Course Title: Identify and respond to children and young people at risk
Part B: Course Detail
Teaching Period: Term1 2017
Course Code: HWSS6006C
Course Title: Identify and respond to children and young people at risk
School: 365T Global, Urban and Social Studies
Campus: City Campus
Program: C4323 - Certificate IV in Justice
Course Contact: Irene Pagliarella, Program Manager
Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 4581
Course Contact Email: irene.pagliarella@rmit.edu.au
Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff
Nominal Hours: 30
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
N/A
Course Description
In this course you will develop the skills and knowledge required to address duty of care requirements, working within an ethical framework and applying relevant legislation, policies and procedures in responding to children and young people.
National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria
National Element Code & Title: |
CHCCHILD401B Identify and respond to children and young people at risk |
Element: |
1. Implement work practices which support the protection of children and young people |
Performance Criteria: |
1.1 Identify children and young people at risk of abuse or neglect by observing signs and symptoms, asking open and non-leading questions, being aware of protective issues and using child protection procedures where appropriate 1.2 Respond to disclosure, information or signs and symptoms in accordance with state legislative responsibilities and the service policies and procedures 1.3 Routinely employ child-focused work practices to uphold the rights of the child and encourage them to participate in age-appropriate decision-making 1.4 Employ communication and information-gathering techniques with children and young people in accordance with current recognised good practice 1.5 Ensure decisions and actions taken are within own level of responsibility, work role, state legislation and service policies and procedures |
Element: |
2. Report indications of possible risk of harm |
Performance Criteria: |
2.1 Accurately record relevant specific and general circumstances surrounding risk of harm in accordance with state legislation, service policies and procedures and ethics 2.2 Promptly record and report risk-of-harm indicators, including the circumstances surrounding the risk of harm according to service policies and procedures 2.3 Ensure writing in reports is non-judgemental 2.4 Work collaboratively with relevant agencies to ensure maximum effectiveness of report |
Element: |
3. Apply ethical and nurturing practices in work with children and young people |
Performance Criteria: |
3.1 Protect the rights of children and young people in the provision of services 3.2 Identify and seek supervision support for issues of ethical concern in practice with children and young people 3.3 Employ ethical and nurturing practices and observe professional boundaries when working with children and young people 3.4 Recognise and report indicators for potential ethical concerns when working with children and young people |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of the course, you will have provided evidence to:
• Provide an appropriate response to indications of risk of harm
• Comply with regulations, legislation and duty of care responsibilities
• Employ child-focused work practices to uphold the rights of children and young people
• Maintain confidentiality
• Provide appropriate responses in the protection of children and young people
• Read and interpret the procedures for reporting children at risk in line with organisational expectations and legislative requirements.
• Provide required reports and records, including effective use of relevant information technology in line with work health and safety (WHS) guidelines
Details of Learning Activities
Students will participate in a variety of learning activities, both in class and out of class.
In Class Activities Will Incorporate
- Simulated workplace scenarios, practical demonstrations and role-plays that identify with professional practice within the justice system
- Individual oral and written questioning, and student-led group discussions and/or presentations, will exemplify your contextualizing of the class topics, and validate your learning of key procedures, protocols and associated role responsibilities.
Out of Class Activities Will Incorporate
- Readings, researching case studies, completing remaining in class activities, and preparing for in class group presentations
- A Justice Camp
Teaching Schedule
Session One:
- Introduction to identifying and responding to children and young people at risk – What is Risk? Who are the young people?
- Introduction and overview of course and discussion of expected outcomes of the course for application in the justice environment
- Discussion of formative and summative assessment tasks to determine competency
- Requirements for assignment submission and navigation of subject, online resources and in class activities
- Outline of prescribed texts for course
- Hand out of SUMMATIVE group assessment 1 – Presentation
- Discussion on working with children in different age groups and with disabilities and backgrounds.
- Online: DHHS Child Development & Trauma Guide
- Child Safety Standards
- In class exercise: Responding to children from a CALD background
- Group discussion on topics relevant to children todayChildren) Act 2014]
Session Two: THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK (Defining the DIFFERENCES BETWEEN LEGAL AND ETHICS)
Risk framework – What is risk? How do we identify risk in young people? How do we protect them?
BETRAYAL OF TRUST –
- Introduction to relevant legislation part 1 Best Interests Framework.
- Children Youth and Families Act à ‘failure to protect’ offence (updated 2011)
- New ‘failure to disclose’ offenceà [Crimes Amendment (Protection of Children) Act 2014]
- Working with Children Act
- Child Wellbeing and Safety Actà Commission for Children and Young People Act 2012
- Working with Children check
- UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
- Completing online activities 7 & 8
- Online researching of relevant legislation to develop a portfolio of resources
- Outline of Child Safe standards.
- Case study for reading.
Session Three:
- Child-focused work practices – INDICATORS OF HARM AND ABUSE. - Best Interests – Protecting the best interests of Aboriginal and CALD young people. Using the principles from Child Safe standards.
- Communication techniques in accordance with good practice
- Working within your level of responsibility
- Online – Film on Trauma, Family Violence and Child Abuse.
- -Complete online activities 3 & 4 on Blackboard
- In class role plays
Session: Four: Sexual Exploitation of children and young people
Confidentiality
- Duty of care
- Reporting & recording
- Stakeholders and accountability
- Working with Police and Courts.
Case study – Sexual exploitation of young people in Out of home-based care – Grooming and sexual abuse. (Ref: Pratt, R. (2015) – DHHS).
Session: Five Responding to Abuse and Disclosure
- CONFIDENTIALITY AND PRIVACY LAWS.
- Continuation on relevant legislation part 2
- Information Privacy Act
- Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act
- Family Law Act – Family Violence and Children’s rights.
- Case studies on Sexual and Emotional Abuse
Session: Six
Student Presentations (Summative Assessment 1).
Session: Seven
Review of weeks 1-6 – Changes to the Court Orders and Child Protection procedures. Feedback to students on presentations.
- Types and categories of orders pertaining to working within child protection
- Restraining orders
- Custody orders
- Supervision and contact
- Court jurisdictions and procedures
- Children’s Court
- Family Court
- Family Mediation
Session: Eight
- Ethical concerns and dilemmas and seeking supervision
- Code of conduct
- Conflict of interest
- Guest speaker
Session Nine
- Nurturing practices with children
- Reflect upon own practice
- Cultural practices in working with children at risk (Aboriginal /CALD background).
Session: Ten
- Play practices and game playing
- Ethical dilemmas (Case study) and practice.
- Film
Session: Eleven
Ethical dilemmas and role-plays and feedback.
Session: Twelve
- Justice Procedural Camp Week
- Students engaged in simulated activity relevant to responding to a child at risk
Session: Thirteen
- Students engaged in role play for summative assessment 2 on a prescribed topic to be advised
Learning Resources
Prescribed Texts
References
Other Resources
Overview of Assessment
Assessments may incorporate a variety of methods including role plays, observations, lectures, tutorials, class discussion, reports, resource portfolio, group/individual training workshops, and audio-visual presentations.
Assessment |
Assessment Type |
Word limit or equivalent |
Assessments (Formative) |
On-line activities, in class questioning, and weekly case note recordings. |
8x 250 words per case note recordings = 2000 words |
|
Assessment One (Summative) |
Written Exam |
N/A |
|
Assessment Two (Summative) |
Report on case studies. |
1500 words |
Assessment Three |
Group Presentations | N/A |
Assessment Tasks
|
Summative Assessments
Summative assessment 1 – Group activity. This assessment will incorporate a submission of a written responses on the Child Safe Standards, prevailing legislation and example of promoting cultural safety among Aboriginal children or young person with a disability. Summative Assessment 2 requires candidates to provide written responses to a given case scenario where an application has been made to the Children’s Court for an intervention of a temporary assessment order (Based on the Child, Youth and Family Act 2011 amended). Candidates are required to: Identify the relevant legislation that the agency needs to follow to protect the client Identify the level of risk (High, Medium or Low) of the client Identify the key indicators of harm that determine why the client is in need of protection Outline an action plan (based on a template provided) to determine the child’s safety and well-being during the investigation. Identify the impact of the harm of the child’s safety, stability and development with the current situation and future levels of risk as a result of the current situation
Summative Assessment 3 requires candidates to role play one ethical case dilemma from a list of prescribed scenarios. Candidates need to be able to demonstrate that: The principles Child Safety Standards, operating policies and procedures and the rights of the young person are adhered to Ensure the decision making process involves the collection of all relevant information Ensure that the decision is being made in an ethical manner Ensure that confidentiality requirements are followed as required |
Assessment Matrix
The assessments have been designed to cover all Learning Outcomes and will be graded in accordance with RMIT’s Mark Table which is as follows:
Competent with High Distinction |
|
CDI |
Competent with Distinction |
CC |
Competent with Credit |
CAG |
Competency Achieved - Graded |
NYC |
Not Yet Competent |
DNS |
Did not Submit for Assessment |
Other Information
Program inherent requirements
Inherent requirements refer to the abilities, knowledge and skills you must demonstrate to:
- achieve program learning outcomes
- work effectively as part of a team in classroom and work-integrated learning (WIL) settings
- perform effectively in classroom and WIL settings without undue risk to your own or others' health, safety and welfare.
Depending on your program of study, inherent requirements may include:
- verbal and non-verbal communication skills
- reading, writing and number skills
- concentration, memory and problem solving
- mental wellness and behavioural stability
- vision, hearing, touch and smell
- physical skills, such as gross and fine motor skills.
If you have any injury, illness, disability, impairment, condition or incapacity that may affect your ability to perform the inherent requirements of your program of study, we encourage you to discuss this with the Program manager to enable RMIT University to identify whether there are any reasonable adjustments that would enable you to perform program requirements. RMIT University wants to place you in the best possible position to use your knowledge, skills and attributes effectively in your program of study.
Course Overview: Access Course Overview