Elements and Performance Criteria
- Elements define the essential outcomes
- Establish and maintain effective relationships with mental health carers
- Use lived experience to establish and maintain a safe and positive working relationship with other carers
- Clarify role of carer peer worker at initial engagement to clarify role expectations and define appropriate relationship guidelines
- Build effective communication strategies to clarify meaning and build a working relationship based on shared understanding
- Discuss with the carer their needs and goals, identify supports and using a strengths based approach address these needs
- Collaborate with the carer to establish a carer support plan
- Facilitate access to resources and information
- Provide information about opportunities and strategies for carers to achieve their preferred support
- Provide information, resources and education on a range of matters relating to carer, family and natural supports
- Maintain accurate information and regularly review for currency and relevance
- Compile carer developed resources and literature for access by service users and staff
- Provide support and services
- Use strategies to ensure all interactions with carers uphold the principles and practices of peer work
- Collaborate with carers and relevant others to ensure that individual and cultural needs are addressed
- Collaborate with carers to ensure appropriate levels and opportunities for carer consultation
- Facilitate and support carer networks and represent carer perspectives
- Respond promptly and supportively to carers in distress or crisis, in accordance with duty of care and organisation policies and procedures
- Complete documentation, records of service and reports as this applies to carer peer work
- Follow organisation’s policy and procedures, particularly in relation to code of conduct, ethics, duty of care, record keeping, confidentiality and privacy, as this applies to carer peer work
- Identify and minimise role strain, role conflict and role confusion issues in a timely way
- Maintain boundaries appropriate to the delivery of peer delivered services
- Work collaboratively with other staff
- Discuss limits of own knowledge, abilities and work role and make appropriate referrals in accordance with organisation’s policy and procedures
- Work collaboratively with other service staff and mental health workers to support holistic and seamless services
- Contribute to policy development about peer issues
- Promote the service and peer work to other workers