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Elements and Performance Criteria

  1. Provide practical support or information on problem gambling and other issues
  2. Provide counselling to clarify personal and systemic issues contributing to client's problem gambling
  3. Work with complexity of client issues to support choice and change
  4. Work with families and significant others
  5. Review client and counselling progress

Required Skills

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

Definition of problem gambling

Understanding of myths chance odds randomness gambling cycle

DSM and pathological gambling

Indicators of problem gambling

Selfexclusion options

Common consequences of gambling

Theories of gambling and range of models and techniques

Harm minimisation strategies directed to current problem gambling behaviour

Understanding individuals experience of gambling including family history culture character issues personality intrapsychic and wider systems meaning purpose function being served exploring multiplicity of organising impulses

Knowledge of role and limitations

Systems eg as one family member changes the whole family system changes

Legal and government regulations

Motivational interviewing

Addressing underlying issues

Addressing cognitive processes

Affect management

Evidencebased practice

Family therapy

Behavioural interventions

Alternative coping strategies

Skills and strengths building

Early intervention or short term programs

Comprehensive and longer care programs

Other therapeutic practices

Essential skills

It is critical that the candidate demonstrate appropriate counselling skills harms minimisation and safety practicalities for clients with problem gambling issues

This includes the ability to

Incorporate the complexity of client issues in counselling

Maintain the therapeutic relationship

Work with people who gamble to harmful levels and with their families and significant others

Review the counselling process

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

Work within role and limitations

Demonstrate effective application of counselling skills

Evidence Required

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 will be most appropriately assessed in the workplace or in a simulated workplace and under the normal range of workplace conditions

It is recommended that assessment or information for assessment will be conducted or gathered over a period of time and cover the normal range of workplace situations and settings

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 andor 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

Resources required for assessment include access to an appropriate workplace or simulation of realistic workplace setting where assessment can take place

Method of 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 andor written questioning on Essential knowledge and skills and consideration of required attitudes

Where performance is not directly observed andor is required to be demonstrated over a period of time andor in a number of locations any evidence should be authenticated by colleagues supervisors clients or other appropriate persons


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.

Relevant and current information may include:

Accurate odds and nature of gambling activities

Cycle of problem gambling

Clients may include:

People who gamble (particularly those who engage in harmful levels of gambling)

Significant others, including partners, families and care-givers, friends and peers

Referral options may include:

Financial counselling

Legal counselling e.g. AVO's

Relationship issues

Family counselling

Self help groups

Group work programs

Local service availability

Medical /psychiatric

Employment

Accommodation

Residential programs

Practical strategies may include:

Self exclusion

Cutting up / deactivating credit cards e.g. freezing in ice

Third party care of personal finances

Implementing direct debits

Avoiding gambling venues

Avoiding gambling friends

Identifying alternative activities to gambling (creating pleasant event schedules, ringing G-line)

Not carrying money or credit cards

Setting boundaries and goals in relation to the problem gambler e.g. partner setting financial boundaries, person setting time limits

Family responsibilities (parenting child safety / protection)

Affect regulation strategies (stress and anxiety management, meditation)

Community involvement, participation and social action practice

Life style issues (life skills, job seeking and training)

Information and support may focus on:

Problem gambling

Financial counselling

Relationship issues

Couples counselling

Self help groups

Group work programs

Legal options e.g. AVOs

Protection of financial options e.g. caveats on assets

Support and self nurturing options

Self management strategies (awareness of enabling)

Responsibility / 'control' / behavioural contingency

Communication and assertiveness strategies

Setting boundaries and goals in relation to the problem gambler

Sector values may include:

Client oriented approach:

delivery of appropriate services

commitment to meeting the needs and upholding the rights of clients

commitment to empowering the client

duty of care

An appropriate framework which considers the effectiveness of treatment options

Processes that will help the gambler overcome their gambling problem

Community health:

promotion of health and well being

early identification of risk factors

early identification of health problems

Seeing gambling in a context of social and physical health

A focus on:

consumer protection, responsible gambling and responsible conduct of gambling

harm minimisation including harm prevention, harm reduction, health promotion and harm management

Confidentiality

Right to withdraw from treatment

Ethical treatment

Informed consent

Right to referral

Child protection

Context of gambling in the life of the client includes:

Culture

Values

Beliefs

Family background

Relationships

Grief and loss

Change processes includes:

Change and change back (maintaining a homeostatic balance - tendency to keep things the same)

Providing information about change

Counselling approaches must include an understanding of the following:

Cognitive processes

Affect management

Evidence-based practice

Underlying issues

Alternative coping strategies

Early intervention or short-term programs

Comprehensive and longer care programs

Skills and 'strengths' building

Intervention strategiesmustinclude understanding ofallthe following and use of one or more:

Evidence-based strategies including:

person-centred and holistic therapies

motivational interviewing

narrative therapy

cognitive behaviour therapy

solution focused/brief therapy

Other therapeutic practices with sound theoretical rationale (e.g. peer reviewed journals) including family therapy and transactional analysis

Understanding of the intervention strategy includes ability to critically review the approach including analysis of literature reviews

Ambivalence refers to:

A client having competing motives e.g. desire to gamble and also to stop gambling

Support family member or significant other includes:

Providing information about problem gambling

Addressing impact of gambling on them

Self protection strategies e.g. financial or safety

Working with family to orient focus from problem gambler to self (family member/s)

Helping them to set boundaries (not rescuing, assertiveness, communication skills, negotiation skills, enabling etc)

Working with the dynamics of couples and families and the impact of gambling

Regular review of client's progress includes:

Identification and acknowledgement of change in gambling and other areas

Review of the counselling process

Review of goals

Review of timelines

Achievement of goals