Question:1
Gilly has been asked to write a set of policies and procedures for records management in his
workplace.
He has been asked to make sure he complies with AS/ISO 15489.
Gilly has no idea of what AS/ISO 15489 is, so he decides to ask you about it.
What is AS/ISO 15489? How does it relate to legal and ethical compliance for the
implementation of policy and procedures?
Question: 2
Gilly is also asked to make sure that the records management policies and procedures comply with
the Australian Privacy Principles (APP).
What are the APP and what do they cover?
Question: 3
Harry is a drug user.
He is not at imminent danger to himself or to others, but his mother is worried about him.
His mother tries to get him admitted to rehab, but she is told that Harry will need to give ‘informed
consent’ to receive treatment.
Why is this so? Provide an example to explain informed consent.
Question: 4
Nathan is a youth worker. He has been working with Gillian for some time now.
Recently Nathan has been spending more time with Gillian than with other clients.
One day Nathan suggests to Gillian that she come to his house to watch a movie. Gillian does not
want to do this, as the other clients are starting to talk about her and Nathan.
Nathan tells her not to worry about it, and to make sure she comes around to his place tonight
otherwise he will tell his supervisor that she has been smoking marijuana.
Gillian feels that she has to go because she is scared to get in trouble.
Review the Australian Community Workers Association Code of Ethics at the website:
http://www.acwa.org.au/course-accreditation/codeofethics.pdf
Based on what you have read, what principle is Nathan contravening?
Question: 5
Heidi manages a team of four community services workers.
Each staff member has recently obtained their Certificate IV in Community Services. Heidi has the
Diploma of Community Services.
One of her staff asks Heidi if she can join a network group that is discussing the implementation of
new government initiatives.
Heidi replies, ‘No, you have your Certificate IV – you don’t need any more professional development
for at least four years.’
Heidi clearly does not believe in continuing professional development. What significant
difficulties is this attitude going to cause in Heidi’s work team?
Question: 6
Provide three examples of how client information should be protected in the workplace.
Question: 7
Abha has a training session to run today. While she is setting up, she sees that there are bare wires
protruding from the wall.
When she brings it to the attention of her supervisor, she is told, ‘Oh yes – I meant to tell you about
that. Tell your students to stay away from the wires so they don’t get electrocuted. The electrician is
coming this afternoon around 2.30. He said it will only take about 10 minutes to fix the wires.’
It is 8.55am and the training is due to start at 9.15. T
The first students are starting to filter in. There is no other training room available.
What is Abha’s duty of care to her students? What should she do?
Question: 8
Answer the questions below:
a) What is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights? Who uses it?
b) Is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights legally binding?
Question 9
Majd has just been recruited to work at the local neighbourhood house.
He has presented his police check but hasn’t yet obtained his Working with Children Check.
Majd is well known to the coordinator of the community house as they live next door to each other.
The coordinator knows that Majd has children and looks after them well.
The coordinator asks Majd to run the children’s program today.
What two Acts has the coordinator breached?
Question 10
Majd is anxious to please on his first day of work but knows he can’t lawfully work with children
until his Working with Children Check is completed.
But he doesn’t want to lose his job on the first day!
What should Majd do?
Question 11
Briefly describe the meaning and purpose of a ‘workplace audit’.
Question 12
Millicent is the coordinator of the Blinkinsville Neighbourhood House Coordination Program (NHCP)
in Victoria.
The NHCP is funded by the Victorian Government and recurrent funds are provided each year to
provide community development activities.
Locate the current program guidelines and neighbourhood house sector information guide for the
Neighbourhood House Coordination Program in Victoria.
a) What are four general requirements for neighbourhood houses that receive NHCP funding?
b) What may happen if any of these general conditions are not complied with?
Question 13
Bridgette is the only female out of seven workers in her unit and is being harassed by her
colleagues.
They constantly make jokes and comments about her being a female and about the quality of her
work. They say that she is not good at her job as she is a female and all the male clients make
sexualised comments about her.
They also say she would not be strong enough to defend herself if one of the clients was to assault
her.
When an opportunity comes up for Bridgette to take on a project planning a new unit, she is told not
to attempt to apply for it – she is a woman and would not be able to understand the need of the allmale clients.
a) What legislation is being breached in this scenario?
b) Write a step-by-step complaints management process that Bridgette could follow if she
wanted to formally lodge a complaint
c) Who could Bridgette talk to so she can get some reliable advice about this issue? List four
sources.
Question 14
Claire is the safety officer for a Migrant Resource Centre in Melbourne.
She is doing an audit of the first aid kits in the workplace and uses the First aid in the Workplace
Compliance Code (Edn 1 September 2008) – Worksafe Victoria.
Claire accessed this document
at https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/8706/First_aid_CC.pdf.
The Centre is considered to be ‘low risk’ and has 24 employees.
Claire finds there is one first aid kit in the workplace.
The first aid kit is kept in a large steel container, which is locked. The key is held by the first aid
officer.
There are no markings on the container.
Claire checks the contents of the first aid kit and finds three things missing against what is
prescribed in the Code of Practice.
The contents of the kit include:
- basic first aid notes
- disposable gloves
- individually wrapped sterile adhesive dressings
- sterile eye pads (packet)
- sterile coverings for serious wounds
- safety pins
- small sterile unmedicated wound dressings
- medium sterile unmedicated wound dressings
- large sterile unmedicated wound dressings
- non-allergenic tape
- rubber thread or crepe bandage
- scissors
- tweezers
- sterile saline solution
- plastic bags for disposal.
a) Are there sufficient first aid kits for this workplace? Explain your answer.
(b) There are two things that Claire finds about the container of the first aid kit that do not
comply with the Code. What are they?
c) What three items are missing from the first aid kit?
Question 15
Mr Johnson is 80 years old. He has been diagnosed with bad arthritis. While he is rapidly declining
in his overall state of health and wellbeing, he is still able to function with some support.
His doctors have advised his daughter, Ellen, that she should consider moving him into a care
facility where he can be strictly monitored on a daily basis.
Ellen suggests this as an option to her father, however he is adamant that he can continue living in
his own home with minor support.
Mr Johnson feels strongly about his decision and refuses to change his mind.
Ellen is not comfortable with her father’s decision and advises his doctors that he will move into the
recommended facility the following Friday.
On the Friday morning Mr Johnson is taken unwillingly to the care facility.
Would you consider Ellen’s choices unlawful? Explain your answer.
Question 16
Answer the questions below:
a) What is the purpose of public liability insurance?
b) What is the purpose of workers’ compensation?
Question 17
Explain the role of each of the following:
a) Australian Human Rights
Commission
a) Fair Work Commission
b) The NSW Charter of
Human Rights and
Responsibilities
c) The Australian Charter of
Healthcare Rights
d) Australian Government
Department of Human Services
e) The Australian Services
Union
Question 18
All workers are required model ethical behaviour in their own work.
Imagine you are a newly qualified community services worker, list four ways that you plan to do
this?
Question 19
Dorina works in a community service providing counselling to people affected by domestic
violence.
One of Dorina’s clients, Theresia, tells her that she is very pleased because her daughter, Majedah
has been promised to Mahmud for marriage.
Majedah is 15 years old.
When Dorina questions Theresia, she learns that Theresia is pleased that Majedah will be leaving
her home as her husband has been sexually and physically assaulting his daughter.
Theresia says that her daughter does not want to marry Mahmud, but it is the duty of every woman
of their culture to marry who they are told to.
It will be her daughter’s duty to obey both her father and her new husband.
Does Dorina have an obligation to report this? Explain your answer, referring to applicable
legislation.