Course Title: Maintain legal and ethical work practices

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2016

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

fiona.dean@rmit.edu.au

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

Your program consists of face to face teaching, Unsupervised Directed Study and you are required to participate in work placement. It is strongly advised you attend all sessions in order to engage in the required learning activities, ensuring the maximum opportunity to gain the competency. You are not required to attend to complete Unsupervised Directed Study, however you are expected to complete the work given and will at times be required to show evidence the work has been completed. Your Unsupervised Directed Study will be posted on Blackboard.

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

  • Work Placement
  • 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. 


Teaching Schedule

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. 
Library Orientation & an RMIT Online Systems Information Session will be scheduled during the first two weeks of your program. Information about student services, rights and responsibilities is contained in your student diary.

Week 1
Importance of applying legislation and common law relevant to work role
Duty of care principles and codes of ethics relevant range of work roles
Key concepts in Australia’s legal system
Occupational health and safety (OHS)
E1 E3 E4

Week2
Definitions and explanations of the terms ’ethics, ethical thinking and morality’
Distinction between ethical and legal problems

E1 E3

Week 3
Importance of ethics in practice
Monitoring ethical work practices
E1 E2 E3

Week 4
Management of common legal issues relevant to work area
Principles and practices for upholding the rights of children and young people

Duty of Care

E1 E2

Week 5

Duty of care
Applying organisation policies and practices
Reviewing and developing policies and protocols

E2 E3 E4

Week 6
Principles and practices for upholding rights and confidentiality
Principles of access and equity relevant to provision of community services
and of ethical decision-making
E1 E2 E3

Week 7
Types of abuse experienced by clients (including systems abuse and unintentional injury)
Implementation of strategies for managing abuse of a client
E1 E2 E3

Week  8
Implementation of strategies for managing complaints
Reporting mechanisms and corrective actions appropriate to managing suspected abuse of a client
E2 E3 E4

Week 9
Rights and responsibilities of clients
Rights and responsibilities of workers
Role and responsibilities of legal guardians
E1 E2 E3 E4

Week 10
Responsibilities, constraints and issues relating to a range of work roles in line with work area and organisation policies, protocols and procedures
E2 E3

Week 11
Strategies for addressing common ethical issues
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
E1 E2 E3

Week 12
Supporting staff in resolving and dealing with legal and ethical issues arising in the workplace
E1 E2 E3

Week 13
Recognising and managing unethical conduct in the workplace
E1 E2 E3

 Week 14
Negotiation and mediation skills to resolve problems within the workplace
E1 E2 E4

Week 15
Collaborating and networking with stakeholders
Strategies to collaborate and network with stakeholders
E1 E4

Week 16
Challenges and issues maintaining legal and ethical work practices
E1 E3 E4

Week 17

Corrective actions to protect client rights and interests

E4

Week 18

Corrective actions to protect client rights and interests

E4

Week 19

Reflecting on own experiences maintaining legal and ethical work practices
E4

 


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts


References


Other Resources

There are no set texts in this course. RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through handouts, our online systems and access to facilities and relevant software. You will also have access to the library resources. It is recommended that you bring:

• Display folder with plastic sleeves
• Highlighter pens
• Notebook or loose leaf paper
• Headphones
• USB (Memory stick)


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 task 1:Oral presentation – Duty of Care – (Week 6)

Assessment task 2: Maintaining legal and ethical work practices assignment – (Week 13)

Assessment task 3: Observation and Demonstration in the workplace – (Week 14-18)

Assessment tasks in this unit are assessed using the following competency based results:

CA - Competency achieved
NYC - Not Yet Competent
All Assessment tasks should be submitted by the due date. If an extension is required please contact your teacher and/or Coordinator before the due date.
You must complete a submission cover sheet for every piece of submitted work.
All assessment tasks including electronically recorded student work will be kept by the University for student feedback and to meet government requirements.
Resubmissions:
If you are found to be Not Yet Competent in a Course Assessment Task you may be allowed one resubmission only. Your teacher will provide feedback regarding what you need to do to improve and will set a new deadline for the resubmission.


Assessment Matrix

The assessment matrix demonstrates alignment of assessment tasks with the relevant Unit of Competency and with the critical aspects of assessment for each unit. The assessment matrix for units will be available from your teacher and on Blackboard for students to access.

Other Information

Attendance - The major learning experience involves participating in face to face classes. It is strongly advised that you attend all sessions in order to engage in the required learning activities, ensuring the maximum opportunity to gain the competency.

Feedback - Monitoring academic progress is an important enabling and proactive strategy to assist you to achieve your learning potential. Students may be asked to attend interviews with relevant teachers and Program Coordinator to discuss academic progress.

Assessment Academic Progress www.rmit.edu.au/policies/academicprogress

Special Consideration - All assessment tasks are required to be completed to a satisfactory level. If you are unable to complete any piece of assessment by the due date, you will need to apply for an extension. Please see the RMIT website for further information.www.rmit.edu.au/students/assessment/extension

Academic Integrity and Plagiarism - RMIT University has a strict policy on plagiarism and academic integrity. Please refer to the website for more information on this policy.www.rmit.edu.au/students/academic-integrity 

Course Overview: Access Course Overview