Course Title: Maintain legal and ethical work practices
Part B: Course Detail
Teaching Period: Term1 2014
Course Code: HWSS5723C
Course Title: Maintain legal and ethical work practices
School: 360T Education
Campus: Brunswick 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
James Goring james.goring@rmit.edu.au 9925 9494
Soosan Kian soosan.kian@rmit.edu.au 9925 9183
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: |
CHCCS502C 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 |
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 |
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 |
Element: |
4 Take corrective action when clients 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 |
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. On successful completion of this course, you will have developed and applied the skills and knowledge required to demonstrate your competency in the above elements.
Details of Learning Activities
This unit is part of Diploma of Education Support program. You will study this unit with several other units on the same day. Your program consists of face to face teaching, Directed Study and you are expected to participate in professional placement. It is highly recommended that students attend at least 85% of class time as crucial learning activities, assessment task preparation some assessment tasks are completed in class. You are not required to attend to complete Directed Study, however you are expected to complete all work given and will at times be required to show evidence that the work has been completed in this unit. Directed Study is a very important part of your program. An outline of your Directed Study will be given by your teacher and is published in the Weekly Program Delivery Plan.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. 

Professional placement
Teaching Schedule
Program Dates: 10/2/2014 TO 28/11/2014
Term Breaks: 21/4/2014 TO 27/4/2014; 23/6/2014 TO 13/7/2014; 229/2014 TO 5/10/2014
Public holidays: 10/3/2014, 18/4/2014, 9/6/2014, 3/11 TO 4/11 2014
This unit will be delivered weekly. The times will be outlined in the program delivery plans which are updated each week.
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. Should the teaching schedule change students will be advised via blackboard.
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.
Semester 1
Week 1-4
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
Week 5-8
Monitoring 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&A activities,
Assignment – Research/Q&A
Week 9-12
Importance of ethics in practice
Monitor 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
Research/Oral presentation
Progress interview
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
Discussion,Q&Aactivities,Role-plays
Progress interview –Assignment 1, research/Q&A, Oral presentation, Evidence of practical experience promoting and responding to workplace diversity; 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
Research/Oral presentation
Progress interview
Week 17-18
Corrective actions appropriate to managing suspected abuse
Ethical vs legal problems
Collaborative and network with stakeholders
Communication skills to fulfil work roles
Discussion,Q&Aactivities,Role-plays
Assessment interview – review folio of final assessments e.g :
Assignments1 and 2, Oral presentation, Evidence of practical experience; e.g. Observation/Demonstration, Folio – Presentation (oral and written)
Learning Resources
Prescribed Texts
References
Other Resources
TEXTS AND EQUIPMENT
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 (use your own or they can be purchased from the Brunswick Library very cheaply)
• USB (Memory stick)
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 policy 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 see http://www1.rmit.edu.au/students/assessment
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:
CC – Competency credit
CA – Competency achieved
NYC – Not Yet Competent
Please note:
Assessments tasks may include other Units of competency from the program.
All Assessment tasks should be submitted by the deadline. If an extension is required you must ask your teacher for one before the due date.
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