtain feedback to confirm understanding

Maintain documentation as required, including effective use of relevant information technology in line with occupational health and safety (OHS) guidelines

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.

Features of suicide loss may include:

Feelings of rejection, abandonment and blaming

Feelings of remorse, guilt and responsibility

Feelings of anger and/or helplessness

Feelings of relief

Feelings of stigma and shame (depending on cultural context)

Denial

The need to understand why the search for motive and acceptance when there may not be a motive

Difficulty acknowledging the cause of death

Fear of hereditary susceptibility

Loss of basic trust

Loss of sense of safety

Increased risk of suicide

Trauma

Support for those bereaved by suicide may include:

Individual grief counselling

Group grief counselling

Self-help support group

Psycho-educational support group

Social network

Recognised telephone and web-based counselling services

Psychological services

Mental health services

Suicide prevention services

Pastoral/spiritual care support

Education approaches may include:

Information about aspects such as

psychological processes

practical needs

coping strategies

emotional needs

physical needs

social needs

spiritual needs

Support approaches may include:

Psychological support

Emotional support

Therapeutic methods

Health promotional support including community capacity building approach

Therapeutic approaches may include but are not limited to:

Therapeutic methods such as

rational emotive therapy

systematic desensitisation

person-centred therapy

group therapy

Principles of working with persons bereaved by suicide may include:

'Above all, do no harm'

Duty of care

Confidentiality and privacy

Cultural safety

Sensitivity and respect

Acceptance and non-judgement

'Rights of Persons bereaved by suicide'

Risk management

Needs of the individual, family and community may include:

Information about general grief and loss theory

Information about grief versus trauma

Understanding of individuality of grief

Understanding of cultural diversity in grief and loss

Statistics about suicide and suicide bereavement

Information about possible cognitive restrictions of the individual

Dealing with stigma (psychosocial, legal and religious) and isolation

Understanding of feelings of rejection, abandonment and blame

Understanding of feelings of remorse, guilt and responsibility

Understanding of feelings of anger and/or helplessness

Understanding of feelings of relief

Understanding of feelings of stigma and shame (depending on cultural context)

Understanding the need to understand why the search for motive and acceptance that there may not be a motive

Dealing with denial

Dealing with difficulty acknowledging the cause of death

Dealing with fear of hereditary susceptibility

Dealing with contagion

Working with family dynamics

Understanding loss of basic trust and loss of sense of safety

Assessing increased risk of suicide and other risk taking behaviours

Logistical and legal issues

Information about coping strategies and interpersonal tactics

Acknowledging strengths

Supporting therapeutic process of hope

Working towards resilience and integration

Developing potential for growth

Lifespan approach to suicide prevention

A continuum of care

Identifying individual strengths

Lifespan and developmental issues may include:

Children's development level

Adolescents

Elderly

Intellectual disabilities

Developmental disabilities

External support agencies may include, but are not limited to:

Coroner's office

Housing services

Financial management services

Funeral services

Legal services

Translation services

24 hour crisis services

Recognised telephone and web-based counselling services

Grief counselling services

Psychological services

Disability services

Domestic and family violence services

Aboriginal health services

Emergency services

Mental health services

Mental health community teams

Suicide prevention services

Government agencies such as Veterans' Affairs

Use and power of language and communication refers to:

Reactions to specific words such as 'committed suicide'

Suicide prevention and post-vention skills and intervention responses may include:

Identifying warning signs

Risk assessment

Counselling skills

Intervention responses

Engaging people

Life sustaining actions

Helping actions

Protective factors

Developing safety plans

Self care strategies may include:

Personal management and self monitoring

Supervision

Follow up support and defusing

Reflection on practice

Recognition of negative emotions and well being

Peer support

Ongoing professional development and formal training

Knowing when and how to ask for back up support