Course Title: Identify and respond to children and young people at risk

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2012

Course Code: HWSS5630C

Course Title: Identify and respond to children and young people at risk

School: 360T Education

Campus: City Campus

Program: C4282 - Certificate IV in 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
Ph: 9925 4650
fiona.dean@rmit.edu.au

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

No specific pre-requisite and co-requisite.

Course Description

The objectives of this course are for students to gain the knowledge and skills 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. The course applies to workers involved in delivering services to children and young people including: community services, health, policing, juvenile justice, recreation, family services, education, alcohol and other drugs work and mental health.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

CHCCHILD401A 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 Comply with lawful instructions, regulations, duty of care and boundaries of practice in all work activities
1.2 Routinely employ child focused work practices to uphold the rights of children and young peoples to participate in decision-making where it is age appropriate
1.3 Employ communication and information gathering techniques with children and young people in accordance with current recognised good practice
1.4 Ensure decisions and actions taken are within own level of responsibility, work role and legislative requirements
1.5 Maintain own knowledge and skills as required to work effectively and participate in practice supervision processes
1.6 Maintain confidentiality as appropriate
1.7 Provide an appropriate response as determined by organisation procedures, legal and work role obligations

Element:

2. Report indications of possible risk of harm

Performance Criteria:

2.1 Identify children and young people at risk of harm by routinely implementing child protection procedures when appropriate
2.2 Respond to disclosure in accordance with accepted standards ,techniques, and legislative obligations
2.3 Gather information about the child and young persons behaviour in order to identify uncharacteristic behaviour or other indicators which may indicate abuse
2.4 Monitor the circumstances of children who are identified as highly vulnerable to abuse
2.5 Identify indicators of abuse and report indications of possible risk of harm
2.6 Accurately record relevant specific and general circumstances surrounding risk of harm in accordance with organisation procedures, ethics and legal requirements
2.7 Promptly report risk of harm indicators in accordance with statutory and organisation procedures
2.8 Work collaboratively with relevant agencies to ensure the report has 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 Develop ethical practices for implementing professional boundaries consistent with child protection legislation in relevant jurisdiction
3.4 Recognise indicators for potential ethical concerns when working with children and young people
3.5 Respond to unethical behaviour of others by reporting to the appropriate person


Learning Outcomes


The learning objectives of this course are for students to gain the knowledge and skills 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.


Details of Learning Activities

The student learning experience will be facilitated through participation in a range of activities:
Group discussion
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 – Rights of the Child
Ethical approaches that incorporate the conventions on the rights of the child, and human
rights
Organisation guidelines and policies for responding to risks of harm to children and young
people
Identifying risk, identifying children and young people at risk: signs and symptoms
Discussion, Q&A activities, Evidence Guide

Week 5-9
Theory – Identifying risk, identifying children and young people at risk: signs and symptoms, cause and
effect
Responding to disclosure, information or signs and symptoms in accordance with accepted
standards, techniques, and legislative obligations
Employing child focused work practices to uphold the rights of children and young peoples
Communication and information gathering techniques appropriate when working with children
and young people
Discussion, Q&A activities,
Assignment 1 – Q&A

Week 10-14
Theory– Decision making and actions taken within work role
Maintaining confidentiality as appropriate
Reporting indications of possible risk of harm
Issues involved in reporting indications of possible risk of harm
Discussion, Q&A activities

Week 15-18
Theory – Responding to children and young people at risk
Accurately recording relevant specific and general circumstances surrounding risk of harm
Accurately recording circumstances surrounding risk of harm in accordance with organisation
procedures, ethics and legal requirements
Work collaboratively with relevant agencies, ensuring maximum effectiveness of reporting
Discussion, Q&A activities
Progress interview – Evidence guide, Assignment 1, Evidence of practical experience working with children and young people; e.g Observation/Demonstration, Third party

Semester 2
Week 1-4
Theory – Applying ethical and nurturing practices in work with children and young people
Protecting the rights of children and young people in the provision of services
Identifying and seeking supervision support for issues of ethical concern in practice with
children and young people
Developing ethical and nurturing practices in accordance with professional boundaries when
working with children and young people
Discussion, Q&A activities

Week 5-9
Theory –Discussion, Q&A activities

Assignment 2 – Scenarios

Week 10-14
Theory– Developing ethical and nurturing practices in accordance with professional boundaries when
working with children and young people
Recognising indicators for potential ethical concerns when working with children and young
people
Responding to unethical behaviour of others by reporting to the appropriate person
Discussion, Q&A activities

Project – Presentation (oral and/or written)

Week 15-18
Theory – Applying principles of legal requirements and ethical obligations
Assessment interview – review folio of final assessments e.g :
Evidence Guide, Assignment 1 and 2, Evidence of practical experience working with children and young people, e.g Observation/Demonstration, Third party, Assignment 1 and 2, Project – Presentation (oral and/or 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
• Project 1 - Oral and/or written question and answer assignment / Workbooks
• Project 2 – Individual or group project
• Scenarios (oral and/or written task)
• Presentation of a portfolio of evidence which may comprise documents, and/or photographs and/or video and audio files
• 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.

Other Information

Elements and Performance Criteria

1. Implement work practices which support the protection of children and young people
1.1 Identify children and young people at risk of harm by observing signs and symptoms, asking non-invasive 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 accepted standards,
techniques, and legislative obligations
1.3 Comply with lawful instructions, regulations and duty of care in all work activities
1.4 Routinely employ child focused work practices to uphold the rights of children and young peoples to
participate in decision-making where it is age appropriate
1.5 Employ communication and information gathering techniques with children and young people in
accordance with current recognised good practice
1.6 Ensure decisions and actions taken are within own level of responsibility, work role and legislative
requirements
1.7 Maintain own knowledge and skills as required to work effectively and participate in practice
supervision processes
1.8 Maintain confidentiality as appropriate
1.9 Provide an appropriate response as determined by organisation procedures, legal and work role
Obligations

2. Report indications of possible risk of harm
2.1 Accurately record relevant specific and general circumstances surrounding risk of harm in
accordance with organisation procedures, ethics and legal requirements
2.2 Promptly report risk of harm indicators accordance with statutory and organisation procedures
2.3 Work collaboratively with relevant agencies to ensure maximum effectiveness of report

3. Apply ethical and nurturing practices in work with children and young people
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 Develop ethical and nurturing practices in accordance with professional boundaries when
working with children and young people
3.4 Recognise indicators for potential ethical concerns when working with children and young people
3.5 Respond to unethical behaviour of others by reporting to the appropriate person


Course Overview: Access Course Overview