Community
Services
CHCHCS001 – Provide home and
community support services –
Resource
CHC33015 Certificate
III in Individual
Support
© Apex Training Institute #RTO 32100 1
CHCHCS001 – Provide home and community support services
CHC33015 Certificate III in Individual Support
Developed by:
© Apex Training Institute #RTO 32100 2
CHCHCS001 – Provide home and community support services
CHC33015 Certificate III in Individual Support
T A B L E O F C O N T E NT S
TABLE OF CONTENTS ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….2
COURSE INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..5
ABOUT THIS GUIDE……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 5
ABOUT ASSESSMENT……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 5
ELEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE CRITERIA ………………………………………………………………………………………7
EVIDENCE REQUIREMENTS ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….9
KNOWLEDGE EVIDENCE ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 9
PERFORMANCE EVIDENCE ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 10
ASSESSMENT CONDITIONS ………………………………………………………………………………………………………..11
PRE-REQUISITES ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………11
TOPIC 1 – DETERMINE REQUIREMENTS OF INDIVIDUAL PLAN……………………………………………………………12
READ AND INTERPRET INDIVIDUAL PLAN, GOALS AND CONFIRM REQUIRED EQUIPMENT, PROCESSES AND
AIDS ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..12
CONFIRM PURPOSE AND TIME OF VISIT WITH THE RELEVANT PERSON AND PREPARE EQUIPMENT,
RESOURCES AND/OR DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE VISIT AND CONTINGENCIES………14
TOPIC 2 – ESTABLISH RELATIONSHIP IN THE HOME………………………………………………………………………….15
FOLLOW ORGANISATION’S PROCEDURES TO ASSURE THE PERSON OF YOUR IDENTITY BEFORE ENTERING THE
HOUSE AND COMMUNICATE WITH THE PERSON TO PROVIDE INFORMATION, CLARIFY PURPOSE OF VISIT
AND CONFIRM THE PERSON’S CONSENT ………………………………………………………………………………………15
COMMUNICATION ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 15
PROVIDE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PERSON TO IDENTIFY AND EXPRESS ANY ISSUES OR CONCERNS IN
RELATION TO THE VISIT AND/OR ASSOCIATED MATTERS …………………………………………………………………18
GATHERING FEEDBACK FROM CLIENT’S ………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 18
ENGAGE APPROPRIATELY WITH OTHERS IN THE PLACE OF RESIDENCE IN ACCORDANCE WITH ORGANISATION
POLICIES ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..20
DIGNITY ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 20
CHECK FOR HAZARDS TO OWN AND OTHERS’ HEALTH AND SAFETY AND IMPLEMENT CONTROLS TO MANAGE
RISK………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………22
REMAIN AWARE OF OWN PERSONAL SAFETY AT ALL TIMES ………………………………………………………………………………… 24
WHEN DOES VIOLENCE OCCUR………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 26
IDENTIFYING SOURCES OF VIOLENCE………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 26
RISK REDUCTION STRATEGIES………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 27
TOPIC 3 – OPERATE RESPECTFULLY IN THE HOME ……………………………………………………………………………28
NEGOTIATE HOW TO BEST IMPLEMENT THE INDIVIDUAL PLAN TO SUIT THE PERSON WITHIN ORGANISATION
PROCEDURES AND RESPECTING THAT THE WORK SETTING IS THE PERSON’S HOME AND PERSONAL SPACE .28
COMPLY WITH DUTY OF CARE REQUIREMENTS OF ROLE IN RELATION TO THE PERSON AND ANY OTHER
PEOPLE ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….29
WHAT IS THE DUTY OF CARE? …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 29
RECOGNISING WHEN A DUTY OF CARE EXISTS ……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 29
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CHCHCS001 – Provide home and community support services
CHC33015 Certificate III in Individual Support
CONSEQUENCES OF BREACHING A DUTY OF CARE…………………………………………………………………………………………… 30
THE DUTY OF CARE FOR CARERS IN AGED CARE/COMMUNITY SERVICES …………………………………………………………………. 30
PROVING A DUTY OF CARE EXISTS …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 31
PROVING A BREACH OF THE DUTY OF CARE ………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 32
HARM OR LOSS………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 32
DIGNITY OF RISK ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 32
FULFILLING DUTY OF CARE RESPONSIBILITIES ………………………………………………………………………………………………… 33
FORESEEABLE INJURY …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 33
SERIOUSNESS OF THE INJURY ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 34
VALUES OF WORKERS…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 34
DOING WHAT IS REASONABLE TO AVOID INJURY…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 34
SUPPORTING PEOPLE TO CONFRONT RISKS SAFELY………………………………………………………………………………………….. 35
SAFEGUARDING OTHERS FROM INJURY ………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 35
ROLE OF AGENCY POLICY AND PROCEDURE ………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 35
IF YOU ARE UNSURE ABOUT YOUR DUTY OF CARE RESPONSIBILITIES………………………………………………………………………. 36
DEMONSTRATE RESPECT AND SENSITIVITY TOWARD THE PERSON AND THEIR PLACE OF RESIDENCE ………..37
DEAL WITH ETHICAL DILEMMAS, BEHAVIOURS OF CONCERN, POSSIBLE ABUSE AND/OR NEGLECT IN
ACCORDANCE WITH RELEVANT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES …………………………………………………………….40
CONFIDENTIALITY ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 42
IMPORTANCE OF CONFIDENTIALITY …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 43
LEGISLATION GOVERNING CONFIDENTIALITY ………………………………………………………………………………………………… 44
Health Administration Act 1982…………………………………………………………………………………………………… 44
EXCEPTIONS TO THE GENERAL RULE OF CONFIDENTIALITY …………………………………………………………………………………. 44
BEHAVIOURS OF CONCERN…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 45
IDENTIFYING ‘TRIGGERS’…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 46
STRATEGIES FOR MANAGING CHALLENGING BEHAVIOUR …………………………………………………………………… 46
ABUSE …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 48
TYPES OF ABUSE…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 48
Observed abuse…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 48
Reported abuse …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 48
Suspected abuse………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 48
Domestic violence ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 49
Neglect …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 49
Physical abuse …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 50
Restraints and restricted practices……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 50
Sexual assault……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 51
Emotional abuse………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 52
Financial abuse………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 53
Systemic abuse ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 54
RECOGNISING SIGNS THAT MAY BE INDICATORS OF ABUSE …………………………………………………………………. 54
MAINTAIN CONFIDENTIALITY IN ACCORDANCE WITH LEGISLATION AND ORGANISATION POLICY AND
PROCEDURES ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….57
MAINTAINING CONFIDENTIALITY ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 57
TOPIC 4 – COMPLETE REPORTING AND DOCUMENTATION………………………………………………………………..59
COMPLY WITH THE ORGANISATION’S REPORTING REQUIREMENTS, INCLUDING REPORTING OBSERVATIONS
TO SUPERVISOR ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………59
COMPLETE AND MAINTAIN DOCUMENTATION ACCORDING TO ORGANISATION POLICY AND PROTOCOLS
AND USING TECHNOLOGY REQUIRED IN THE WORKPLACE ……………………………………………………………….61
ENSURE ANY ARRANGEMENTS FOR FOLLOW UP VISITS ARE RECORDED AND IMPLEMENTED ………………….62
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CHCHCS001 – Provide home and community support services
CHC33015 Certificate III in Individual Support
SUMMARY ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..63
REFERENCES……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………64
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CHCHCS001 – Provide home and community support services
CHC33015 Certificate III in Individual Support
C O U R SE I N T R O D U C T I O N
ABOUT THIS GUIDE
This learner guide covers one unit of competency that is part of the Course Code and
Name Training Package:
 CHCHCS001 – Provide home and community support services
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to work in a home support
environment and community settings with individuals, family members, staff, visitors,
suppliers and others to meet established work requirements.
This unit applies to workers in a community services context. Work performed requires
some discretion and judgement and is carried out under regular direct or indirect
supervision.
The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and
State/Territory legislation, Australian/New Zealand standards and industry codes of
practice.
ABOUT ASSESSMENT
This guide contains a range of learning activities which support you in developing your
competence. To apply this knowledge to your assessment, you will be required to
complete the assessment tools that are included in your program. The assessment is a
competency based assessment, which has no pass or fail; you are either competent or
not yet competent. Not Yet Competent basically means that you still are in the process of
understanding and acquiring the skills and knowledge required to be marked
competent.
For valid and reliable assessment of this unit, a range of assessment methods will be
used to assess practical skills and knowledge.
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CHCHCS001 – Provide home and community support services
CHC33015 Certificate III in Individual Support
Your assessment may be conducted through a combination of the following methods:

 	Third-party reports from a supervisor Practical demonstration of your skills in a classroom situation
	Projects and assignments
	Portfolio of evidence
	Written or verbal questioning to assess knowledge and understanding of business policies and procedures Oral presentation

	A combination of these methods

The assessment tool for this unit should be completed within the specified time period
following the delivery of the unit. If you feel you are not yet ready for assessment,
discuss this with your trainer.
To be successful in this unit you will need to be able to join your learning to your
workplace, this should be achievable for those who are employed and for those who are
not yet employed and you will be required to use observations of examples that can take
place in a workplace environment.
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CHCHCS001 – Provide home and community support services
CHC33015 Certificate III in Individual Support
E L E M E N T S A N D P E R F O R M A NC E
C R I T E R I A

1. Determine requirements of individual plan	1.1 Read and interpret individual plan, goals and confirm required equipment, processes and aids 1.2 Confirm purpose and time of visit with the relevant person 1.3 Prepare equipment, resources and/or documents required for the purpose of the visit and contingencies
2. Establish relationship in the home	2.1 Follow organisation’s procedures to assure the person of your identity before entering the house 2.2 Communicate with the person to provide information, clarify purpose of visit and confirm the person’s consent 2.3 Provide opportunity for the person to identify and express any issues or concerns in relation to the visit and/or associated matters 2.4 Engage appropriately with others in the place of residence in accordance with organisation policies 2.5 Check for hazards to own and others’ health and safety and implement controls to manage risk
3. Operate respectfully in the home	3.1 Negotiate how to best implement the individual plan to suit the person within organisation procedures and respecting that the work setting is the person’s home and personal space 3.2 Comply with duty of care requirements of role in relation to the person and any other people 3.3 Demonstrate respect and sensitivity toward the person and their place of residence 3.4 Deal with ethical dilemmas, behaviours of concern, possible abuse and/or neglect in accordance with relevant policies and procedures

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CHCHCS001 – Provide home and community support services
CHC33015 Certificate III in Individual Support

3.5 Maintain confidentiality in accordance with legislation and organisation policy and procedures
4. Complete reporting and documentation	4.1 Comply with the organisation’s reporting requirements, including reporting observations to supervisor 4.2 Complete and maintain documentation according to organisation policy and protocols and using technology required in the workplace 4.3 Ensure any arrangements for follow up visits are recorded and implemented

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CHCHCS001 – Provide home and community support services
CHC33015 Certificate III in Individual Support
E V I D E N C E R E Q U I R E M E N T S
This describes the essential requirements and their level required for this unit.
KNOWLEDGE EVIDENCE
The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively
complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage tasks
and manage contingencies in the context of the work role. This includes knowledge of:

	Legal and ethical considerations for providing home and community services, including:

o codes of practice
o basic home fire safety and associated state/territory smoke alarm
legislation
o dignity of risk
o duty of care
o privacy, confidentiality and disclosure
o practice standards
o work role boundaries – responsibilities and limitations
o work health and safety

	Relevant organisation policies and procedures and how to access them, including risk management practices when the work environment is a person’s home Personal and property security procedures, including personal security protocols and equipment Relevant policy and programs, including:



o home and community care (HACC)
o Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA)
o government community care directions
 Implications for work in the sector including:
o person-centred practice
o consumer-directed care
o empowerment and disempowerment
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CHCHCS001 – Provide home and community support services
CHC33015 Certificate III in Individual Support
 Indicators of abuse and/or neglect, including:
o physical
o sexual
o psychological
o emotional
o financial
PERFORMANCE EVIDENCE
The candidate must show evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements
and performance criteria of this unit, manage tasks and manage contingencies in the
context of the job role. There must be evidence that the candidate has:

	Provided services to individual/s in at least 2 different home or community support settings Used appropriate inter-personal skills: o establishing a positive relationship with the individual


o seeking clarification of tasks
o interpreting and following instructions
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CHCHCS001 – Provide home and community support services
CHC33015 Certificate III in Individual Support
A S SE S SM E N T C O N D I T I O N S
Skills must have been demonstrated in an ageing support workplace with the addition of
simulations and scenarios where the full range of contexts and situations have not been
provided in the workplace. These are situations relating to emergency or unplanned
procedures where assessment in these circumstances would be unsafe, impractical or
threatens the dignity of the person. The following conditions must be met for this unit:
 Use of suitable facilities, equipment and resources, including:
o individualised plans and any relevant equipment outlined in the plan
o personal protective equipment
o relevant organisation policies and procedures
Overall, assessment must involve workplace interactions with people in their home,
colleagues, families/carers and working with the person’s individualised plan.
Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs)
2015/AQTF mandatory competency requirements for assessors.
P R E – R E Q U I SI T E S
This unit must be assessed after the following pre-requisite unit:
There are no pre-requisites for this unit.
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CHCHCS001 – Provide home and community support services
CHC33015 Certificate III in Individual Support
T O P I C 1 – D E T E R M I N E
R E Q U I R E M E N T S O F I N D I VI D U A L P L A N
READ AND INTERPRET INDIVIDUAL PLAN, GOALS AND CONFIRM
REQUIRED EQUIPMENT, PROCESSES AND AIDS
When you start working with a new person in their own home you will first need to
locate, read and interpret the individual plan for each person. The indicidual plan
outlines what the client’s needs are, what part you will play in providing those needs
and what methods you will use to provide them.
It will also outline the types of equipment and aids you will need to use. In most part you
will be providing assistance with daily living activities.
Activities of daily life refer to tasks of daily life such as eating, drinking, dressing,
bathing, hygiene, meal preparation, housekeeping and other personal and/or domestic
tasks.1
Providing the appropriate assistance and equipment can play a significant role in
supporting the independence of the older person or a person with a disability. There is a
wide range of items available. Some are relatively inexpensive and can be independently
purchased from stores or online. Other items of equipment are complex and expensive
and require individualised and specialised fitting and instruction. There is a lot of
interest and development in new technologies to assist in providing care and support to
an ageing and disabled population. To be effective in improving capacity for
independent living, equipment and advice about correct use need to suit each individual
and their circumstances. Given the range of items available, there is also a range of
solutions to getting the correct advice.
Community service workers can facilitate the use of living equipment in a range of ways.
For example, by:

	Assembling equipment as required
	Observing and discussing tasks that a person may find difficult

1 http://www.mav.asn.au/policy-services/social-community/ageing/home-communitycare/Related%20documents%20%20HACC%20Easy%20Living/HACC%20Easy%20Living%20Equipme
nt%20guide.docx.
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CHCHCS001 – Provide home and community support services
CHC33015 Certificate III in Individual Support

	Identifying tasks for which easy living equipment may be helpful
	Providing information and demonstrating the correct use of easy living equipment Assisting with purchase or supply Prompting, encouraging, motivating and monitoring the use of easy living equipment
 

For the older person or person with a disability, everyday tasks, such as opening a jar or
tin of food, drying feet, putting on socks or stockings, or performing cleaning tasks may
become increasingly challenging. The reduced ability to undertake domestic and
household tasks, maintain personal care, or prepare food is often a catalyst for a referral
to Home and Community Care (HACC) services. Promoting the use of easy living
equipment is about assisting people to overcome challenges and maintain their
independence to the greatest extent possible. In some cases, it may also reduce the need
for services.2
Equipment that may be suggested by the support worker in relation to assisting the
person in care with their activities of daily living may be in relation to issues such as:

	Domestic and household cleaning
  	Bathroom and personal care Kitchen and meal preparation Recreational and household items

One of the roles of the support worker is to assist in making it easier for the person in
care to achieve and maintain their independence as much as possible. When doing so
they must ensure that they are doing so within the scope off their work. Apart of the
service they provide, they may wish to suggest specialist referrals to the client so to the
appropriate support can be provided.
2 http://docs2.health.vic.gov.au/docs/doc/DE51FCD348B39D74CA257D7F001515EC/$FILE/e…
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CHCHCS001 – Provide home and community support services
CHC33015 Certificate III in Individual Support
CONFIRM PURPOSE AND TIME OF VISIT WITH THE RELEVANT
PERSON AND PREPARE EQUIPMENT, RESOURCES AND/OR
DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE VISIT AND
CONTINGENCIES
Prior to arriving at your client’s home you will need to confirm the following:

	Time of expected arrival – please ensure you are on time, clients can become anxious upon late arrival Address at which you are to provide services – always make sure you know the correct address, you do not look professional if you turn up at the wrong address Required equipment – make sure you have all equipment on hand, you cannot complete your job if you do not have the right equipment Documentation required – documentation is important to have on hand, if




you do not have it you are relying on your memory when you return to your
office.

	Resources required – make sure you have all resources available and with you, this may include bandaging, cleaning agents or medication requirements Any other pre-requisites


Always make sure you are prepared when you arrive, this gives your client a sense of
confidence in your ability to perform your tasks as required. Clients can become
distressed and feel you are incompetent which reflects badly on your organisation.
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CHCHCS001 – Provide home and community support services
CHC33015 Certificate III in Individual Support
T O P I C 2 – E ST A B L I S H R E L A T I O N SH I P
I N T H E H O M E
FOLLOW ORGANISATION’S PROCEDURES TO ASSURE THE
PERSON OF YOUR IDENTITY BEFORE ENTERING THE HOUSE AND
COMMUNICATE WITH THE PERSON TO PROVIDE INFORMATION,
CLARIFY PURPOSE OF VISIT AND CONFIRM THE PERSON’S
CONSENT
When commencing work with a new client there will always be the first time you enter
their home. To assure them that you are who you say you are you should follow your
organisations procedures for entering their home.
In most cases you will be provided with an identity card that can be shown to the client
upon arrival. It will have your name and the name of the organisation that you work for
on it along with a photo of you. This is generally enough to reassure your client of your
safe entry into the home.
COMMUNICATION
Effective communication helps us better understand a person or situation and enables
us to resolve differences, build trust and respect, and create environments where
creative ideas, problem solving, affection, and caring can flourish. It is also a valuable
tool in assisting you to diffuse potentially difficult situations. As simple as
communication seems, much of what we try to communicate to others—and what
others try to communicate to us—gets misunderstood, which can cause conflict and
frustration in personal and professional relationships. By learning these effective
communication skills, you can better connect with your clients and coworkers.
Communicating effectively includes:

	Effective use of questioning, speaking, and listening and non-verbal communication techniques Identifying and evaluating what is occurring within an interaction in a non judgmental way Making decisions about appropriate words, behaviour, posture Using clarifying, summarising questions Putting together a response that is culturally appropriate

  

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CHCHCS001 – Provide home and community support services
CHC33015 Certificate III in Individual Support

 	Expressing an individual perspective Expressing own philosophy, ideology and background and exploring the impact of this on the communication Exploring and unpacking problems

	Using active and reflective listening appropriately
	Providing sufficient time to enable stories to be told
	Providing summarising and reflective responses in conflict situations
	Confirming that required information is accessed or message communicated

In the information age, we have to send, receive, and process huge numbers of messages
every day. But effective communication is about more than just exchanging information;
it’s about understanding the emotion behind the information. Effective communication
can improve relationships at home, work, and in social situations by deepening your
connections to others and improving teamwork, decision-making, and problem solving.
It enables you to communicate even negative or difficult messages without creating
conflict or destroying trust. Effective communication combines a set of skills including
nonverbal communication, attentive listening, the ability to manage stress in the
moment, and the capacity to recognise and understand your own emotions and those of
the person you’re communicating with.
While effective communication is a learned skill, it is more effective when it’s
spontaneous rather than formulaic. A speech that is read, for example, rarely has the
same impact as a speech that’s delivered (or appears to be delivered) spontaneously. Of
course, it takes time and effort to develop these skills and become an effective
communicator. The more effort and practice you put in, the more instinctive and
spontaneous your communication skills will become.3 Simply effective communication
includes these things:
 Active listening – Active listening is a communication technique which
requires the listener to feed back what they hear to the speaker, by way of restating or paraphrasing what they have heard in their own words, to confirm
what they have heard and moreover, to confirm the understanding of both
parties
 Appropriate communication aids – A communication aid helps a person to
communicate more effectively with those around them; these aids range from
simple letter boards to sophisticated pieces of computer equipment
3 http://www.helpguide.org/mental/effective_communication_skills.htm
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CHCHCS001 – Provide home and community support services
CHC33015 Certificate III in Individual Support
 Appropriate modes of communication – There are 4 main types of
communication they are as follows; dialogue or verbal communication,
nonverbal communication, visual communication and other types of
communication
 Appropriate tone and presentation – communicated through gesture, body
language or posture; facial expression and eye contact, object communication
such as clothing, hairstyles or even architecture, or symbols and infographics,
as well as through an aggregate of the above, such as behavioral
communication
 Observation – Observation helps understand the effectiveness of
communication, this is because Body Language (part of non-verbal
communication) is instinctive and more reliable than verbal communication
in many cases
 Providing appropriate and accurate information – The ability to communicate
information accurately, clearly and as intended, is a vital life skill and
something that should not be overlooked
The way you interact with your clients and staff will determine how your clients
perceive you, your business and your products or services. It is imperative that you
promote your company at every turn and this doesn’t necessarily only involve times
when you are meeting clients. When consulting or interacting with clients you need to
take into account the cultural and personal factors that may be involved.
Communicating across cultures is challenging. Each culture has set rules that its
members take for granted. Few of us are aware of our own cultural biases because
cultural imprinting is begun at a very early age. And while some of a culture’s
knowledge, rules, beliefs, values, phobias, and anxieties are taught explicitly, most of the
information is absorbed subconsciously.
We are all individuals, and no two people belonging to the same culture are guaranteed
to respond in exactly the same way. However, generalisations are valid to the extent that
they provide clues on what you will most likely encounter when dealing with members
of a particular culture.4
4 https://www.asme.org/engineering-topics/articles/business-communication/communicating-acrosscultures?cm_sp=Business%20Communication-_-Feataured%20Articles-_-
Communicating%20Across%20Cultures
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CHCHCS001 – Provide home and community support services
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PROVIDE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PERSON TO IDENTIFY AND
EXPRESS ANY ISSUES OR CONCERNS IN RELATION TO THE VISIT
AND/OR ASSOCIATED MATTERS
There will be times when your client’s feel a little unsettled about some part of their
plan. You should always consider their perspective in relation to the visits and how they
feel.
There are many ways of doing this and the most basic is just ask them.
They may feel comfortable enough to converse with you about how they are feeling and
you may get an honest answer but probably the best way is to provide them with a
feedback form that they can either pass back to you or if they feel more comfortable
they can post it back.
GATHERING FEEDBACK FROM CLIENT’S
It will be necessary to collect feedback from clients’ on a regular basis as a standard
organisational procedure on the adequacy of the service delivery that they have
received. This information will then need to be used to revise and improve service
delivery arrangements that are provided to the community.
A range of different methods should be used to collect feedback on the adequacy of
services provided; these methods must be systematic and be in line with organisational
policy and procedure.
Feedback from clients can be collected using a series of different methods including:
 Discussions
 Focus Groups
 Surveys
 Direct Questioning
 Review documentation
 Feedback reports
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CHC33015 Certificate III in Individual Support
There are two main types of feedback data that can be collected, and these are:
 Quantitative feedback: Collects data in the form of numbers. This means that
aspects can be measured and expressed in numbers as
percentages or ratios. Quantitative Research tells us
‘how many’, ‘how much’, ‘to what extent’ or ‘what size’
something is.
 Qualitative feedback: Collects exploratory data, it asks a variety of carefully
planned questions that seek the underlying reasons,
opinions and motivation behind different actions and
situations.
All the information will need to be compiled into workable sections and measured
against the organisations goals and objectives in relation to client service. This
information is critical in the design and creation of appropriate policies and actions
plans that suit the clients and meets the purpose that they were designed for.
Successful analysis on the feedback that you have gathered will inform on different
aspects of the client service delivery platforms and can assist in determining what about
the services offered and clients suits the needs of the clients as intended.
It is also important that your target audience understands the purpose of the
consultation and feedback process to ensure that information collected during the
review is in a manageable and useful format.
It is essential that the results from the feedback collection are used to make positive
change and ensure that the community services organisations are continuously
improving the services that are supplied to clients in line with the feedback collected.
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CHCHCS001 – Provide home and community support services
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ENGAGE APPROPRIATELY WITH OTHERS IN THE PLACE OF
RESIDENCE IN ACCORDANCE WITH ORGANISATION POLICIES
There are a number of benefits of working within the community; one of those benefits
would be that you can meet a range of people from different culture, origins, and
backgrounds.
It is important that no matter what the background of the individual that you show them
the respect that you would want yourself to be shown:
The background could include:

	Age
	Gender
	Sexual orientation
	Political views
	Race
	Religion
	Disability

DIGNITY
All persons have a right;

	To be treated fairly regardless of age, gender, racial or ethnic background, disability or other status, and to be valued independently of their economic contributions To live in dignity and security and to be free of exploitation and physical or mental abuse To exercise personal autonomy in health care decision making, including the
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right to die with dignity by assenting to or rejecting treatment designed solely
to prolong life5
5 http://www.sa.agedrights.asn.au/residential_care/preventing_elder_abuse/rights_of_older_person
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Every client has the right to their privacy and dignity. This includes demonstrating the
utmost respect for the client, their belongings, their information and their body. Your
organisation will have strict policies on the storage of client information and who the
case can be discussed with. At times, you may need to share aspects of the client’s health
status or care needs with others in the health care team. At all times, this must be done
in a respectful manner and only the relevant facts revealed.
Where family members or other clients make enquiries about a client be polite but do
not reveal personal information. Consider your own position and how you would feel
about your personal information being shared with your family and friends without
your consent.
At all times whilst you are in their home, remember just that! You are in their home and
they deserve to be treated fairly and with respect and dignity.
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CHECK FOR HAZARDS TO OWN AND OTHERS’ HEALTH AND
SAFETY AND IMPLEMENT CONTROLS TO MANAGE RISK
Throughout the course of your work, you may encounter situations that present
workplace hazards. These hazards have the potential to cause a risk of harm to yourself,
your co-workers and your clients. The community services worker needs to be alert to
the presence of these hazard in order to maintain the health and safety of all people they
work with.
Aspects of the hazard identification process in your work include, observing changes in
the environment, the behaviour of the staff and clients, and the equipment you are
working with. When a hazard is identified, it is the responsibility of the worker to
eliminate or at least reduce the hazard within the scope of their role and notify the
appropriate personnel.
A hazard may be defined as, ‘anything (including work practices or procedures) that has
the potential to harm the health or safety of a person’.
Hazards can be grouped into five broad areas:

    

Physical e.g. Noise, radiation, light, vibration Chemical e.g. Poisons, dusts Biological e.g. Viruses, plants, parasites Mechanical/electrical e.g. Slips, trips and falls, tools, electrical equipment Psychological e.g. Fatigue, violence, bullying

Hazards can arise from:

	The work environment
	The use of machinery and substances
	Poor work design
	Inappropriate systems and procedures

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Examples of workplace hazards include:

        	Work environment e.g. Floor surfaces, noise, temperature Machinery Heat e.g. Burns and scalds Electricity e.g. Electrocution Harassment e.g. Bullying and/or violence Hazardous substances e.g. Chemicals, fumes Biological waste Skin penetrating injuries e.g. Knife or syringe injuries Noise
 	Confined space Manual handling e.g. Pushing, pulling, carrying, lifting6

Community service workers must be vigilant to potential threats that may arise from
interaction with:
 Clients

	Families and significant others
	Members of the public

Working safely in community services entails adhering to the following practices:

	Performing safe work practices as provided by procedures, policies, regulations, and codes of practice Adopting safe and healthy work practices

	Eliminating and minimising hazards to that may jeopardise the health and safety of all people in the workplace Reporting hazards to the appropriate personnel e.g. supervisors Following the instructions of your supervisors Reporting and documentation of accidents, and incidents according to policies and procedures
  

6 https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/vetinschools/documents/OHS/Unit2/Unit2OHS.doc.
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Carefully observing the changes and hazards in your workplace, an implementing the
appropriate changes means that you will effectively contribute to a safer and healthier
environment for everyone.
REMAIN AWARE OF OWN PERSONAL SAFETY AT ALL TIMES
When working in community services, you will frequently be in contact with a wide
variety of clients, with an equally diverse range of behavioural patterns. As well as
having to be aware of the hazards that your working environment may present, you
must also ensure your own personal safety when interacting with other people.
Community service workers are particularly at risk of injury and harm from the
behaviour of their clients because they often work with high risk client groups and a lot
of their work is carried out in less predictable environments (for example, the client’s
home). Clients can be aggressive and even violent at times.
Factors that may contribute to workplace violence include:

   	Poor management of mental illness antisocial/ borderline personality traits Neurological disorders, head injuries Confusion, disorientation or dementia Epilepsy
 	Drug and alcohol withdrawal Clients feeling powerless or ignored (e.g. Perceived delays or poor quality service) Frustration from requests that are not adequately handled Difficulty communicating humiliation, rejection Anxiety
  
	Homophobia
	Racism

Violent acts may include:

 	Verbal abuse, in person or over the telephone Written abuse
	Bullying and harassment

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	Spitting
	Stalking
   	Threats Ganging up, bullying and intimidation Physical or sexual assault Malicious damage to the property of staff, clients or the organisation

Some organisations will have violence prevention and management policies and these
should be followed by employees at all times. Employees have a duty to report incidents
in writing and to their supervisor and comply with organisational procedures to control
the risk of violence.
The possibility of an aggressive outburst exists when working closely with people and
so care needs to be taken. Workers should not be wary of the people they are assisting
or accept other workers’ statements without question, that aggression is part of any
disability. You must treat everybody as an individual.
Aggression is a typical human behaviour that results from a person’s reaction to other
people, their environment, past experiences or poor social skills.
Everyone is capable of an aggressive outburst with the most common causes being
frustration or fear. Workers can be the target for an individual’s frustration or fear.
Frustration results most frequently when an individual is unable to achieve a goal,
cannot perform the task you have asked them to do, want to leave a situation but are
required to wait etc.
A variety of behaviours including increased volume of speech are associated with
frustration. The person may rock from side to side and make sudden explosive actions
such as banging their fist on walls, tables or the palm of their hand. Everybody has their
own unique pattern of signals to let you know their tolerance is being stretched. Speech
frequently becomes louder as the frustration increases along with increasing colour in
the face.
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In these situations you should assist the person to regain self-control and find
alternatives to achieve their goal. Encourage the person to slow down their physical
behaviour, sit down, take a deep breath, or pause so you can find out and deal with what
is bothering them.
Miscommunication is also a source of increasing frustration. The need for effective
communication skills when assisting people with their personal care is a vital element of
care provision and preventing aggressive incidents.
WHEN DOES VIOLENCE OCCUR

	Work – Violence at work may be internal to work or external. Violence may be verbal, physical and psychological Dissatisfaction with a service – It is generally experienced by staff providing social services Disturbed people – Includes violence committed by those with a mental or intellectual impairment. Workers in health and community services are particularly vulnerable Domestic violence – Violence may also occur in an extremely disturbing social setting, for example, domestic setting, marriage break up Drug related – violence may occur by people under the influence of drugs (including alcohol) or as a result of withdrawal Occupational violence – Refers to violence occurring between any people at work and includes bullying, abuse of power, isolation, etc. Indirect violence – Indirect violence refers to a situation that is witnessed by a
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person; that is, a third party but not actually involved
IDENTIFYING SOURCES OF VIOLENCE
Identify the tasks, work areas, instances and environments where employees or others
are likely to be exposed to some form of violence. Procedures for identification may
include:
Performing a workplace violence audit:
 Review existing accident and incident reports
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 Gather additional information from people at the workplace on current or
potential incidents
 Gather information from the industry on potential incidents
 Provide information to staff to increase awareness of violence and to
encourage reporting of incidents
 Provide a confidential method of reporting violent incidents
From your violence audit you will need to:

	Analyse information gathered on violent incidents to assess the underlying cause of the violent behaviour Group those incidents which have similar features, e.g. Place, time of incident, who was involved, possible causes and outcome The details may show a pattern of violence or threats, which will help in developing preventive measures Regularly review the effectiveness of violence control strategies. Assess changes to the workplace for their potential to make a violent occurrence




more likely. Consultation with workplace participants is likely to lead to a
more comprehensive result
RISK REDUCTION STRATEGIES
While control measures may reduce the potential for violence, it can still occur. Being
prepared for a violent incident can reduce the effects of the violence, particularly the
long- term effects of trauma which may result. Developing procedures to reduce the
number and severity of violent incidents can help to make the workplace a safer and
healthier place for employers, employees and visitors.
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T O P I C 3 – O P E R A T E R E SP E C T F U L L Y I N
T H E H O M E
NEGOTIATE HOW TO BEST IMPLEMENT THE INDIVIDUAL PLAN
TO SUIT THE PERSON WITHIN ORGANISATION PROCEDURES
AND RESPECTING THAT THE WORK SETTING IS THE PERSON’S
HOME AND PERSONAL SPACE
Working in someone’s home is very different to them coming to your place of work.
People’s private lives are there for you to see. Some people cope well with the invasion
of their personal space and others not so well. When you work in their home you need
to show respect for the way they live and make no judgments’.
If one of your roles is to do some housework for them then you must do this the way
they would like it done. To deliberately set about doing a task your way in spite of the
clients request is to show them disrespect and should never be done.
If the client doesn’t care or isn’t fussed about your method of cleaning or when you put
things then it is fine to complete the tasks in any way you see fit. If the client does care
then you must do it their way and not deviate from their procedures and methods.
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COMPLY WITH DUTY OF CARE REQUIREMENTS OF ROLE IN
RELATION TO THE PERSON AND ANY OTHER PEOPLE
WHAT IS THE DUTY OF CARE?
The fundamental obligation that anyone working in aged care, whatever the type of
service and whatever their role, is to keep the older person safe.7
Family of clients in care of course share this concern and priority. The legal term duty of
care refers to this obligation and has major implications for the organisation and
operation of services. It is interesting to look at duty of care not only as it applies to aged
care but also in a broader context.
For example, teachers have responsibility for their students, parents for their children
and employers for their employees. However, the responsibility extends beyond people
in authority in some situations.
RECOGNISING WHEN A DUTY OF CARE EXISTS
One of the difficulties in trying to work out when a duty of care exists is that courts
always do it with the benefit of hindsight. Whether a duty of care is owed or not very
much depends on the facts of the matter, including the positions of the people involved.
For example, an expert giving advice to a non-expert can be expected to have a duty of
care to the non-expert.
The expert is considered to have superior knowledge and the non-expert rightfully
expects to be able to rely on that superior knowledge. The expert thus assumes a duty of
care in giving the advice and, if that advice is given negligently and without care, then he
or she can expect a court to find that the duty of care has been breached.
7 http://www.studymode.com/essays/Duty-Of-Care-890126.html
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CONSEQUENCES OF BREACHING A DUTY OF CARE
Historically, a breach of a duty of care, once proved, generally leads to damages being
awarded to the injured party. In Australia, damages tend to be awarded only to
compensate the injured party for their actual financial loss. In the United States,
however, the level of damages awarded is often much greater. In courts in the United
States juries are able to penalise defendants in cases where a duty of care has been
breached by awarding what is called exemplary damages. The reasoning behind such
awards is that they will discourage others from breaching their duty of care. Fortunately
for most defendants in Australia, exemplary damages are almost unheard of and
damages are awarded only by judges, not Juries.
THE DUTY OF CARE FOR CARERS IN AGED CARE/COMMUNITY SERVICES
It is obvious that carers in aged care owe a duty of care to the clients in their care.
Trained carers are seen as experts, although this varies depending on the level and
extent of their training and qualifications. Clients rely on their carers to ensure that they
are properly cared for. It is not just clients to whom the duty is owed, but also their
families. Families expect that carers will use their expertise to care for their family
appropriately.
When a resident/client moves into residential or community care services, the intended
care to be given is known and agreed to. The law expects that the agreed care will be
delivered with the required skill and at a level of competence equal to the needs of the
individual. You, as a trainee care worker and the organisation have a duty of care to the
individual entering your care.
It is the responsibility of the organisation to make sure the people they hire to care for
the resident/client can carry out the care to the required level. It is also the
responsibility of the employee to let the supervisor/manager of the organisation know if
they feel they are unable to effectively and safely carry out that care, for whatever
reason.
As a staff member who is employed to give care and support to older people, your
responsibilities and duty of care to the residents/clients are that you ‘must do
everything reasonable that you can, to ensure that there are as few as possible
infringements of any residents/clients ’rights’.’ The key word here is reasonable.
Whilst at work you will need to consider your duty of care. In considering your duty of
care you should ask yourself the following questions:
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 	Am I in a situation where the resident is relying on me to be careful? Is it reasonable to believe that this resident/client, or other people, could suffer harm or injury if I am not careful? Have I done everything that any reasonable person would/could do in this situation? Am I complying with all laws, regulations and standards that govern this situation and require exercise of a duty of care?



Negligence is a failure to take reasonable care to avoid causing injury or loss to another
person. There are four steps in proving negligence. These are

 	That there is a duty in the circumstances to take care (duty of care) What is the standard of care which a reasonable person would meet in the circumstances (standard of care) That the behaviour or inaction of the defendant in the circumstances did not meet the standard of care (breach of duty) That the plaintiff has, as a result, suffered injury or a loss which a reasonable person in the circumstances could have been expected to foresee (damage)



Where a duty of care is not exercised (as a reasonable person may be expected to
exercise it) and harm comes to the resident/client, then the resident/client may bring a
charge of negligence against the employee and the employer. The resident/client may
seek compensation for any loss of quality of life that results. Where the intent has been
malicious, a charge under criminal law may be required to be answered in court.
PROVING A DUTY OF CARE EXISTS
Before any claim for negligence or breach of duty of care can be upheld by a court, the
court must first be convinced that a duty of care existed. The court takes into account all
the circumstances and tries to determine what a reasonable person would have
expected in those circumstances. Of course, the court has the benefit of hindsight, but
the aim is to look at the circumstances as if the outcome was not known, which is
difficult. It is much easier to understand what a reasonable person would have expected
when all the facts are known.
Proving a duty of care existed is reasonably easy in aged care, particularly when a client
suffers an injury. As indicated above, the more needs of the client the higher the level of
duty of care and the more likely a court is to find that a duty of care exists.
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PROVING A BREACH OF THE DUTY OF CARE
The next step after it has been established that there is a duty of care is proving that it
was breached. To do this, the person making the claim must show that the carer has
been negligent in some way in observing the duty of care. Again, courts will look at what
a reasonable person would have done in the circumstances, and the circumstances are
looked at with the benefit of hindsight.
Carers have to make sure that they comply with obligations set out in agreements with
the sponsor, scheme or service, contracts with a client, legislation and licensing
regulations as well as any obligations which can be implied simply because of the duty
of care owed to the client. Failure to comply with written or implied obligations makes
proving that there has been a breach of the duty of care very easy.
HARM OR LOSS
If someone is going to sue a worker for negligence, a harm or loss has to happen. A
worker is only deemed legally liable if a client is injured whilst in their care, if it can be
proven that the worker has been negligent. This depends on a number of factors, such as
whether:

	The worker owed the client a duty of care
 	The injury suffered by the client was reasonably foreseeable The worker failed to take reasonable care to prevent the injury from occurring The harm was a direct result of the breach of duty


Increasingly however, courts are disregarding the need for people to be responsible for
their own actions and are awarding damages to claimants without any real
acknowledgement of the part their own negligence has played in contributing to their
loss.
DIGNITY OF RISK
Associated with duty of care is the concept of dignity of risk. Dignity of risk refers to a
person’s right to experience all that life has to offer, such as learning a new skill or
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taking part in an activity that may entail some element of risk, but has benefits that
might include gaining greater self-esteem and independence.
Most people with disabilities wish to lead lives which are as close as possible to that of
people who do not have a disability and this inevitably involves taking some risks.
Courts and the law of negligence do not, therefore, expect disability workers to shield
their clients from all possible risks. They do, however, expect workers to take
reasonable care (to be sensible and cautious) in their work.
This concept arises out of the key principles of the Disability Services Act. For example
‘People with disabilities have the same rights as other members of Australian society to
realise their individual capacities for physical, social, emotional and intellectual
development’ (Parsons, 1997). It can, however, pose concerns and dilemmas for staff.
Value clashes between clients and workers also can play a role here as well.8
FULFILLING DUTY OF CARE RESPONSIBILITIES
Fulfilling duty of care responsibilities involves ensuring that adequate care is taken to
avoid injury. To do this, keep the following things in mind.
FORESEEABLE INJURY
Regarding assessing a certain activity or situation for foreseeable injury to a client or
others, keep in mind:

	Prior knowledge of the person and their capacities
  	The dangers of the situation The person’s awareness of risks Assessments/reports regarding the person’s needs and vulnerabilities

You may have a client that wants to do something that, on quick reflection, seems
dangerous (such as a person with a disability abseiling), however, when you look more
closely at their capabilities and their awareness of the risk involved, with certain
precautions it may be quite possible to minimise the risks with appropriate care.
8
https://sielearning.tafensw.edu.au/MCS/CHCAOD402A/chcaod402a_csw/knowledge/duty_of_care/duty_
of_care.htm
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SERIOUSNESS OF THE INJURY
Regarding assessing the likelihood of a potentially serious injury to a client, keep in
mind the potential seriousness of the injury, even where the likelihood of it occurring
might seem quite remote.
For example, a client who has a life-threatening allergy to eating shellfish needs to have
care taken at all times, even if the chances of them eating shellfish are remote (e.g. it is
never on the menu at the group home).
The service should always be mindful that, in the rare event the client did come into
contact with the food, their life would be at risk and thus take all precautions (such as
have adrenalin on the premises to reverse the effect of the allergy).
VALUES OF WORKERS
In making an assessment of foreseeable risks and benefits of an activity for a client:

 	Always be aware of how staff values can influence a service’s definition of risk Operate from the value base of the client
	Make sure the client has access to information and support that will enable them to make decisions and to form their own values

For example, you have a client with a disability who wants to visit a prostitute. A worker
could come up with all sorts of risk issues if they had a personal bias against payment
for sex.9
DOING WHAT IS REASONABLE TO AVOID INJURY
9
https://sielearning.tafensw.edu.au/MCS/CHCAOD402A/chcaod402a_csw/knowledge/duty_of_care/duty_
of_care.htm
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In looking for ways to adjust activities or situations when necessary to minimise
foreseeable harm, consider:

 	Placing the least restriction on client’s rights Compromising the rights of as few people as possible

For example, if you have a client who is violent, you may need to curtail their access to
certain areas of a group home without supervision, but that shouldn’t mean other
residents should have their access restricted.
SUPPORTING PEOPLE TO CONFRONT RISKS SAFELY
To help balance foreseeable harm with benefits of an activity or situation, aim to
empower clients to take control over and responsibility for the situations, including the
risks, with which they are confronted.
For example, if a client wants to move out of home and he requires support for daily
living, encourage them to identify the potential risks and develop strategies to overcome
them.
SAFEGUARDING OTHERS FROM INJURY
Remember that in your assessment of potential harm occurring duty of care does extend
to other consumers and members of the public.
For example, if you take a client who has challenging behaviours on an outing to the city,
you must take precautions, with adequate supervision to ensure that no member of the
public is harmed in any way.
ROLE OF AGENCY POLICY AND PROCEDURE
Agencies in the aged care/community service should always ensure that there is a
clearly written policy and procedure, which enables staff to understand and perform
their duty of care. Policy will vary according to the target group and agency context, but
should include the following points:
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 Encourage consumers, staff and significant others (such as parents and
carers) to work together to cooperatively develop strategies and identify
solutions for challenging duty of care issues
 Ensure that staff receive appropriate, relevant training and support to
perform their duty of care
The following points are an example of what may be incorporated into a policy and
procedure in relation to duty of care.

	All employees need access to orientation training and induction that includes information about duty of care. Employees need to seek advice and support from internal or external professionals to deal with issues that challenge duty of care and dignity of risk. Appropriate documentation relating to daily duty of care responsibilities should be maintained at all times (e.g. case notes). Information should be given to clients, staff, volunteers and significant others
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about considerations involved in evaluating duty of care issues. This should
include information identifying duty of care obligations and the client’s right
to experience and learn from risk taking.

	Ensure that clients participate in decisions regarding their care arrangements and life style choices. Issues relating to duty of care must be discussed with a manager or supervisor


As you can see, the thrust of duty of care policy is to collaborate with the relevant people
involved and to be mindful of accountability and client rights.
IF YOU ARE UNSURE ABOUT YOUR DUTY OF CARE RESPONSIBILITIES
Duty of care is a complex and grey area of responsibility in the aged care/community
services area. Short of being able to see the future, there is very little that you can do to
be able to predict whether a person will or will not injure themselves if they carry out a
certain activity.
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To help you, you should take into account a range of factors, such as:

	What you already know of that person’s capacities to carry out similar tasks safely What you know of the person’s awareness of what risks might be involved and of how these can be avoided What you know of the dangers involved in the activity and of how equipped the person is to deal with these should they arise What you can learn from previous relevant assessments or reports regarding the person, their vulnerabilities and their skills.
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Make sure that you involve:
 The client
 Any significant others
 Management
The above are important in the decision-making process, it is important that you
document the action that have been decided on, either in case notes or in the form of a
report, if appropriate. REMEMBER, you are accountable, as a professional worker, for
the decisions that you make.
DEMONSTRATE RESPECT AND SENSITIVITY TOWARD THE
PERSON AND THEIR PLACE OF RESIDENCE
When communicating with clients and colleagues it is essential to respect the rights of
the individual. All organisations, staff and clients must comply with legislation,
regulations and statutory requirements relevant to:

    

The prevention of discrimination Anti-harassment Privacy (national privacy legislation and principles) Equal employment opportunity (EEO) Freedom of information

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	Access and equity
	Social justice

Information regarding the complying with above when working in the disability sector
can be found in the following documents:
 The Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006
 The Children youth and Families Act 2005
 The Disability discrimination Act 1992
 The Equal Opportunity Act 1995
 The Guardianship and Administration Act 1986
Under the Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006, the charter
has four principles relating to people with disabilities:
Freedom – Having the freedom to:

	Make decisions and choices that affect them
	Make decisions at a time and place that is convenient to them
	Make choices other people agree with

Respect – Being respected for:

  	The decisions that are made The requirements and information needed to make a decision The way that decisions are communicated
	The fact that a person can change their mind

Equality – Being treated equally by being able to:

	Make decisions no matter who they are, where they live or whatever their ability

Dignity – Being afforded the dignity to:
 Make decisions without having to ask permission from anyone else
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 Make decisions without having to tell any other people about personal
business
 Participate fully in decisions that affect them10
Like all other people, your clients have the right to express their opinions on legislation,
policies and empowerment. After all, the legislation and policies made, regardless of
whether they relate directly to disability will most likely have some effect upon their
lives. For this reason, they should be encouraged to express their opinions.
Some of the issues that might have an effect on people with a disability include:

	Buildings, roads, transport and public facilities like schools, housing, hospitals, clinics and workplaces Information, communications and other services, including electronic services like the internet and emergency services Public services such as education and healthcare, public institutions such as the justice system and courts and other public activities such as voting and advocacy Employment An adequate standard of living, including adequate food, clothing and housing In-home, residential and other community support services, or
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	Mobility aids, assistive devices and technologies designed for people with disabilities11

People with disabilities have the same rights as people without disabilities. This needs
to be respected at all times when you are communicating with the clients you work with
and other staff members. It is important to respect their individual differences and
ensure that they are treated accordingly.
10http://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/690680/dsd_cis_supporting_decision_making_
0212.pdf.
11http://www.ag.gov.au/RightsAndProtections/HumanRights/PublicSectorGuidanceSheets/Pages/Rights
ofpeoplewithdisability.aspx.
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As well as your clients, it is also important to demonstrate respect for other carers and
colleagues that you work with.
Because of the complexity and diversity of tasks a carer encounters both in the
workplace and in the home environment, they need to be recognised, valued and
respected. A carer will often have the best perspective of the needs of the individual and
therefore be invaluable in the planning of their on-going care.
Carers spend many hours providing for the needs of people and subsequently develop a
‘real-world’ knowledge of the individual. Carers may become the advocate for an
individual, and over time establish a trusting relationship. In these cases there may be a
sharing of information that might not otherwise be shared with other people. This
sharing of information means that the carer often as the best insight as to what
provision of services might be most beneficial to the person with a disability.
Some of the tasks performed when caring for clients may be complex in nature,
requiring specialised skills. These skills may require specific training and education in
order to provide the care needed to meet the needs of the individual. For these reasons
carers need to be recognised, valued and respected for who they are and what they do.
DEAL WITH ETHICAL DILEMMAS, BEHAVIOURS OF CONCERN,
POSSIBLE ABUSE AND/OR NEGLECT IN ACCORDANCE WITH
RELEVANT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
It is important for workers in community service roles to have clear understandings of
what their Duty of care and other legal responsibilities are. It is of equal importance that
they fulfil these responsibilities while practicing their professions or fulfilling their work
roles. Upon accepting any community service role in Australia, one must accept the
responsibility for upholding their duties of care and all other relevant legislation that
may apply to their own work role. It is monumental importance that each worker
understands that he or she is personally accountable for his or her own actions in
relation to their role.
Duty of care is one’s legal obligation to take reasonable care to prevent others from
being harmed. This means that if a worker identifies something that could reasonably be
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considered to be a risk, then that employee must, in response take reasonable action to
eliminate that risk.
Responsibilities of duty of care extend from workers to employers and even beyond the
organisation that they work within. Parties that are responsible for building that are
used to provide services to clients, as well as vehicle to transport them all, have duty of
care responsibilities in relation to the role of community service workers.
It is the responsibility of community workers to know what their duty of care
responsibilities are. If an employer meets their obligation to do everything in reason to
make their workers aware of their duty of care, it is then the responsibility of the
worker to be aware duty of care responsibilities, and be accountable for his or her own
actions.
The legal responsibilities and obligations of a role within the realm of community
services include key rafts of international, federal and local legislation which are
required by law to be followed by all employees in that role. Following these pieces of
legislation is essential to successfully carrying out the roles to which they pertain. It is
important to follow them closely, not just to perform well in one’s role, but also to avoid
any legal liability that may result in them not being followed. These legal ramifications
may be aimed directly at the employee as well as the organisation that employs them.
Despite the fact that these responsibilities and obligations may seem to be somewhat
daunting, they should be viewed also as helpful guidelines for the Role to which they
pertain. The guidelines not only form a framework for employees to work within, but
also act to protect the employees from disciplinary or legal charges that could be raised
against them.
The following Acts are relevant to community services:
 Adoption Act of 2000
 Children and young person (Care and Protection) Act 1998
 Community Services (Complaints, Reviews and Monitoring) Act 1993
 Community Welfare Act 1987
It is important that you discuss any difficulties with your legal and ethical
responsibilities with your supervisor.
Commented [AB1]:
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CONFIDENTIALITY
Confidentiality is the protection of personal information. Exercising confidentiality
involves keeping client information between the client and the relevant persons
providing care and services to the client. It is the responsibility of all people working in
community services to ensure that confidentiality is maintained at all times.
The following are examples of maintaining confidentiality:

	Not sharing client information with others not working with the client
	Ensuring that client details are stored when they cannot be accessed by unauthorised persons e.g. Making sure that files are locked and secure Making sure that any information disclosed is done so with the express permission of the client Not sharing medical details without consent Not sharing financial details without consent

 

Examples of confidential information may be:

	Personal details such as name and address
	Family or next of kin details
	Bank or finance details
	Medical records or results
	Care plans
	Progress notes
	Individualised plans
	Incident reports
	Legal information
	Letters or other correspondence

 

Confidentiality refers to the obligation of data custodians (agencies that collect information) to keep the confidential information they are entrusted with secret. This obligation is recognised in the Privacy Act 1988. The obligation to protect confidential information is also reflected in legislation governing the collection, use and dissemination of information for specific government activities. Examples include the

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Social Security (Administration) Act 1999, the Taxation Administration Act 1953, and the Census and Statistics Act 1905 (see examples below). Penalties apply if the secrecy provisions set out in these Acts are breached. As well as the requirements set out in legislation, obligations to protect a person’s or organisation’s identity and privacy are also outlined in government policies and principles. These provide advice on the protocols and procedures required to manage information safely. ‘High Level Principles for Data Integration Involving Commonwealth Data for Statistical and Research Purposes’ is one example of a set of principle-based obligations for Commonwealth government agencies.12

IMPORTANCE OF CONFIDENTIALITY
Maintaining confidentiality is important for numerous reasons. One of the critical
aspects of confidentiality is that it allows for a bond of trust to be established between
the client, the worker and the organisation as a whole. Once this trust is established, the
client is more likely to freely share important information which will benefit the
provision of their care.
When gathering information from the client, it is ideally done directly with the client. If
there is the necessity to gather information from other sources, for example, family
members or other agencies, then this should be done with the consent of the client. The
client should never feel that information is being collected from their back.
Privacy is essential in order to maintain confidentiality. When discussing personal
matters with the client, it should be done in an environment which is quiet and discreet.
Discussions about client matters should only take place in the workplace and should
never be audible to the general public. The client’s details should never be discussed
with anyone without their consent.
It is essential that all staff respect the confidentiality of the client at all times. Respect for
client confidentiality and staff personal information should be a high priority for all
community services to comply with legislation that governs disclosure of information.
All organisations associated with the care and services delivered to the client need to
have policies and procedures in place that provide guidelines for workers. Appropriate
worker behaviour can also be incorporated into a code of conduct.
12 http://www.nss.gov.au/nss/home.nsf/pages/Confidentiality+-
+the+obligation+to+protect+identity+and+privacy
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LEGISLATION GOVERNING CONFIDENTIALITY
All community service workers need to be aware that there are State and Federal laws
that cover confidentiality. The following Acts relate to privacy and confidentiality of
clients.
HEALTH ADMINISTRATION ACT 1982
The Health Administration Act relates to any information that is provided or recorded
within the health system. It stipulates that information cannot be disclosed, without the
consent of the person to whom the information relates or for the purpose of legal
proceedings, such as a court order or subpoena that allows access to health information
on a client.
EXCEPTIONS TO THE GENERAL RULE OF CONFIDENTIALITY
There are few exceptions to the general rule of confidentiality, and they all have a legal
basis. These include:

	If the client tells you they have committed a serious crime
	If the client is a child and is being abused or is at risk of abuse
 	If you are concerned that the client might harm themselves or someone else If a child is under the age of 16 years, and especially under the age of 14, parents legally have the right to know what happens in counselling Making records available to the police if they have a warrant to inspect documents Making information available in the case of suspected or confirmed physical or sexual abuse Responding to a summons or subpoena



	Responding to a request for freedom of information legislation

There may be instances where a community services organisation has the responsibility
to override the client’s right to keep information private. An example of such a situation
would be seeking information for as subpoena for court proceedings.
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BEHAVIOURS OF CONCERN
Your clients are certain to display challenging behaviour from time to time and this can
prove difficult to manage. Behaviour management is, therefore, a common issue in care
environments.
Those with additional needs may display challenging behaviour on a more frequent
basis for a variety of reasons. Sometimes a characteristic of a particular condition
means that the client cannot always control their behaviour or communicate their needs
and emotions in an appropriate way.
As with many issues, behaviour management needs to be individual. Yet there are
several common strategies that can assist educators to manage challenging behaviour
with children who have additional needs.
Conditions such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum
Disorders (ASD), Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) and Oppositional Defiance
Disorder (ODD) can lead to challenging behaviour. When a child with one or more of
these conditions is in a group care environment the behaviour can be particularly
challenging for educators to manage.
Behaviour associated with ADHD and ODD may include:

	Inattention (when a child is easily distracted and is unable to focus on one thing) Impulsive behaviour, fidgeting and squirming Interrupting or having difficulty waiting
 
	Frustration or temper tantrums
	Distracting other children during activities
	Violent behaviour toward others

ASD is a term used to describe autistic disorder, Asperger’s disorder and pervasive
developmental disorder – not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) also known as atypical
autism. Behaviour associated with ASD can include:

  

Becoming upset during transition times Appearing to ignore you Difficulty paying attention in group activities

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	Refusal to participate in some activities, for example, handwashing, painting, meal times Difficulty following instructions

	Having temper tantrums
 	Engaging in repetitive behaviour Sensitivity to sound, touch or large groups

IDENTIFYING ‘TRIGGERS’
The reasons why a client may display a certain behaviour will vary, and the strategies
used to manage this behaviour should also vary. It is important to remember that all
clients are individuals and what works with one client may not work with another.
During your observations of a client, you may notice a pattern emerging. This pattern
may occur at a certain time of the day or during a certain activity that appears
consistent with the challenging behaviour.
These consistencies are ‘triggers’ or ‘warning signs’ of inappropriate behaviour. Once
this pattern is identified, it will assist you to develop an individual behaviour
management plan. This should be done in conjunction with the client’s family and any
other professionals who may be working with them. Where possible, record the
following aspects of the behaviour:

	Frequency– How many times did the child display the behaviour and when did it occur? Duration– How long did the behaviour last? Intensity– How severe was the behaviour?
 

To help identify triggers, it is useful to record what was happening before and after the
behaviour took place. What activity was the client engaged in? Was there a change in
the routine or transition time taking place? What were the others doing? Were there
any unfamiliar people present at the time the behaviour occurred?
STRATEGIES FOR MANAGING CHALLENGING BEHAVIOUR
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Many of the strategies used to manage the challenging behaviour of clients with
additional needs will be similar to those used with all in other situations, perhaps with
children. Most will respond when you focus on their positive attributes and positive
behaviour.
It is important to remember that some of the behaviour displayed by those with
additional needs simply cannot be helped by them.
Some strategies to assist with behaviour management include:

	Keep the daily routine and physical environment consistent
 	Use visual cues to communicate the daily routine and instructions to children Keep instructions short, or break them down into parts

Once you have recorded observations of the behaviour and identified possible triggers,
you should organise a time to share the information with the client’s carer/family. This
is very important as they may have further insight for you and may be able to describe
strategies that they used elsewhere.
Discuss the behaviour you have observed and explain what strategies you have tried,
what works and what does not. It may be difficult for a family to hear ‘negative’
information, so ensure you provide positive feedback as well.
You will need to have several meetings with the child’s family throughout the year to
keep them informed of their child’s progress. However you may find it difficult to
schedule face to face meetings that suit you and the child’s family, so other
communication methods may need to be considered. Written records are very useful as
they show a chronological record of a child’s development and behaviour. Consider
emailing general information to parents, sending copies of the child’s records home for
their family to view, or use a communication book, which may be useful to record
information about the child’s day at the service and at home.
Sometimes intent can be misinterpreted through written records, so face to face
communication will still be helpful and useful.
Remember that the child’s family knows the child better than anyone, so if you are
having difficulty managing a certain behaviour, they can be your most helpful resource.
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ABUSE
It is important to remember that some people in a care environment can have changes
in personality and behaviour and this may impact on those that are caring for them
whether they are family, friend paid or volunteer carers.
It is very important that those working with these people should recognise witnessed
signs consistent with financial, physical or emotional abuse or neglect of the client and
report to an appropriate person.
TYPES OF ABUSE
OBSERVED ABUSE
Staff members in accommodation services, or any other services used by clients, are
most likely to observe incidents of abuse towards clients.
REPORTED ABUSE
Abuse may be reported directly to staff by the victim or by another client who has
observed the incident or multiple incidents. A disability worker or any other person,
may observe the abuse of a client or clients, and report it to a responsible person.
SUSPECTED ABUSE
A disability worker or any other person may detect unusual behaviours or events that
could be indicators of client abuse. Another carer, a family member or a guardian who
knows a client well and has reason to suspect that the client is being abused should
inform a responsible person among the disability workers. Any other person who is not
necessarily familiar with a client but suspects that there is an abusive situation should
also report any suspicion of abuse to a manager who knows or is involved in the client’s
circle of support13
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The following definitions of abuse are taken from known sources. Abuse is not limited to
the types defined below and employees are required to consider that any inappropriate
behaviour towards a client may be abuse.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Violence, abuse and intimidation perpetrated by one person against another in a
personal, intimate relationship. It is a partnership violence that includes violence
perpetrated when couples are separated or divorced. Domestic violence occurs between
two people where one has power over the other causing fear, physical and/or
psychological harm.
Note: This type of abuse can occur where people are living in the same house, between a
client and a family member or friend, or between two clients.
NEGLECT
Neglect is a failure to provide the basic physical and emotional necessities of life. It can
be wilful denial of medication, dental or medical care, therapeutic devices or other
physical assistance to a person who requires it because of age, health or disability. It can
also be a failure to provide adequate shelter, clothing, food, protection and supervision,
or to place persons at undue risk through unsafe environments or practices and thereby
exposing that person to risk of physical, mental or emotional harm. Neglect includes the
failure to provide the nurturance or stimulation needed for the social, intellectual and
emotional growth or wellbeing of an adult or child.
Note: Neglect may occur when the primary carer of a client does not provide the
essential elements for life described above, or when any person or organisation
responsible for providing care or services to a client fails to meet this obligation.
Examples – neglect

	Refusing to provide service users with food because they have not done what they were asked to do Hurrying or rushing assistance with eating or drinking to fit in with staff timetables rather than clients’ needs


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	Withdrawal or denial of privileges, planned outings or personal items that are not designated and planned behaviour management strategies Depriving clients of their right to express their cultural identity, their sexuality or other desires Failure to ensure adequate food, health care support, clothing, medical aid or culturally relevant contexts and supports Not using a communication device to enable expression of needs or other communication




PHYSICAL ABUSE
Physical abuse is assault, non-accidental injury or physical harm to a person by any
other person. It includes but is not limited to inflicting pain or any unpleasant sensation,
causing harm or injuries by excessive discipline, beating or shaking, bruising, electric
shock, lacerations or welts, burns, fractures or dislocation, female genital mutilation and
attempted suffocation or strangulation.
Note: This type of abuse may be perpetrated by people known to clients or by strangers,
and can occur at any time or place.
Examples – physical abuse

    	Hitting, smacking, biting, kicking, pulling limbs, hair or ears Bending back fingers, bending an arm up behind the back Dragging, carrying or pushing people who do not want to be moved unless involuntary relocation is part of a behaviour management plan Physical restraint
	Threat of violence

RESTRAINTS AND RESTRICTED PRACTICES
Restraining or isolating an adult for reasons other than medical necessity or in the
absence of a less restrictive alternative to prevent self-harm. This may include the use of
chemical or physical means or the denial of basic human rights or choices such as
religious freedom, freedom of association, access to property or resources or freedom of
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movement. These practices are not considered to be abuse if they are applied under a
restricted practice authorisation.
Examples – restraints and restricted practices

	The use of social isolation (ignoring a client) when it is not a designated behaviour management strategy Putting a client into a room with the door locked Locking a client in a room all night
 
 	Using other clients to provide physical control over a client Excessive chemical restraint – use of medication without proper authorisation or consent Forcing clients to eat food they do not want to eat


SEXUAL ASSAULT
Any sexual contact between an adult and child 16 years of age and younger, or any
sexual activity with an adult who lacks the capacity to give or withhold consent, or is
threatened, coerced or forced to engage in sexual behaviour. It includes non-consensual
sexual contact, language or exploitative behaviour and can take the form of rape,
indecent assault, sexual harassment or sexual interference in any form.
Note: This type of abuse may be instigated by any person, against any other person of
any age and of either gender.
Examples – sexual assault

	Anal or vaginal intercourse without consent
    	Fingers or object inserted into vagina or anus without consent Cunnilingus or fellatio without consent Masturbation of another person without consent Non-consensual touching of breasts or genitals Indecent exposure
	Masturbation by a person in the presence of the victim
	Voyeurism

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 	Displaying pornographic photography or literature Sexual harassment, including lewd or suggestive comments, teasing or insults with sexual connotations

EMOTIONAL ABUSE
This can include verbal assaults, threats of maltreatment, harassment, humiliation or
intimidation, or failure to interact with a person or to acknowledge that person’s
existence. This may also include denying cultural or religious needs and preferences.
Note: Although any person may initiate emotional abuse towards a client it is likely to
come from persons who associate with clients regularly. The sources could be primary
carers, family, friends, other clients or other service providers.
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Examples – psychological or emotional abuse

	Humiliating a client for losing control of their bladder or bowel or about other private matters Treating clients in ways that deny them their dignity

	Preventing clients from expressing themselves out of fear of retaliation
	Discouraging personalisation of rooms or clothing
  	Limiting social freedom available to clients Denying cultural needs, such as serving pork to Jewish or Muslim clients Shouting orders to clients
	Using humiliating names when speaking to a client

FINANCIAL ABUSE
Is the improper use of another person’s assets or the use or withholding of another
person’s resources?
Note: Possible sources of financial abuse are carers, families or guardians who act
formally or informally as financial managers and have access to or responsibility for
clients’ finances and property.
Examples – financial abuse

	Denying clients’ access to or control over their money when they have a demonstrated capacity to manage their own finances Denying a client access to information about their personal finances Taking a client’s money or other property without their consent (which is likely to also constitute a criminal offence) Forced changes to wills or other legal documents Using a client’s belongings for personal use
 
 

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SYSTEMIC ABUSE
Failure to recognise, provide or attempt to provide adequate or appropriate services,
including services that are appropriate to that person’s age, gender, culture, needs or
preferences.
Note: Service providers and carers are the likely sources of systemic abuse.
Examples – systemic abuse

	Relevant policies and procedures are not implemented
	Clients are denied the option to make decisions affecting their lives
	Health care and lifestyle plans are not implemented 14

RECOGNISING SIGNS THAT MAY BE INDICATORS OF ABUSE
Staff and management play an important role in protecting clients from further harm by
recognising the indicators of abuse and responding to them. The presence of one or
more indicators does not mean that abuse has occurred but does require staff to be
vigilant on the client’s behalf.
Indicators of abuse are not always obvious, and while clients or others may suspect that
abuse has occurred there might not be any evidence to confirm the suspicion. Indicators
are variable, and people who are familiar with clients and have a strong positive
relationship with them are best placed to recognise behavioural changes that may
suggest a client is being abused.
Indicators of abuse including assault and neglect

Physical Indicators	Behavioural signs
Physical Abuse  Facial, head and neck bruising or injuries.  Drowsiness, vomiting, fits (associated with head injuries).	 Explanation inconsistent with the injury; explanation varies.  Avoidance or fearfulness of a particular  person or staff member.

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 Unexplained or poorly explained injury.  Other bruising and marks may suggest the shape of the object that caused it.  Bite marks or scratches.  Unexplained burns or scalds.  Unexplained fractures, dislocations,  sprains	 Sleep disturbance (eg. Nightmares; bed wetting).  Changes in behaviour: out of character aggression; withdrawal; excessive compliance.
Neglect  Hunger and weight loss.  Poor hygiene.  Poor hair texture.  Inappropriate or inadequate clothing for climatic conditions.  Inappropriate or inadequate shelter or accommodation.  Unattended physical problems or medical needs.  Health or dietary practices that endanger health or development.  Social isolation	 Requesting, begging, scavenging or stealing food.  Constant fatigue, listlessness or falling asleep.  Direct or indirect disclosure.  Extreme longing for company.  Anxiety about being alone or abandoned.  Displaying inappropriate or excessive  self-comforting behaviours
Sexual abuse  Direct or indirect disclosure.  Sexual act described by client.  Trauma to the breasts, buttocks, lower abdomen or thighs  Difficulty in walking or sitting.  Injuries (e.g. tears or bruising), pain or  Itching to genitalia, anus or peroneal region.  Torn, stained or blood stained underwear or bedclothes.  Sexually transmitted diseases.  Unexplained accumulation of money or gifts.  Pregnancy	 Repeat use of words eg “bad”, “dirty”;  Self-destructive behaviour, self mutilation.  Sudden changes in behaviour or temperament, e.g. depression, anxiety attacks (crying, sweating, trembling), withdrawal, agitation, anger, violence, absconding, seeking comfort and security.  Inappropriate advances to others.  Sleep disturbances, refusing to go to bed, going to bed fully clothed.  Eating disorders.  Refusing to shower or constant showering.  Changes in social patterns, refusing to attend usual places (work, respite).  Excessive compliance
Psychological or emotional abuse  Speech disorders.  Weight loss or gain	 Feelings of worthlessness about life and self; extreme low self-esteem self abuse or self-destructive behaviour.

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 Extreme attention seeking behaviour and other behavioural disorders (e.g. disruptiveness, aggressiveness, bullying).  Excessive compliance.  Depression, withdrawal, crying.
Financial abuse  Restricted access to or no control over personal funds or bank accounts.  No records or incomplete records kept of expenditure and purchases.  Missing money, valuables or property.  Forced changes to wills or other legal  documents	 Stealing from others.  Borrowing money.  Begging.

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MAINTAIN CONFIDENTIALITY IN ACCORDANCE WITH
LEGISLATION AND ORGANISATION POLICY AND PROCEDURES
MAINTAINING CONFIDENTIALITY
Confidentiality is a crucial factor when working in the community services industry and
refers to a client’s right to privacy. All client information is private, and only the
healthcare team and people involved in the care of the client should have access to the
information. Confidentiality is an important aspect of duty of care.
As a leisure worker, carer or other community services worker, you are expected to
observe your duty of care. All documentation must therefore be kept private and safe.
This also means not speaking about a client if other people are present, so avoid talking
about clients in public places such as lifts, car parks or shopping centres.
Before discussing information with a client’s family member, you should first ask the
client and/or your supervisor which family members should be consulted and what
information can be discussed. Note that a family member may have power of attorney,
which means they have been legally permitted to make decisions or act on behalf of a
client, if the client has been deemed not competent to make their own decisions. A
family member may also be the client’s parent or guardian. Depending on the situation,
the age of the client and the ability of the client, the parent or guardian may be
responsible for providing and accessing personal information about the client.
Documentation used when gathering client information for the development of a leisure
and health plan must be kept confidential. Documentation may be available on an
internal computer system that should be protected by a password. Keep these details
secret and make sure you save and close relevant documentation and logout from the
computer system when you finish.
If the documentation is paper-based, it must be filed in a safe and secure place such as a
lockable filing cabinet. You must also be sure not to leave documentation in view of
other people. If a mistake is made or documentation is no longer needed, you may be
required to destroy the material. Ensure you follow organisation policy and procedure
for doing so.
Some basic rules that help protect client confidentiality include the following:
 Respect a client’s right to privacy
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CHCHCS001 – Provide home and community support services
CHC33015 Certificate III in Individual Support

 	Do not talk about a client in public Do not talk about a client to someone who is not involved in the client’s care and who is not authorised to know personal information about the client Ensure all documentation on the computer is saved and the file is closed when you have finished using it Always logout from computer systems Keep all passwords and usernames secret Ensure all paper documentation is filed correctly, the filing cabinet is locked securely and access to the key is limited

  

Confidentiality must be maintained at all times, and must be in accordance with the
policies and procedures of your organisation. If you have concerns regarding the
interpretation of these policies, then it is always advisable to consult your manager
supervisor.
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CHCHCS001 – Provide home and community support services
CHC33015 Certificate III in Individual Support
T O P I C 4 – C O M P L E T E R E P O R T I N G A N D
D O C U M E N T A T I O N
COMPLY WITH THE ORGANISATION’S REPORTING
REQUIREMENTS, INCLUDING REPORTING OBSERVATIONS TO
SUPERVISOR
While you are working in a client’s home it will be part of your role to monitor and
observe them for changes in both behaviour and environment, this also includes their
health status.
You may be the only person that sees them on a daily or weekly basis so you should
ensure you observe and report any changes in their behaviour, health status and their
environment.
Your organisation will have its own policies and procedures for reporting on matters
such as this so you should know what must be reported, how to report it and whom to
report to.
How to report:
 Telephone
 Face-to-face
 Progress reports
 Case notes
What to report:

	Temperature
	Pulse rate
	Respiratory rate
	Blood pressure
	BSL
 	Weight Collection of urine, faeces, sputum

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CHCHCS001 – Provide home and community support services
CHC33015 Certificate III in Individual Support

  	Changes in cognitive ability Abuse and/or neglect Personal hygiene changes
	Loss of weight
	Mobilisation
	Elimination
	Skin integrity

When to report:

	When condition changes
  	When condition does not change Obvious signs of deterioration Changes in routine
	Changes in medication

 As requested
 As per policy and procedures
Who to report to:
 Senior management
 Colleagues
 Health professionals
o Physiotherapist
o Registered nurse
o Doctor
o Speech pathologist
o Podiatrist
 External agencies
 Law enforcement officers
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CHCHCS001 – Provide home and community support services
CHC33015 Certificate III in Individual Support
COMPLETE AND MAINTAIN DOCUMENTATION ACCORDING TO
ORGANISATION POLICY AND PROTOCOLS AND USING
TECHNOLOGY REQUIRED IN THE WORKPLACE
You will be expected to complete a variety of documentation over your working life.
This documentation must be presented in a format that is acceptable to your
organisation and in line with legislation and regulations relating to your line of work.
Written reports will figure highly on the list of documentation required. The reasons for
these reports will vary and the content will vary depending on the reason for the report
however a report will usually provide the following information:

 	Changes in a client’s behaviour Observations of health status
	Barriers to client service
	Difficulties experience during provision of service
	Progress
	Changes required to service plan

Each of these reports will be subject to timeframes which will be outlined by your
organisations needs and legal guidelines. It is important that you master the skills of
providing compliant reports and in the course of writing reports master the art of
effective written communication. The features of a good written report include:

	Objective
	Relevant
	Accurate
	Complete
	Concise
	Specific
	Clear
	Logical
 	Useful Non-judgemental

You should never make subjective statements when writing reports. Statements such as
“Brian was in a picky mood today”. State only your observations. What did you see?
What did you hear? A statement such as Brian was unhappy with ????? and state each
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CHCHCS001 – Provide home and community support services
CHC33015 Certificate III in Individual Support
thing he was unhappy or made comment about. Always ensure you don’t make
judgements, just state the facts.
ENSURE ANY ARRANGEMENTS FOR FOLLOW UP VISITS ARE
RECORDED AND IMPLEMENTED
Once you have completed your first visit you will need to ensure further visits are both
arranged and documented.
Documenting further visits will ensure that each visit is attended to and your
organisation has a record of visit arrangement and can identify staff members for the
task.
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CHCHCS001 – Provide home and community support services
CHC33015 Certificate III in Individual Support
SU M M A R Y
Now that you have completed this unit, you should have the ability to provide home and
community support services.
If you have any questions about this resource, please ask your trainer. They will be only
too happy to assist you when required.
© Apex Training Institute #RTO 32100 64
CHCHCS001 – Provide home and community support services
CHC33015 Certificate III in Individual Support
R E F E R E N C E S
http://sielearning.tafensw.edu.au/MCS/CHCAOD402A/chcaod402a_csw/lo/8511/8511
_00.htm#ID0E4F
http://www.ag.gov.au/RightsAndProtections/HumanRights/PublicSectorGuidanceShee
ts/Pages/Rightsofpeoplewithdisability.aspx.
http://www.coag.gov.au/sites/default/files/national_disability_strategy_2010-
2020.pdf.
http://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/690680/dsd_cis_supporting_d
ecision_making_0212.pdf.
http://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/for-individuals/disability/individual-support-packages
http://www.dva.gov.au/benefitsAndServices/Pages/index.aspx
http://www.haccohs.adhc.nsw.gov.au/documents/common_risk_areas/bariatrics/addit
ional_documents/legislation/legislation_fact_sheet_3_responsibilities_of_workers.pdf
http://www.health.vic.gov.au/hacc/.
http://www.helpguide.org/mental/effective_communication_skills.htm
http://www.nds.org.au/asset/view_document/979318173.
http://www.studymode.com/essays/Duty-Of-Care-890126.html
http://www.who.int/csr/resources/publications/EPR_AM2_E7.pdf
https://sielearning.tafensw.edu.au/MCS/CHCAOD402A/chcaod402a_csw/knowledge/d
uty_of_care/duty_of_care.htm
https://www.asme.org/engineering-topics/articles/businesscommunication/communicating-across-cultures?cm_sp=Business%20Communication-
_-Feataured%20Articles-_-Communicating%20Across%20Cultures
https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/vetinschools/documents/OHS/Unit2/Unit2OHS.doc.
https://www.dss.gov.au/our-responsibilities/ageing-and-aged-care/aged-carereform/reforms-by-topic/commonwealth-home-support-programme.

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