Course Title: Maintain legal and ethical work practices

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2013

Course Code: HWSS5638C

Course Title: Maintain legal and ethical work practices

School: 360T Education

Campus: City Campus

Program: C5290 - Diploma of Education Support

Course Contact: Robyn Blaikie

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 4838

Course Contact Email: robyn.blaikie@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Fiona Dean: Teacher

fiona.dean@rmit.edu.au

99254650

Nominal Hours: 70

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

No specific pre-requisite and co-requisite.

Course Description

This course describes the knowledge and skills required to maintain the application of legal and ethical work practices by monitoring, coordinating and promoting their importance in providing community services and supporting duty of care requirements.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

CHCCS502A Maintain legal and ethical work practices

Element:

1. Promote the importance of applying legislation and common law relevant to work role

Performance Criteria:

1.1 Identify and explain legal responsibilities and obligations relating to identified work role/s
1.2 Identify and explain key statutory and regulatory requirements relating to identified work role/s
1.3 Encourage staff to clarify and fulfil duty of care responsibilities in the course of practice, to accept responsibility and be accountable for own actions and to maintain confidentiality in line with organisation guidelines
1.4 Identify and promote opportunities for staff to involve clients in decision-making and to seek client agreement prior to service provision

Element:

2. Monitor application of organisation policies and practices

Performance Criteria:

2.1 Monitor work performance to ensure organisation policies, protocols and procedures are appropriately and consistently addressed
2.2 Provide information and support to initiate and contribute to the review and development of policies and protocols in line with work role
2.3 Clarify scope of work for staff to address requirements of position specifications and role responsibilities
2.4 Provide clarification for any uncertainty with regard to scope of practice in line with organisation requirements and legal and ethical guidelines
2.5 Monitor work instructions provided to staff to ensure their clarity and appropriateness in line with organisation requirements and legal and ethical guidelines

Element:

3. Monitor ethical work practices

Performance Criteria:

3.1 Monitor service delivery to ensure client rights are protected and services are delivered to clients with respect for diversity of personal values, beliefs and attitudes
3.2 Monitor staff ability to use effective problem solving techniques when exposed to competing value systems
3.3 Identify potential ethical issues and ethical dilemmas in the workplace and discuss with staff to ensure maintenance of ethical work practices
3.4 Use codes of ethics to recognise and report unethical conduct according to established protocols

Element:

4. Take corrective action when client rights and interests are not being protected

Performance Criteria:

4.1 Ensure client and/or their advocate/s are supported to identify and express their concerns
4.2 Instigate and monitor referral of client and/or their advocate/s to advocacy services as appropriate
4.3 Manage client complaint/s in line with organisation policy and protocols
4.4 Take action in line with organisation protocols to address witnessed signs or evidence consistent with financial, physical, emotional, sexual abuse and/or neglect of the client
4.5 Work with an understanding and appreciation of the role and responsibilities of legal guardians


Learning Outcomes


Develop the knowledge and skills required to maintain the application of legal and ethical work practices by monitoring, coordinating and promoting their importance in providing community services and supporting duty of care requirements.


Details of Learning Activities

The student learning experience will be facilitated through participation in a range of activities: 

Group discussion 

Research assignments

Guest speakers

Oral and/or written questions on "What if?" scenarios

Realistic simulations and role play
Practical demonstrations and direct observation of actual work and simulated work practice
Oral Presentations
Individual and group projects - Completing the projects will include negotiated independent study time and practical work
relevant to the unit of competency. 

Workplacement


Teaching Schedule

Please note: While your teacher will cover all the material in this schedule, the weekly order is subject to change depending on class needs and availability of speakers and resources
Semester 1

Week 1-4
Importance of applying legislation and common law relevant to work role
Duty of care principles and codes of ethics to a relevant range of work roles
Application of duty of care
Basic understanding of key concepts in Australia’s legal system
Definitions and explanations of the terms ’ethics, ethical thinking and morality’
Distinction between ethical and legal problems

Discussion, Q&A activities, Evidence Guide

Week 5-8
Monitor application of organisation policies and practices
Implementation of strategies for contributing to the review and development of policies and protocols
Implementation of strategies for managing abuse of a client
Implementation of strategies for managing complaints

Discussion,Q&Aactivities,
Assignment/project1-Research/Q&A

Week 9-12
Importance of ethics in practice
Monitoring ethical work practices
Knowledge of key statutory, legislative and regulatory requirements relevant to work area, specifically including occupational health and safety (OHS)

Discussion, Q&A activities

Week 13-16
Management of common legal issues relevant to work area
Overview of relevant legislation in the sector and jurisdictions including contracts
Principles and practices for upholding the rights of children and young people

Discussion, Q&A activities
Scenarios/Q&A

Week 17-18

Principles and practices for upholding the rights of the client
Principles and practices of confidentiality
Principles of access and equity relevant to provision of community services
Principles of ethical decision-making

Week 19-20

Principles and practices for upholding the rights of children and young people
Reflecting and reviewing practical experiences maintaining legal and ethical work practices
Discussion,Q&Aactivities

Progress interview – Q&A activities, Evidence guide, Assignment 1, Evidence of practical experience maintaining legal and ethical work practices e.g Observation/Demonstration, Thirdparty

 

 

 

 

 

 

Semester 2
Week 1-4

Relevant standards and code of practice in the sector
Reporting mechanisms and corrective actions appropriate to managing suspected abuse of a client
Rights and responsibilities of clients
Rights and responsibilities of workers


Discussion, Q&A activities

Week 5-8
Role and responsibilities of legal guardians
Strategies for addressing common ethical issues
Types of abuse experienced by clients (including systems abuse and unintentional injury)


Discussion, Q&A activities

Assignment/project 2 – Research/Scenarios

Week 9-12
Responsibilities, constraints and issues relating to a range of work roles in line with work area and organisation policies, protocols and procedures
Monitor and manage application of legal and ethical work practices
Providing information and support to staff in regards to application of legal and ethical work practices

Discussion, Q&A activities

Folio - Presentation of folio (oral and written)

Week 13-16
Supporting staff in resolving and dealing with legal and ethical issues arising in the workplace
Recognising and managing unethical conduct in the workplace
Negotiation and mediation skills to resolve problems within the workplace
Collaborating and networking with stakeholders

Discussion, Q&A activities

Week 17-18

 

Assessment interview – review folio of final assessments e.g :
Evidence Guide, Assignment/Project1 and 2, Evidence of practical experience promoting and responding to workplace diversity; e.g. Observation/Demonstration, Third party, Folio – Presentation (oral and written)


 


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts


References


Other Resources

RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this
course through our online systems and access to specialised facilities and relevant software. You will also
have access of the library resources.


Overview of Assessment

You must demonstrate essential knowledge and skills and an understanding of all elements of the competencies in order to be deemed competent. Assessment methods have been designed to measure achievement of each competency in a flexible manner over a range of assessment tasks. You may be assessed by:
• Direct observation of actual and simulated work practice
• Oral or written questioning
• Assignments and projects
• Presentation of a portfolio of evidence which may comprise documents, and/or photographs and/or video and audio files
• Review of products produced through work-based or course activities
• Third-party feedback from a work supervisor/employer
Feedback will be provided throughout the semester in class and/or online discussions, through individual and group feedback on practical exercises and by individual consultation.
If you have a long term medical condition and/or disability it may be possible to negotiate to vary aspects of the learning or assessment methods. You can contact the program coordinator or the Disability Liaison Unit if you would like to find out more.
An assessment charter (http://mams.rmit.edu.au/kh6a3ly2wi2h1.pdf) summarises your responsibilities as an RMIT student as well as those of your teachers.
Your courses assessment conforms to RMIT assessment principles, regulations, policies and procedures which are described and referenced in a single document: http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=ln1kd66y87rc


Assessment Tasks

Assessment methods have been designed to measure achievement of each competency in a flexible manner over a
range of assessment tasks. You may be assessed by:
• Direct observation of actual and simulated work practice 

• Oral or written questioning 

• Assignments and projects 

• Presentation of a portfolio of evidence which may comprise of documents, and/or photographs and/or video and audio files 

• Review of work produced through work-based or course activities 

• Third-party feedback from a work supervisor/employer 
Feedback will be provided throughout the semester in class
and/or online discussions, through individual and group feedback on practical exercises and by individual consultation.

Assessment tasks in this course are either formative or summative. Formative tasks provide the basis for ongoing feedback and can be considered essential building blocks for the more substantial summative assessment tasks. Summative assessment tasks in this unit are assessed using the following competency based results:

CA Competency Achieved
NYC Not Yet Competent


 


Assessment Matrix

The assessment matrix demonstrates alignment of assessment tasks with the relevant Unit of Competency.
These are available from the course contact person (stated above).

Course Overview: Access Course Overview