Modification History
CHC08 Version 3 |
CHC08 Version 4 |
Description |
CHCCS514A Recognise and respond to individuals at risk |
CHCCS514B Recognise and respond to individuals at risk |
Unit updated in V4. ISC upgrade changes to remove references to old OHS legislation and replace with references to new WHS legislation. No change to competency outcome. |
Unit Descriptor
Descriptor |
This unit describes basic competencies required by community service workers to recognise and respond appropriately to signs and symptoms that indicate individuals may be at risk The focus is on identifying and managing immediate risk in the context of a supportive helping relationship that seeks to work collaboratively with the person at risk to achieve safe outcomes |
Application of the Unit
Application |
This unit may apply to people in formal helping roles in any community service context or where caregivers encounter persons at risk This unit provides skills and knowledge to enable workers to contain the situation and minimise any immediate risk and to provide appropriate referral for crisis intervention and ongoing support as required Workers requiring skills and knowledge to provide crisis intervention support to resource an individual beyond the situation of immediate risk need additional skills and knowledge and are advised to complete in unit CHCCS521B Assess and respond to individuals at risk of suicide |
Licensing/Regulatory Information
Not Applicable
Pre-Requisites
Not Applicable
Employability Skills Information
Employability Skills |
This unit contains Employability Skills |
Elements and Performance Criteria Pre-Content
Elements define the essential outcomes of a unit of competency. |
The Performance Criteria specify the level of performance required to demonstrate achievement of the Element. Terms in italics are elaborated in the Range Statement. |
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT |
PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
1. Identify and assess the person's current risk |
1.1 Recognise and respond to signs, (such as statements, reactions, thoughts, feelings or behaviours) indicating that a person may be at risk 1.2 Attend to any hunches, while listening as a helper, perhaps from indirect communications, that suggest the client may be at risk 1.3 Ask directly about thoughts of suicide whenever there are grounds for concern If suicide thoughts are present: 1.4 Seek sufficient understanding of why the person is considering suicide, and what links them to life, to inform and facilitate the intervention 1.5 Assess current suicide risk guided by risk assessment considerations outlined in the Range Statement and by whether there is an imminent threat to the person's safety or the safety of others |
2. Work actively with the person to reduce the immediate risk and increase safety |
2.1 Build a collaborative empathic relationship with person at risk 2.2 Listen to what contributed to the critical incident and affirm and strengthen links to safety and living implicit in the helping relationship 2.3 Work with person at risk to identify and agree actions to reduce immediate danger and mobilise access to emergency assistance, including medical help when needed 2.4 Identify and agree actions that address and reduce any risk of harm to caregivers and others potentially at risk in the situation and remain mindful of circumstances where the police may need to be involved to address safety 2.5 Seek advice and/or assistance from workplace supervisor to ensure action taken is lawful, complies with good crisis intervention practice and organisation policies consistent with that practice, ethical processes and duty of care obligations 2.6 Address work health and safety (WHS) obligations in relation to managing self and others |
3. Provide referral for crisis intervention support |
3.1 Encourage and enable capacity of person at risk to make informed choices about further help that deals with their crisis and associated needs for ongoing care 3.2 Acknowledge how the current helping relationship has provided foundations for further care 3.3 Explore and seek to understand and address any barriers to seeking or accepting help 3.4 Develop, with the individual, a plan and agreed first steps, to access and utilise informal supports and professional help 3.5 Refer to appropriate community services and/or health professionals as required |
Required Skills and Knowledge
REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE |
This describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level required for this unit. |
Essential knowledge: The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the identified work role These include knowledge of:
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Essential skills: It is critical that the candidate demonstrate the ability to:
In addition, the candidate must be able to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the identified work role These include the ability to:
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Evidence Guide
EVIDENCE GUIDE |
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The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the Performance Criteria, Required Skills and Knowledge, the Range Statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package. |
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Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate this unit of competency: |
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Access and equity considerations: |
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Context of and specific resources for assessment: |
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Method of assessment: |
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Range Statement
RANGE STATEMENT |
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The Range Statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Add any essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts. |
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Identifying potential risk involves: |
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Informed suicide risk assessments involve: |
A wide variety of contextual or personal considerations also help inform assessments and may include such things as significant loss, trauma, the impact of another person's suicide or a pattern of extreme agitation, anger / violent behaviour
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Immediate risks (other than suicide) may include: |
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Actions to reduce immediate danger and mobilise access to emergency assistance include: |
Recognising that:
Actions appropriate to each specific situation, but typically including the following processes and tasks:
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Unit Sector(s)
Not Applicable