Course Title: Maintain legal and ethical work practices

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term2 2011

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

9925 4650

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
Individual and group projects
Realistic simulations and role play
Practical demonstrations and direct observation of actual work and simulated work practice
Oral Presentations

Teaching Schedule

Semester 1

Week 1-4
Theory – Key statutory, legislative and regulatory requirements relevant to work area
Occupational health and safety (OHS)
Key concepts in Australia’s legal system
Duty of care principles and codes of ethics to a relevant range of work roles
Discussion, Q&A activities, Evidence Guide

Week 5-9
Theory – Principles of access and equity relevant to provision of community services
Management of common legal issues relevant to work area
Overview of relevant legislation in the sector and jurisdictions
Relevant standards and code of practice in the sector
Discussion, Q&A activities,
Assignment 1 – Research/Q&A

Week 10-14
Theory – Rights and responsibilities of clients
Rights and responsibilities of workers
Principles and practices for upholding the rights of the client
Principles and practices for upholding the rights of the children and young people
Discussion, Q&A activities

Week 15-18
Theory – Implementation of strategies for managing complaints
Principles and practices of confidentiality
Definitions and explanations of the terms ‘ethics, ethical thinking and morality’
Importance of ethics in practice
Discussion, Q&A activities

Progress interview – Evidence guide, Assignment 1, Evidence of practical experience fostering and supporting an effective learning environment; e.g Observation/Demonstration, Third party

Semester 2
Week 1-4
Theory – Distinction between ethical and legal problems
Principles of ethical decision-making
Strategies for addressing common ethical issues
Abuse - Types of abuse experienced by clients
Strategies for managing abuse
Discussion, Q&A activities

Week 5-9
Theory – Reporting mechanisms and corrective actions appropriate to managing suspected abuse
Role and responsibilities of legal guardians
Strategies contributing to implementing the reviewing and development of policies and
protocols
Applying knowledge of responsibilities, constraints and issues relating to a range of work roles
in line with work area and organisation policies, protocols and procedures
Discussion, Q&A activities

Assignment 2 – Research/Scenarios

Week 10-14
Theory– Monitoring and managing application of legal and ethical work practices
Providing information and support to staff, enhancing application of legal and ethical work
practices
Providing support to staff in resolving and dealing with legal and ethical issues arising in the
workplace
Discussion, Q&A activities

Folio - Presentation of folio

Week 15-18
Theory – Recognising and managing unethical conduct in the workplace
Reflecting and reviewing workplace experiences concerning legal and ethical practices
Issues impacting on maintaining legal and ethical work practices
Discussion, Q&A activities

Assessment interview – review folio of final assessments e.g :
Evidence Guide, Assignment 1 and 2, Evidence of practical experience fostering and supporting an effective learning environment; e.g. Observation/Demonstration, Third party, Folio – Presentation (oral and written)

Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts

References

Other Resources

Overview of Assessment

You must demonstrate 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 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.

Assessment Matrix

In Assessment matrix Booklet given to students at commencement of program.

Course Overview: Access Course Overview