Cert IV Community Services Co-existing needs Task

Co-existing needs: Task 1 - written questions and answers

Task summary

• All tasks must be completed in this assessment guide – loose pages will not be accepted
• This is an open book assessment.
• You must answer all the questions correctly.
• Write your answers in the space provided.

What resources do I need in order to complete this assessment?

• Learner guide
• Assessment guide
• Handouts (if any) from workshop
• Internet access if available
• Access to workplace facilities/resources/intranet/SharePoint
• Write your answers with a black or blue pen only

When do I complete this task?

You will complete this task in your own time.

What happens if I don’t get everything right?

If your assessor marks any of your answers as incorrect, you will be given feedback by the assessor and asked to resubmit.

You will need to do one of the following:

• Answer the questions that were incorrect in writing
• Answer the questions that were incorrect verbally.

• Explain what a strengths-based approach is and outline how it relates to client assessment and referral.

1.02 Provide three (3) assessment tools you could use with clients to identify functioning or wellbeing. List the assessment tool, the purpose of that assessment, and how the assessment outcome impacts the client. See the example below.

1.03 You are meeting with Husain (23), a new client who has recently lost his job and is homeless. Husain wants to enter your Uniting Burnside Doorways for Youth accommodation service, and you need to explain what the service offers and how the general assessment process will work, including sharing of information.

Briefly outline:

1. How you explain your service to Husain
2. How a general assessment process works.
3. How you would get his consent to proceed to support his decision making.

• When receiving feedback in the workplace, explain how you receive this feedback and use reflection to improve work performance.

• Outline why it is important that assessment processes are reliable, valid and evidence-based?

1.06 Outline how you maintain and store your clients personal information according to confidentiality requirements. What are the consequences/implications if you breached the above and disclosed personal client information?

• Outline in your own words what is meant by ‘informed consent’.

1.08 Outline three (3) workplace situations where you would seek assistance from colleagues or experts because the task is outside your own role.

1.09 Jan (15) has just been referred to Uniting. Jan has run away from home and has been living on the streets. In her referral information, Jan has been diagnosed with bipolar and depression. What internal (Uniting) and external services could you possibly access to ensure Jan’s person-centred needs are met?

1.10 Refer to the list of needs and issues impacting client groups below. Give two (2) examples of how they affect clients and list other needs/issues that could potentially be interrelated.

1.11 You have just completed the required assessments for Jim. Outline what documentation you are required to complete as per your services’ requirements.

1.12 When evaluating the client’s needs, it is important to consider factors to determine issues of urgency or eligibility. What important factors should you consider?

1.13 What methods/processes/documents/tools could you use to gather existing information about the client in your service?

1.14 List two specialist service providers that a client may be referred to for assessment. For each, provide an example of the type of assessment this service could conduct or provide.

1.15 Explain a need/issue you would seek additional assistance from specialist services or networks to obtain information about the person being assessed? Provide the need/issue and type of information you might request in order to determine the range of issues that may be affecting the client?

1.16 a) From a practical aspect of assessment, who should you be consulting with regarding the assessment?

1. b) List four (4) things you need to consider when organising the ‘setting’ for the assessment.
2. c) When scheduling the assessment, list three (3) things you should consider.

1.17 Outline why is it important to collect feedback from clients and your networks about the assessment process they experienced.

1.18 You have received feedback from numerous clients that Sunshine Disability Services is not meeting client’s needs. How would use this information to improve service delivery for your clients?

1.19 Continuous improvement requires us to monitor assessment and referral processes to successfully meet client needs. Provide four (4) continuous improvement strategies Uniting employs to achieve successful client outcomes.

1.20 Provide three (3) ways you could empower clients to identify their individual needs and provide a brief description of each.

1.21 In your current role, research networks by accessing the internet, organisational databases or discussion with your colleagues. Use the information you have found to complete the table below.

To be completed by the assessor

Key

To be completed by the assessor

To be completed by the assessor

Co-existing needs: Task 2 – Case studies

Task summary

• Read the three (3) case studies and answer the questions for each case study.
• This is an open book assessment.
• You must attempt all sections of this task
• Write your answers in the space provided

What resources do I need in order to complete this assessment?

• Learner Guide
• Assessment Guide
• Handouts (if any) from workshop
• internet/email
• Access to your supervisor/co-workers in your workplace
• Access to workplace facilities/resources/intranet/SharePoint
• Write your answers with a black or blue pen only

When do I complete this task?

• You will complete this task in your own time.

When is this task due?

• It must be completed as per the assessment schedule.

Instructions

• Read the three (3) case studies and answer the questions for each case study.
• Answer all the questions IN YOUR OWN WORDS.
• Reference any information taken from sources such as the Learner Guide, websites, textbooks
• Dot points are fine for some answers but must address the question
• Approximately 1-2 paragraphs per answer is sufficient unless word count specified
• Use black or blue pen only - Do not use pencil
• Please make sure you write neatly, and your writing is legible.

What happens if I don’t get everything right?

If your assessor marks any of your answers as incorrect, you will be given feedback by the assessor and asked to resubmit. You will need to address the questions that were incorrect in writing.

Case study one

Cora (24) is an Aboriginal woman who grew up on the south coast of NSW. Cora lives with diabetes and schizophrenia. Cora is homeless, unemployed and lives in poverty. She also has an alcohol addiction and suffers depression. She has been referred for assessment for social services support. Sam is conducting the assessment. She has read Cora’s case notes and understands her medical history and other relevant information. During their first meeting, Sam clearly explains the process of assessment. Sam says she wants to identify Cora’s specific issues and needs. Sam explains that over the next two sessions, she will use a variety of assessment tools and interview questions to determine the:

• extent of Cora’s drug and alcohol dependency
• support that Cora requires to manage schizophrenia
• financial support required
• support required to find employment and appropriate housing.

During the interview, Cora can hear the noisy construction work in the street and begins to get agitated. She is due to take her medication. She throws one of the pens at Sam. Sam tries to remain calm. She notifies security by pressing the alert button. They come and check on Sam and Cora. By this stage, Cora has calmed down, as Sam encourages her to take her medication.

2.01 a) Identify the existing complex, multiple and interrelated factors and/or issues that Sam will need to address to undertake an holistic assessment of Cora’s needs. Present these according to category; for example, psychological factors/issues, physical factors/issues, etc.

1. b) Which needs/issues are a priority for Sam to address?
2. c) List two (2) assessment tools Sam could use to assess Cora’s needs/issues.

2.02 Research formal services by accessing the internet, Uniting intranet/SharePoint or discussion with colleagues. Complete the table below identifying internal (Uniting) or external services that Sam could access as part of her support network for referrals/advice for Cora.

Case study two

Vera contacts May by phone, who is reportedly experiencing domestic abuse. Vera wants to schedule an assessment. She first needs to make sure May and her six-year old child, Tanya are currently safe. May confirms there is no immediate threat. Vera asks May if she is safe to talk. She says she can’t talk right now, because her partner (the perpetrator) is in the next room watching television and drinking heavily. Vera asks May if she can come to the Women and Family Centre in Parramatta. May confirms an appointment for that afternoon after she picks up Tanya from school. Vera encourages May not to give any details about the phone call or the appointment to her partner.

At the interview, Vera once again assesses May’s immediate risk. May says her partner overheard their conversation, and threatened her until she told him what it was about. May told him she was talking to a friend; however, she is worried he knew she was lying, and could have followed her to the centre. As a precaution, Vera phones security to ask them to inform her if anyone is found to be behaving suspiciously near the entrance.

2.03. What practical aspects did Vera consider regarding risks to May, Tanya, herself and other workers?

2.04. Outline the strategies Vera used to minimise risk to May, Tanya, herself and other workers?

2.05. How has the community worker demonstrated duty of care in this scenario?

2.06 With Tanya involved in this situation, what is Vera’s child protection obligation as a community worker?

2.07 How would Vera interact with May to ensure a strengths-based approach is applied?

Case study three

You work in disability services and are coordinating an assessment with Clive, aged 57, who is on the autism spectrum and has a physical disability. He also has AOD issues, which affects his ability to live safely on his own and impacts on his mental health. An assessment is being conducted to determine which services will best meet his needs.

At the time of assessment, Clive is living with his sister and her family, but his sister has requested support because she says she can no longer afford to support Clive. She also finds it difficult to manage his dramatic mood swings. She reports that at times, Clive’s behaviour is aggressive, bordering on violent.

Clive was injured while in prison 12 months ago after an incident with another inmate, losing the use of one leg. He uses a wheelchair but can manage on crutches. Clive currently takes medication to manage chronic pain in his leg. He is not currently receiving medical support other than occasional visits to the doctor to collect prescriptions. Clive has minimal food preparation skills. He also has difficulty accessing transport and integrating into the community.

Clive is on a disability pension and is eligible for NDIS funding for accommodation. Two disability vacancies in residences are available. One service has a share residence available, where Clive would be living with one other person with disability. The other service offers an apartment on the second floor, where Clive would live independently.

2.08. Provide an outline of Clive’s complex co-existing needs and how they may impact his wellbeing.

2.09. Explain the types of assessment tools that may be used to assess Clive and why these tools were chosen. List two.

2.10. To empower Clive, you sit down with him and discuss the positives and negatives so he can make his own decision about his accommodation. List the positives and negatives for both shared and independent accommodation.

2.11 You encourage Clive to advocate for himself for the support services he will require for his accommodation. What types of support services would you recommend Clive access based on your answer to 2.10?

2.12 How have you used an evidence-based approach in Clive’s situation?

Case study four

Britney, a 42-year old sole parent with two children, arrives at your family support service. New to the area, she is unsure she has come to the right place and looks nervous and anxious. Her family has been through a rough weekend. Her 9-year old boy has been sick with the flu and Britney wants help to get the medication the doctor prescribed for him. She has taken her 13-year old daughter out of a school camp costing $45 and is using the money to pay an overdue telephone bill. The electricity company has warned her about disconnection because of an unpaid bill. Britney’s old washing machine has also broken down over the weekend.

Further discussions during the interview revealed that Britney’s marriage was over and that she and her children were unlikely to return to the family home. Her husband convinced her she was not entitled to stay, having made no contribution to the mortgage. Britney hoped to resume midwifery, a job she did before her marriage. She had always been proud of being able to look after her family, but having paid a bond and four week’s rent (at $250 per week), there is now very little left in her meagre savings.

She is extremely upset and embarrassed about asking for help and feels totally

stressed, overwhelmed and afraid for the future.

2.13 Using the ‘critical thinking’ process, briefly outline how you would support Britney and her children.

To be completed by the assessor

Co-existing needs: Task 3 – Simulation exercise

Task summary

Simulation/roleplay of a basic intake interview

You must answer all the questions and address

all the criteria

Write your answers in the space provided.

What resources do I need in order to

complete this assessment?

• Access to the Learner Guide
• Assessment guide Task 3
• Handouts (if any) from the workshop
• Access to your co-workers/learners
• Write your answers with a black or blue pen only.

When do I complete this task?

It must be completed on the Simulation assessment day 1.

Simulation exercise selection

Simulation exercises require learners to be in pairs.

• Pairs for simulations will be decided upon using a ‘random selection process’ so learners will have a different partner for each simulation day
• Due to conflict of interest, students in a relationship with each other and those who work in the same service will not be paired for the simulation exercise
• If random selection results in the above learners being paired, there will be a redraw.

Instructions

• Practise: You will have some class time to prepare. You can also discuss/practise outside class time.

• Community worker role: Participate in a simulation/roleplay and complete an intake interview with a client using the Intake case plan on the following pages. The assessor will be assessing against criteria 3.1 to 3.10 in the Observation record. Read all the criteria you will be expected to cover during the simulation. Only the Community worker will be assessed.

• Client: Learners playing clients have a background to build upon from the case study and may improvise to make the interaction more authentic and realistic. Clients may take the case study into the simulation to refer to.

• You will be given an Intake case plan form to complete on the day of the assessment. Information entered on the Intake case plan will be handwritten. Writing must be legible and in black or blue pen only.

What happens if I don’t get everything right?

If your assessor does not mark ‘Yes’ for any of your assessment criteria, you will be given feedback by the assessor and you may be asked to complete another simulation to address the criteria. During the simulation you may be asked questions by the assessor.

The simulation process

You will pair up with another learner from the class and conduct a 10-15-minute simulation/roleplay to demonstrate how a community worker conducts a basic intake interview with a client. You and your partner will decide in which roleplay you will play the community worker and then the client.

You will participate in a simulation as a community worker meeting with a client. Your role is to collect information to support the client, not assess, offer solutions or make referrals. You can offer suggestions. The information you collect will be passed to a case worker, whose role it is to assess, support and organise referrals for the best client outcome.

Assessors will time the simulations.

Preparation

1. You will partner with another learner and prepare a 10-15-minute role play where a community worker is conducting a basic intake interview with a client.
2. You may have some class time to prepare. You can also discuss/practise outside class time. On the Simulation day, you can arrive early and practise the roleplay scenario.

The case studies

Doorways supports people (12-24 years) experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Doorways is a Specialist Homelessness Service (SHS). Doorways assists in finding accommodation, providing links to other health, education, legal, financial, and community support services. Doorways also assists with drug and alcohol issues. Case workers will provide support to work towards an independent, stable and safe future. Services are free of charge and confidential.

Intake Case Plan (completed on the Simulation day after the simulation activity) This form to be completed when goals need to be documented for short term client work.

Clients may be considered suitable for use in advice & referral work, immediate crisis work, housing connectors work.

This case plan is not for clients who will receive an ongoing case management service.

THIS IS A SAMPLE PLAN AND CAN BE COMPLETED AS PRACTISE PRIOR TO THE SIMULATION

Case Plan Domains: (a goal identified below may address more than one domain)

Assessor must observe the learner during the simulation indicating that they are satisfied with their standard of performance against the specified criteria.

Assess co-existing needs – Simulation

Criteria the ‘Community worker’ must demonstrate during the simulation. The learner has:

To be completed by the assessor

Key

To be completed by the assessor

To be completed by the assessor