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Elements and Performance Criteria

  1. Complete the intake screening process
  2. Undertake the assessment process
  3. Clearly explain the assessment process and how information is used
  4. Clarify the carer’s needs
  5. Apply skills which assist the assessment process
  6. Address own personal factors likely to impact on the assessment process

Required Skills

Essential skills

It is critical that the candidate demonstrate the ability to

Communicate effectively with carersclients supervisors and coworkers

Complete assessment process effectively to determine the carers needs

Demonstrate willingness to work within philosophy policies and procedures of the organisation to address carers needs

Establish priorities manage time effectively and demonstrate welldeveloped personal organisation skills

Identify requirements outside scope of role responsibility knowledge and skill

Maintain documentation as required navigating through multiple data systems including effective use of relevant information technology

Use skills in defusing challenging situations to ensure support and positive outcomes for carers who may be highly stressed

Work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders to achieve organisation goals

In addition the candidate must be able to demonstrate relevant task skills task management skills contingency management skills and jobrole environment skills

These include the ability to

communicate with carers in a representative range of workplace situations and involving

adjusting communication to meet differing needs

providing feedback

strategies to minimise conflict and tensions

using active listening and recognising nonverbal triggers

using language that is respectful nonjudgemental and neutral

Demonstrate skills in

accurate data entry using current assessment tools and technology

developing specific knowledge of the local community

effective communication

information gathering and situation analysis

negotiation

Use oral communication skills language competence required to fulfil job roles as specified by the organisation including

acknowledging and responding to a range of views

active listening

asking for clarification and probing as necessary

asking questions

negotiating solutions

using interviewing techniques

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 is best assessed in the workplace or in a realistic simulated workplace setting under the normal range of workplace conditions

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 culturally and linguistically diverse CALD environments

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 essential for assessment include

relevant assessment tool for assessment and data collection

workplace health and safety WHS guidelines

relevant organisation and legislative guidelines standards and procedures

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 competency 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

Related units

This unit should be assessed in conjunction with the following related unit

CHCRCPA Support carers to access information and services

CHCRCP403A Support carers to access information and services

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.

Intake screening process includes:

Collection of personal data about the carer

Collection of required minimum data

Determination of eligibility of service

Establishment of next steps for assessment

Identification of priority for assessment

Referral to another service

Level of assessment refers to:

Quick assessment for emergency situations

Shallow and broad assessment process which includes broad, general questions of all the assessment domains

In-depth assessment includes specific exploration of identified domains

Assessment process may require the use of tools which may include:

ACCNA-R

Caregiver Reaction Assessment scale (CRA)

Carer Strain Index (CSI)

K10

Self Rated Burden scale (SRB)

Zarit

Organisation or state specific assessment tools:

service coordination tool template (SCOTT)

ongoing needs identification tool (ONI)

Carers with special needsinclude but are not limited to:

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and CALD carers

Carers who have cognitive impairment

Carers who have hearing impairment

Carers with dementia

Carers with mental health problems

Carers with a speech impediment or decreased verbal communication

Carers living in rural and remote locations

Carers who may have experienced social exclusion and/or trauma

Carer’s needs may include:

Advocacy

Case management

Counselling

Guided referral for other service

Information on available services

Respite services (direct and indirect)

Complex care issues may include but are not limited to:

Abusive situations by either the carer or care recipient

Behaviours of concern by the care recipient

CALD issues

Family dynamics

Hidden carers

High-level support needed for the care recipient

Situations where the needs of the carer and care recipient are in conflict

Young carers

Identify and prioritise the carer’s need for a service includes taking into account:

Adequacy of available respite to the carer

How much time the carer needs to spend caring

Increasing needs of the care recipient

Level of the carer emotional stress/strain (using a screening tool)

Number of care recipients being cared for

Other informal and formal support available or currently provided

Presence of other events affecting the carer’s capacity to care

Reason the carer has made contact

Special difficulties, including behaviours of concern

Whether early intervention or education and training may significantly reduce the risk of serious deterioration or future crisis

Whether the carer has physical or mental exhaustion or illness (using a screening tool)

Whether the carer’s health is deteriorating

Active listening skills may include:

Appropriate brief encouragers which help the carer relate their story and concerns

Balancing the frequency of questions

Hearing the carer’s concerns

Paraphrasing (reflection of content)

Recognising when higher levels of care may be indicated

Reflection of feelings ,thoughts, behaviours and experience (content)

Summarising and closure

Understanding the carer’s context

Using open and closed questions to expand or clarify understanding

Empoweringrelationshipmay include:

Active listening

Avoid use of labelling

Exploring options and potential consequences with the carer

Facilitating informed carer choices

Focus the carer on identifying immediate needs and concerns

Identify achievable tasks to be addressed after the assessment

Identifying and affirming carer’s strengths and opportunities

Reframing, summary and closure

Strategies for dealing with strong carer emotionsand stressful situations include:

Awareness of personal vulnerabilities which may be triggered during an assessment process

Containment skills

Debriefing

Externalise carer emotions

Managing tone, pitch and pace of voice

Seeking advice from supervisor

Range of effective self-care strategies may include:

Constructive feedback about assessment skills

Debriefing and defusing

Knowing when and how to ask for back-up/support

Recognition and processing of assessment-related experiences

Reflection on practice

Self monitoring