Course Title: Facilitate the interests and rights of clients

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term2 2023

Course Code: LAW5734C

Course Title: Facilitate the interests and rights of clients

School: 535T Social Care and Health

Campus: City Campus

Program: C4425 - Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Work

Course Contact: Chris Walters

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 8268

Course Contact Email: chris.walters@rmit.edu.au

Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Nominal Hours: 100

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

None 

Course Description

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to assist clients to identify their rights, voice their needs and concerns and realise their interests, rights and needs.   This unit applies to workers of all levels in a range of health or community services settings who provide services using a human rights based approach and have direct interaction with clients.

This unit is delivered and assessed in a cluster with CHCLEG001: Work legally and ethically 

National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:	CHCADV001 Facilitate the interests and rights of clients
Element:	1. Facilitate the realisation of client interests, rights and needs
Performance Criteria:	1.1 Discuss the rights and responsibilities of all parties with client 1.2 Provide client with researched, relevant and timely information on their rights and responsibilities 1.3 Assist clients to identify their own interests, rights, needs, choices and responsibilities 1.4 Identify when rights are infringed or not being met 1.5 Provide client with information on available options for meeting their rights and needs and assist them to identify their preferred option
Element:	2. Advocate in accordance with client preferences and requests to optimise client outcomes
Performance Criteria:	2.1 Undertake an assessment to identify client’s ability to advocate for self 2.2 Initiate, negotiate and implement relevant strategies for addressing client rights and needs in collaboration with the client 2.3 Identify potential barriers as well as resources 2.4 Identify and contact the most appropriate individuals and/or organisations and represent the client to optimise outcomes for the client 2.5 Ensure information is kept in confidence unless authorisation is given to release it
Element:	3. Provide ongoing support to clients
Performance Criteria:	3.1 Support and encourage clients to exercise their rights and personal preferences without compromising their safety and that of others 3.2 Consult with supervisor, other support workers and the service about interests, rights and needs of clients in a way that upholds their rights and supports their reasonable expectations 3.3 Identify situations of risk or potential risk and refer appropriately 3.4 Apply work practices to minimise potential for harm to clients, self and others 3.5 Conduct all activities in accordance with legal, organisation and duty of care requirements
Element:	4. Support clients making a complaint
Performance Criteria:	4.1 Discuss organisation and legal complaints mechanism and ensure client is aware of rights and responsibilities 4.2 Assist client in lodging a complaint 4.3 Monitor process and provide ongoing support and information to client
Element:	5. Review progress
Performance Criteria:	5.1 Discuss progress and outcomes with the client and collaborate on further action as necessary 5.2 Ensure follow up and links to other services as required and in accordance with client preferences 5.3 Obtain feedback and identify opportunities for improvement to own work and action as appropriate

Learning Outcomes

This course is structured to provide students with the optimum learning experience in order to demonstrate the skills and knowledge required to effectively in the above elements.  

Details of Learning Activities

There will be a range of learning activities to engage students with course material to develop skills, knowledge and understanding in providing services to people within legal and ethical frameworks. The learning activities will be interactive and will include: group work activities, peer learning, discussions, case studies, reflective learning, quizzes and practice learning exercises.

Teaching Schedule

CHCADV001

Semester 2 - 2023	Course schedule: Work legally and ethically
Week	Topic	Assessment
Week 1	Introduction: Overview Assessments  Determining the mental health services and community services legislative frameworks   The role or organisation policies and procedures   Understanding the nature of community services and mental health services standards
Week 2	Revision  Working within the boundaries of your role   Understanding your role, rights and responsibilities   Adhering to legal requirements in work practice   Following policies and procedures
Week 3	Revision  Identifying ethical responsibilities   Defining ethics   Identifying, accessing and interpreting sources of information about the ethical responsibilities that apply to your role   Meeting ethical responsibilities according to workplace codes, policies and procedure
Week 4	Revision  Maintaining ethical practice   Recognising own personal values and attitudes and taking them into account to ensure non-judgemental practice   Using effective problem-solving techniques to address ethical issues, dilemmas and competing value systems   Apply models to make ethical decisions   Recognising and reporting legal and ethical breaches   Recognising potential or actual legal breaches and making reports   Recognising and reporting potential unethical behaviour   Recognising and reporting conflicts of interest   Contributing to workplace improvements   Identifying ideas for improvements to practice   Sharing feedback with others   Contributing to the review and development of policies and procedures    Assessment Task 1
Week 5	Revision  Human Rights   What are rights   History of Human Rights   Rights within the community   Rights in agencies   Introduction to advocacy   What is advocacy?   Advocacy principles and values   Different types of advocacy and their functions   Advocacy vs empowerment	Assessment Task 1
Week 6	Revision  Understanding interest and needs   Working with clients to identify their rights, interests and needs   Discussing options to meet rights and providing information   Interview skills when meeting a client   Stage 1:   Rapport building and initial start of meeting   Listening skills   Mandatory reporting
Week 7	Revision  Interview skills when meeting with a client   Stage 2   Invitation to talk and defining the issues   Techniques   Listening with interest   Paraphrasing   Working in collaboration with clients   Implementing and practicing collaboration techniques   Collaboration role plays to identify interests and rights   Assessment Task 3 preparation and practice
Week 8	Revision Advocating alongside and on behalf of a client   Accessing a client's ability to self-advocate   Initiating and negotiating strategies for addressing client interests and rights   Representing clients to achieve outcomes   Providing ongoing support   Supporting clients and providing encouragement to exercise their rights and preferences   Accessing risk and promoting dignity of risk while balancing duty of care requirements
Week 9	Revision  Supporting clients to make a complaint   Assessment Task 3 Role Plays practice   Review client progress and follow up support	Assessment Task 2
Week 10	Assessment Task 3 – Role Plays
Week 11	Assessment Task 3 – Role Plays
Week 12	Assessment Task 3 – Role Plays
Week 13	Assessment Task 3 – Role Plays	Assessment Task 3
Week 14	Unit catch up and review

Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts

References

Other Resources

Overview of Assessment

There are three individual assessment tasks consisting of short answer questions, role plays and a portfolio of work. 

In order to achieve competency in this unit, you must be marked as satisfactory for each assessment task.

Students are allowed two submissions per assessment.  Any further re-submissions is at the discretion of the teacher and coordinator.

Assessment tasks include:   

Task 1: Online quiz 

Task 2: Role plays 

Task 3: Simulated Workplace Portfolio 

 

You will be given two (2) attempts for each assessment to demonstrate the required knowledge and skills. A third (3rd) attempt can only be offered after discussions between teacher and the Program Coordinator and is not automatic. Resubmissions beyond two (2) attempts are at the discretion of the teacher and/or coordinator.

Assessment Tasks

Assessment Task 1: This assessment requires students to assess and review policies to ensure they met legal and ethical requirements. Students will be required to assess policies and procedures from a case study and determine their purpose, complete a policy improvement/development document and undertake a self-reflection exercise.

Assessment Task 2: This assessment requires students to complete short answer knowledge questions to consolidate and demonstrate knowledge, understanding and learning from this unit. 

Assessment Task 3: This assessment requires students to demonstrate their skills in assisting a client to make a complaint over 3 role plays.

Assessment Matrix

The assessment matrix is located in Canvas, at the end of each assessment task.

Other Information

Please refer to the RMIT student page for extensive information about study support, assessment, extensions, appeals and a range of other matters: http://www.rmit.edu.au/students

Course Overview: Access Course Overview