3 Chccom005

CHCCOM005
COMMUNICATE AND WORK IN HEALTH OR

COMMUNITY SERVICES
LEARNER RESOURCE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS........................................................................................................................................ 1
UNIT INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................... 4
ABOUT THIS RESOURCE ...................................................................................................................................... 4
ABOUT ASSESSMENT.......................................................................................................................................... 5
ELEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE CRITERIA ....................................................................................................... 7
PERFORMANCE EVIDENCE AND KNOWLEDGE EVIDENCE ................................................................................. 9
PERFORMANCE EVIDENCE......................................................................................................................................... 9
KNOWLEDGE EVIDENCE ............................................................................................................................................ 9
ASSESSMENT CONDITIONS ............................................................................................................................ 12
PRE-REQUISITES ............................................................................................................................................. 12
TOPIC 1 – COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY WITH PEOPLE .................................................................................. 13
USE VERBAL AND NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION TO ENHANCE UNDERSTANDING AND DEMONSTRATE
RESPECT ......................................................................................................................................................... 13
WHAT IS COMMUNICATION? ................................................................................................................................... 13
VERBAL COMMUNICATION ..................................................................................................................................... 14
NON-VERBAL ....................................................................................................................................................... 15
COMMUNICATE SERVICE INFORMATION IN A MANNER THAT IS CLEAR AND EASILY UNDERSTOOD .............. 17
CONSISTENCY ....................................................................................................................................................... 17
CLEAR DIRECTION ................................................................................................................................................. 17
ACCOUNTABILITY .................................................................................................................................................. 18
CULTURE ............................................................................................................................................................. 18
CONFIRM THE PERSON’S UNDERSTANDING AND LISTEN TO REQUESTS, CLARIFY MEANING AND RESPOND
APPROPRIATELY ............................................................................................................................................ 19
CLARIFYING AND CLARIFICATION .............................................................................................................................. 19
CLARIFICATION QUESTIONS ..................................................................................................................................... 19
OPEN QUESTIONS ................................................................................................................................................. 20
CLOSED QUESTIONS .............................................................................................................................................. 20
REFLECTING AND SUMMARISING............................................................................................................................... 20
WHAT IS REFLECTING?........................................................................................................................................... 22
WHAT IS SUMMARISING? ....................................................................................................................................... 22
EXCHANGE INFORMATION CLEARLY IN A TIMELY MANNER AND WITHIN CONFIDENTIALITY PROCEDURES... 23
TOPIC 2 – COLLABORATE WITH COLLEAGUES ................................................................................................. 25
COLLABORATION OR CONFRONTATION ....................................................................................................................... 25
LISTEN TO, CLARIFY AND AGREE TIMEFRAMES FOR CARRYING OUT WORKPLACE INSTRUCTIONS ................. 25
IDENTIFY LINES OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN ORGANISATION AND OTHER SERVICES.............................. 27
MAINTAIN ACTIVE PARTICIPATION ............................................................................................................................ 27
FACE-TO-FACE NETWORKING .................................................................................................................................. 29
COMMUNICATING CONFIDENTLY.............................................................................................................................. 29
USE INDUSTRY TERMINOLOGY CORRECTLY IN VERBAL, WRITTEN AND DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS ............ 30
USE APPROPRIATE MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY IN VERBAL, COMMUNICATIONS....................................................................... 30
Developed by Enhance Your Future Pty Ltd 1
CHCCOM005 - Communicate and work in health or community services Version 1.1
Course code and name
USE APPROPRIATE MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY IN WRITTEN OR DIGITAL COMMUNICATION ....................................................... 30
COMPLETING DOCUMENTS...................................................................................................................................... 30
FOLLOW COMMUNICATION PROTOCOLS THAT APPLY TO INTERACTIONS WITH DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND LINES
OF AUTHORITY............................................................................................................................................... 31
COMMUNICATION HIERARCHY ................................................................................................................................. 31
TOPIC 3 – ADDRESS CONSTRAINTS TO COMMUNICATION ............................................................................. 33
IDENTIFY EARLY SIGNS OF POTENTIALLY COMPLICATED OR DIFFICULT SITUATIONS AND REPORT ACCORDING
TO ORGANISATION PROCEDURES .................................................................................................................. 33
RESOLVE CONFLICT ................................................................................................................................................ 34
IDENTIFY ACTUAL CONSTRAINTS TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION AND RESOLVE USING APPROPRIATE
COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES AND TECHNIQUES ........................................................................................ 36
USE COMMUNICATION SKILLS TO AVOID, DEFUSE AND RESOLVE CONFLICT SITUATIONS ............................. 38
CONFLICT AND PROBLEM-SOLVING IN THE WORKPLACE ................................................................................................. 38
TOPIC 4 – REPORT PROBLEMS TO SUPERVISOR ............................................................................................. 40
COMPLY WITH LEGAL AND ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND DISCUSS DIFFICULTIES WITH SUPERVISOR AND
REFER UNRESOLVED CONFLICT SITUATIONS TO SUPERVISOR ........................................................................ 40
REFER ANY BREACH OR NON-ADHERENCE TO STANDARD PROCEDURES OR ADVERSE EVENT TO
APPROPRIATE PEOPLE AND REFER ISSUES IMPACTING ON ACHIEVEMENT OF EMPLOYEE, EMPLOYER AND/OR
CLIENT RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES .......................................................................................................... 42
BREACH OF STANDARD PROCEDURES ......................................................................................................................... 42
ISSUES IMPACTING EMPLOYEE/EMPLOYER ACHIEVEMENT .............................................................................................. 43
KNOW HOW TO ADDRESS DILEMMAS THAT MAY ARISE BETWEEN AN INDIVIDUAL’S RIGHTS AND THE DUTY OF CARE ................... 43
TOPIC 5 – COMPLETE WORKPLACE CORRESPONDENCE AND DOCUMENTATION ........................................... 45
READ WORKPLACE DOCUMENTS RELATING TO ROLE AND CLARIFY UNDERSTANDING WITH SUPERVISOR ... 45
AWARDS AND AGREEMENTS ................................................................................................................................... 46
DEFINITIONS ........................................................................................................................................................ 47
Awards ........................................................................................................................................................ 47
Agreements ................................................................................................................................................. 47
COMPLETE DOCUMENTATION ACCORDING TO LEGAL REQUIREMENT AND ORGANISATION PROCEDURES
AND COMPLETE WRITTEN AND ELECTRONIC WORKPLACE DOCUMENTS TO ORGANISATION STANDARDS AND
USE CLEAR, ACCURATE AND OBJECTIVE LANGUAGE WHEN DOCUMENTING EVENTS..................................... 49
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES GUIDE YOUR WORK ........................................................................................................... 51
FOLLOW ORGANISATION COMMUNICATION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR USING DIGITAL MEDIA ........ 53
TOPIC 6 – CONTRIBUTE TO CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT ............................................................................. 54
CONTRIBUTE TO IDENTIFYING AND VOICING IMPROVEMENTS IN WORK PRACTICES .................................... 54
WHAT IS ‘CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT’? ................................................................................................................. 54
Continuous Improvement Process (CIP) ...................................................................................................... 54
TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT (TQM).................................................................................................................... 55
The essential components of TQM – Commitment and Leadership ............................................................ 56
The building blocks of TQM: processes, people, management systems and performance measurement .. 57
PRINCIPLES OF CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT .............................................................................................................. 57
The Continuous Improvement Process ........................................................................................................ 58
Five ways to continuously improve ............................................................................................................. 58

PROMOTE AND MODEL CHANGES TO IMPROVED WORK PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES IN ACCORDANCE
WITH ORGANISATION REQUIREMENTS.......................................................................................................... 60
SEEK FEEDBACK AND ADVICE FROM APPROPRIATE PEOPLE ON AREAS FOR SKILL AND KNOWLEDGE
DEVELOPMENT .............................................................................................................................................. 61
CONSULT WITH MANAGER REGARDING OPTIONS FOR ACCESSING SKILL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND
INITIATE ACTION ............................................................................................................................................ 64
TOPIC 7 - FURTHER INFORMATION ................................................................................................................ 65
CONFIDENTIALITY, PRIVACY AND DISCLOSURE .............................................................................................. 65
WHAT IS CONFIDENTIALITY ....................................................................................................................... 65
DISCRIMINATION ........................................................................................................................................... 67
INTERVENTION AND CHILD PROTECTION ....................................................................................................... 68
WORK ROLE BOUNDARIES ............................................................................................................................. 70
TRANSLATION/INTERPRETERS ....................................................................................................................... 71
INFORMED CONSENT ..................................................................................................................................... 73
DIGITAL MEDIA AND USE ............................................................................................................................... 73
SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................................................... 74
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................................... 75

UNIT INTRODUCTION
This resource covers the unit CHCCOM005 - Communicate and work in health or
community services.
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to communicate effectively with
clients, colleagues, management and other industry providers.
This unit applies to a range of health and community service contexts where workers
may communicate face-to-face, in writing or using digital media and work with limited
responsibility under direct or indirect supervision.
The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and
State/Territory legislation, Australian/New Zealand standards and industry codes of
practice.
ABOUT THIS RESOURCE
This resource brings together information to develop your knowledge about this unit.
The information is designed to reflect the requirements of the unit and uses headings to
makes it easier to follow.
Read through this resource to develop your knowledge in preparation for your
assessment. You will be required to complete the assessment tools that are included in
your program. At the back of the resource are a list of references you may find useful to
review.
As a student it is important to extend your learning and to search out text books,
internet sites, talk to people at work and read newspaper articles and journals which
can provide additional learning material.
Your trainer may include additional information and provide activities. Slide
presentations and assessments in class to support your learning.

ABOUT ASSESSMENT
Throughout your training we are committed to your learning by providing a training

and assessment framework that ensures the knowledge gained through training is
translated into practical on the job improvements.
You are going to be assessed for:
 Your skills and knowledge using written and observation activities that apply
to your workplace.
 Your ability to apply your learning.
 Your ability to recognise common principles and actively use these on the job.
You will receive an overall result of Competent or Not Yet Competent for the assessment
of this unit. The assessment is a competency based assessment, which has no pass or
fail. You are either competent or not yet competent. Not Yet Competent means that you
still are in the process of understanding and acquiring the skills and knowledge required
to be marked competent. The assessment process is made up of a number of assessment
methods. You are required to achieve a satisfactory result in each of these to be deemed
competent overall.
All of your assessment and training is provided as a positive learning tool. Your assessor
will guide your learning and provide feedback on your responses to the assessment. For
valid and reliable assessment of this unit, a range of assessment methods will be used to
assess practical skills and knowledge.
Your assessment may be conducted through a combination of the following methods:
 Written Activity
 Case Study
 Observation
 Questions
 Third Party Report
The assessment tool for this unit should be completed within the specified time period
following the delivery of the unit. If you feel you are not yet ready for assessment,
discuss this with your trainer and assessor.

To be successful in this unit you will need to relate your learning to your workplace. You
may be required to demonstrate your skills and be observed by your assessor in your
workplace environment. Some units provide for a simulated work environment and
your trainer and assessor will outline the requirements in these instances.

ELEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE
CRITERIA
1. Communicate effectively 1.1 Use verbal and non-verbal communication to
with people enhance understanding and demonstrate respect
1.2 Communicate service information in a manner that

is clear and easily understood
1.3 Confirm the person’s understanding
1.4 Listen to requests, clarify meaning and respond

appropriately
1.5 Exchange information clearly in a timely manner

and within confidentiality procedures
2. Collaborate with colleagues 2.1 Listen to, clarify and agree timeframes for carrying
out workplace instructions
2.2 Identify lines of communication between

organisation and other services
2.3 Use industry terminology correctly in verbal,

written and digital communications
2.4 Follow communication protocols that apply to

interactions with different people and lines of authority
3. Address constraints to 3.1 Identify early signs of potentially complicated or

communication difficult situations and report according to organisation
procedures
3.2 Identify actual constraints to effective

communication and resolve using appropriate
communication strategies and techniques
3.3 Use communication skills to avoid, defuse and

resolve conflict situations
4. Report problems to 4.1 Comply with legal and ethical responsibilities and
supervisor discuss difficulties with supervisor
4.2 Refer any breach or non adherence to standard

procedures or adverse event to appropriate people
4.3 Refer issues impacting on achievement of employee,

employer and/or client rights and responsibilities

4.4 Refer unresolved conflict situations to supervisor
5. Complete workplace 5.1 Complete documentation according to legal

correspondence and requirement and organisation procedures
documentation
5.2 Read workplace documents relating to role and
clarify understanding with supervisor
5.3 Complete written and electronic workplace

documents to organisation standards
5.4 Follow organisation communication policies and

procedures for using digital media
5.5 Use clear, accurate and objective language when

documenting events
6. Contribute to continuous 6.1 Contribute to identifying and voicing improvements

improvement in work practices
6.2 Promote and model changes to improved work

practices and procedures in accordance with
organisation requirements
6.3 Seek feedback and advice from appropriate people

on areas for skill and knowledge development
6.4 Consult with manager regarding options for

accessing skill development opportunities and initiate
action

PERFORMANCE EVIDENCE AND
KNOWLEDGE EVIDENCE
This describes the essential knowledge and skills and their level required for this unit.
PERFORMANCE EVIDENCE
The candidate must show evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements
and performance criteria of this unit, manage tasks and manage contingencies in the
context of the job role. There must be evidence that the candidate has:
 Demonstrated effective communication skills in 3 different work situations

 Clarified workplace instructions and negotiated timeframes with 2 colleagues
 Responded appropriately to 3 different situations where communication
constraints were present
 Completed 2 written or electronic workplace documents to organisation
standards
KNOWLEDGE EVIDENCE
The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively

complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage tasks
and manage contingencies in the context of the work role. This includes knowledge of:
 Legal and ethical considerations in relation to communication:

o Privacy, confidentiality and disclosure
o Discrimination
o Duty of care
o Mandatory reporting
o Translation
o Informed consent
o Work role boundaries – responsibilities and limitations
o Child protection across all health and community services contexts,
including duty of care when child is not the client, indicators of risk
and adult disclosure

 Sources of information and the application of legal and ethical aspects of
health and community services work
 Ethical decision making and conflicts of interest
 Principles of effective communication, including models, modes and types
 Communication techniques:
o Open ended questions, affirmations, reflections and summaries
o Difference between motivational interviewing and coercive approach
o Difference between collaboration and confrontation
 Influences on communication:
o Language
o Culture
o Religion
o Emotional state
o Disability
o Health
o Age
 Potential constraints to effective communication in health and community
service contexts
 Health and community services industry terminology relating to role and
service provision
 Importance of grammar, speed and pronunciation for verbal communication
 When and how to use and recognise non-verbal communication
 Structure, function and interrelationships between different parts of the
health and community service system
 Organisation structure and different models to support optimum client
service:
o Principles underpinning person-centred service delivery
o Principles of rights-based service delivery
o Different roles and responsibilities of team
o Characteristics of multi-disciplinary teams and how they are used
o Relationships between different members of the health and
community services workforces
o Role of support services
o Links and interrelationships with other services
o Funding environment
 Digital media and use in community services and health sector, including:
o Web
o Email
o Social media
o Podcast and videos
o Tablets and applications
o Newsletters and broadcasts
o Intranet

ASSESSMENT CONDITIONS
Skills must have been demonstrated in the workplace or in a simulated environment
that reflects workplace conditions. Where simulation is used, it must reflect real
working conditions by modelling industry operating conditions and contingencies, as
well as, using suitable facilities, equipment and resources.
Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs)
2015/AQTF mandatory competency requirements for assessors.
PRE-REQUISITES
This unit must be assessed after the following pre-requisite unit:
There are no pre-requisites for this unit.

TOPIC 1 – COMMUNICATE
EFFECTIVELY WITH PEOPLE
USE VERBAL AND NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION TO ENHANCE

UNDERSTANDING AND DEMONSTRATE RESPECT
Effective communication, skills are fundamental to success in many aspects of life. Many
jobs require strong communication skills and socially, people with improved
communication skills usually have better interpersonal relationships.
Effective verbal or spoken communication is dependent on a number of factors and

cannot be fully isolated from other important interpersonal skills such as non-verbal
communication, listening skills and clarification.
WHAT IS COMMUNICATION?
Communication is simply the act of transferring information from one place to another.
Although this is a simple definition, when we think about how we may communicate the
subject becomes a lot more complex. There are various categories of communication,
and more than one may occur at any time. The different categories of communication
are:
 Spoken or verbal communication

 Non-verbal communication
 Written communication
 Visualisations
Communication refers to the manner in which the meaning of a message is transmitted

and received and includes:
Unaided communication such as:
 Natural gestures
 Facial expressions
 Eye contact
 Vocalisation
 Key word signs - makaton vocabulary
Aided communication, where the person communicates using a communication aid (i.e.
something other than their body) such as:
 Real objects
 Photographs
 Line drawings
 Communication aids such as 'chat books', personal communication
dictionaries', 'books about me' etc.
 Electronic devices with speech output
Part of what makes us human is the ability to communicate ideas to each other using
words. For a client who does not have the ability to communicate their thoughts in this
manner life can be a lonely and frustrating experience.
VERBAL COMMUNICATION
Verbal communication includes sounds, words, language, and speech. Speaking is an

effective way of communicating and helps in expressing our emotions in words. This
form of communication is further classified into four types, which are:
 Intrapersonal Communication - This form of communication is extremely

private and restricted to ourselves. It includes the silent conversations we
have with ourselves; wherein we juggle roles between the sender and
receiver who are processing our thoughts and actions. This process of
communication, when analysed, can either be conveyed verbally to someone
or stay confined as thoughts.
 Interpersonal Communication - This form of communication takes place
between two individuals and is thus a one-on-one conversation. Here, the two
individuals involved will swap their roles of sender and receiver in order to
communicate in a clearer manner.
 Small Group Communication - This type of communication can take place
only when there are more than two people involved. Here the number of
people will be small enough to allow each participant to interact and converse
with the rest. Press conferences, board meetings, and team meetings are
examples of group communication. Unless a specific issue is being discussed,
small group discussions can become chaotic and difficult to interpret by
everybody. This lag in understanding information completely can result in
miscommunication.
 Public Communication - This type of communication takes place when one
individual addresses a large gathering of people. Election campaigns and
public speeches are an example of this type of communication. In such cases,
there is usually a single sender of information and several receivers who are
being addressed.
NON-VERBAL
Nonverbal communication manages to convey the sender's message without having to

use words.
This form of communication supercedes all other forms because of its usage and
effectiveness. Nonverbal communication involves the use of physical ways of
communication, such as tone of the voice, touch, and expressions.
Symbols and sign language are also included in nonverbal communication. Body posture
and language convey a lot of nonverbal messages when communicating verbally with
someone.
Folded arms and crossed legs are some of the defensive nonverbal signals conveyed by
people. Shaking hands, patting and touching, express feelings of intimacy. Facial
expressions, gestures and eye contact are all different ways of communication. Creative
and aesthetic nonverbal forms of communication include music, dancing and
sculpturing.
The way we communicate can play a major role in the success of our personal and
professional relationships, and can significantly influence our ability to accomplish what
we want and need, and achieve our potential.

Words often play only a small part in the messages we communicate. Other factors, such
as the way we present the words we use, our tone of our voice, and our body language –
posture, gestures, facial expressions, eye contact, and personal presentation – all play a
significant role in how we communicate. Of course, the way we communicate depends
on who our audience is and what the context is. But whether chatting informally with
friends or colleagues or participating in formal decision-making processes, how we
communicate influences other people’s response to us, and the outcome.
Listening is just as important in the communication process as talking. Active listening is

a way of listening that consciously focuses entirely on what the other person is saying,
where the listener seeks to understand both the content of the message, and the
emotions and feelings underlying the message. The listener is not required to agree with
the speaker, just to try to understand what the speaker is saying. It’s important that the
listener suspends their own opinions and judgement, to fully attend to the speaker.
Active listening is particularly useful in situations where understanding is critical, in
emotionally charged situations, and in resolving conflict.1
The way we communicate information should be based purely on the information that
we have received from the client or the information that needs to be communicated. The
mode of communication needs to suit the purpose and the context of the enquiry.
1http://www.ywca-canberra.org.au/womens_leadership/effective_communication
COMMUNICATE SERVICE INFORMATION IN A MANNER THAT IS
CLEAR AND EASILY UNDERSTOOD
Implementing and practicing effective communication strategies for the workplace,

across all levels of the organisation, aid in achieving greater input and results.
Communication strengths vary from person to person. It is important to consider guide

employees on the communication methods inherent in the organisation’s culture. When
employees are well informed, they can concentrate better on their tasks and business
goals, incorporating elements of cooperation and collaboration into the work
environment.
According to Insider’s Link to Productivity, there are four areas of focus that
organisations can consider when building a communication culture:
CONSISTENCY
An organisation that has an established work environment with sound communication

standards, policies, procedures and practices provides high levels of comforts to
employees, stakeholders and clients.
Consistency helps employees to understand and appreciate their duties and

responsibilities. Communication methods that are consistently practiced encourage
employees to articulate their questions and ideas.
One tool that can help promote consistent communication is the Meeting Agenda.
CLEAR DIRECTION
Complete information is imperative in workplace communication. Information such as

the current status of a project, for example; objectives, approach or method, resources
or tools and persons in charge should be clearly communicated to all involved.
Knowing what direction to go and having a roadmap in the form of milestones will help
in achieving goals.
Using a Strategic Team Plan cascaded to each team member provides clarity and metrics
around goals and empowers employees to start and finish projects with less rogue
actions or procrastination.2
ACCOUNTABILITY
Practicing communication accountability fosters effective communication in the

workplace. Cooperating to accept a portion of the responsibility for any communication
breakdown at work allows co-workers to cultivate a high level of accountability with
one another because they have the proper and correct information, for instance,
knowing who is responsible for a specific project or task.
An important place in the organisation for the practice of accountability in

communication is at the leadership level. The communication skills established and
displayed by leadership sets the kind of communication practices that will be
demonstrated by the workforce.
Implementing an Accountability Program standardises how everyone is held

accountable for their goals including management and leadership.3
CULTURE
Employees are more engaged and participative when there is effective communication
in the workplace. A healthy organisational culture is attained when coordination,
fairness and respect are infused in the communication practices.
Effective communication offers many benefits such as productivity growth, decrease in

employee turnover and increase in employee engagement. When building
communication strategies into a corporate culture, develop communication methods
and protocols that will best suit your organisation’s needs. This will allow you to achieve
sustainable results that will yield long-term benefits for the organisation.
2
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs030/1102470511648/archive/1105010205045.html (accessed 8 May 2015)
3
Ibid.
CONFIRM THE PERSON’S UNDERSTANDING AND LISTEN TO
REQUESTS, CLARIFY MEANING AND RESPOND APPROPRIATELY
CLARIFYING AND CLARIFICATION
In communication, clarification involves offering back to the speaker the essential meaning, as
understood by the listener, of what they have just said. Thereby checking that the listener's
understanding is correct and resolving any areas of confusion or misunderstanding.
Clarification is important in many situations especially when what is being communicated is

difficult in some way. Communication can be 'difficult' for many reasons, perhaps sensitive
emotions are being discussed - or you are listening to some complex information or following
instructions. This page provides dialogue and examples of clarification and how you can use this
simple technique to improve your communication skills.
The Purpose of Clarification is to:

 Ensure that the listener's understanding of what the speaker has said is correct.
 Reassure the speaker that the listener is genuinely interested in them and is
attempting to understand what they are saying
As an extension of reflecting, clarifying reassures the speaker that the listener is attempting to
understand the messages they are expressing. Clarifying can involve asking questions or
occasionally summarising what the speaker has said.
A listener can ask for clarification when they cannot make sense of the speaker's
responses. Sometimes, the messages that a speaker is attempting to send can be highly complex,
involving many different people, issues, places and/or times. Clarifying helps you to sort these
out and also to check the speaker's priorities.
Through clarification it is possible for the speaker and the listener to make sense of these often
confused and complex issues. Clarifying involves genuineness on the listener's part and it shows
speakers that the listener is interested in them and in what they have to say. 4
CLARIFICATION QUESTIONS
When you are the listener in a sensitive environment, the right sort of non-directive
questioning can enable the speaker to describe their viewpoint more fully. Asking the
right question at the right time can be crucial and comes with practice. The best
questions are open-ended as they give the speaker choice in how to respond, whereas
closed questions allow only very limited responses.
4http://faudzil.blogspot.com/2013/11/communication-clarifying-and.html
OPEN QUESTIONS
If your role is to assist a speaker to talk about an issue, often the most effective
questioning starts with 'when', 'where', 'how' or 'why'. These questions encourage
speakers to be open and expand on their thoughts. For example:
 “When did you first start feeling like this?”

 “Why do you feel this way?”
CLOSED QUESTIONS
Closed questions usually elicit a 'yes' or 'no' response and do not encourage speakers to
be open and expand on their thoughts. Such questions often begin with 'did you?' or
'were you?' For example:
 “Did you always feel like this?”

 “Were you aware of feeling this way?”
REFLECTING AND SUMMARISING
When we speak, we do not want to risk offending and alienating customers or colleagues
by the words we use. Therefore, we need to:
 Speak clearly
 Avoid slang and jargon
 Develop our vocabulary
 Make the content appropriate and relevant
 Put the words in the correct context
Speak slowly and clearly

Focus on clearly enunciating and slowing down your speech. Even if you’re pressured for time,
don’t rush through your communication. Doing so often takes more time, as miscommunication
and misunderstanding can result, and you’ll ultimately have to invest additional time in clearing
up the confusion.
Ask for clarification

If you are not 100% sure you’ve understood what others say, politely ask for clarification. Avoid
assuming you’ve understood what’s been said.
Frequently check for understanding

Check both that you’ve understood what’s been said and that others have fully understood you.
Practice reflective listening to check your own understanding (e.g. 'So what I hear you saying
is…') and use open-ended questions to check other people’s understanding. Ask, 'what's your
understanding of this process?' instead of 'is that clear?'
Avoid idioms
Business language is often contextual, and, therefore, culture specific. For example, in the US,
baseball terms are used extensively: ‘Straight off the Bat,’ ‘Ballpark figures,’ ‘Out in left field,’
‘Touch base,’ ‘Strike a deal’. As a good general rule, if the phrase requires knowledge of other
information, be it a game or metaphor, recognize that this may make your communication more
difficult to be understood.
Be careful of jargon
Watch the use of TLAs (Three Letter Abbreviations) and other organisational language that may
not be understood by others. If you use them, provide in parentheses a description of what these
are so others can learn to use the same language you do.
Define the basics of business

In international business contexts terms such as: ‘success’, ‘doneness’, ‘meetings’, ‘punctuality’,
etc. may mean different things to different people. Spend time early in your communication
defining what these mean to you and others. Invest in building a shared vocabulary.
Be specific
Spell out your expectations and deadlines clearly. Instead of, ‘Please get back to me shortly,’ say
‘Please email the completed report by 5 pm Eastern Standard time on Wednesday, February 21.’
Choose your medium of communication effectively

Carefully choose your form of communication (phone or video conference, email, instant
message, etc.). Be mindful not to ‘overuse’ email. While useful, there are times when the medium
is likely to be ineffective. When a message is complex and complicated, or there is tension or
conflict that needs to be resolved, switch to another medium.
Provide information via multiple channels

Follow phone calls with emails that summarize what’s been said. When possible, provide
presentations, agendas, etc. in advance so those working in their non-native language can get
familiar with materials.
Be patient
Cross-cultural communication takes more time. If not at all times, certainly initially you cannot
expect your communication to occur with the same speed and ease as when you are
communicating with someone from your own culture.5
5http://www.culturosity.com/articles/Ten%20Strategies%20for%20Effective%20Communi...
WHAT IS REFLECTING?
Reflecting is the process of paraphrasing and restating both the feelings and words of
the speaker. The purposes of reflecting are:
 To allow the speaker to 'hear' their own thoughts and to focus on what they
say and feel.
 To show the speaker that you are trying to perceive the world as they see it
and that you are doing your best to understand their messages.
 To encourage them to continue talking.
Reflecting does not involve you asking questions, introducing a new topic or leading the
conversation in another direction. Speakers are helped through reflecting as it not only
allows them to feel understood, but it also gives them the opportunity to focus their
ideas. This in turn helps them to direct their thoughts and further encourages them to
continue speaking.6
WHAT IS SUMMARISING?
Summarising involves taking the main ideas from a piece of text and rewriting them in
your own words. A summary is significantly shorter than the original text and tends to
give an overview of a topic area.
6http://www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/reflecting.html#ixzz41X51hNaL
EXCHANGE INFORMATION CLEARLY IN A TIMELY MANNER AND
WITHIN CONFIDENTIALITY PROCEDURES
It is vitally important that when you are exchanging information that it is done so clearly
and in a timely manner.
When communicating personal information regarding clients or colleagues in the

community services sector, it is extremely important to ensure that caution is used at all
times to ensure the confidentiality of both staff and client matters. This is important
both during written and verbal communication of personal information that may
pertain to your colleagues or clients.
Your community services organisation will have policies and procedures in place for the
handling of confidential information, and it is important that you make yourself aware
of these and follow them at all time. The protection of the personal information of
clients and colleagues is also enforced by legislation that is applied in many sectors of
business including the community services sector.
Organisation policy on confidentiality may relate to:
 Access to records
 Destruction of records
 Release of information
 Storage of records
 Verbal and written communication
As well as handling all personal information of client and colleagues within the correct
organisational policies, procedures, regulations and guidelines it is important that you
also conduct the handling of this information with respect and care. Simple steps such
as:
 Closing the door to have a private conversation

 Not leaving papers of a personal nature in plain view of others
 Ensuring that you take care when writing information so as not to release
information inadvertently

Ensuring that you choose your words with care when communicating verbally regarding
the personal information of others

TOPIC 2 – COLLABORATE WITH
COLLEAGUES
COLLABORATION OR CONFRONTATION
Confrontation is basically a state of conflict between two people or ideas and

collaboration is a joint effort of multiple individuals or work groups to accomplish a task
or project. In this section we will delve a little deeper into collaboration and working
with colleagues.
LISTEN TO, CLARIFY AND AGREE TIMEFRAMES FOR CARRYING

OUT WORKPLACE INSTRUCTIONS
Make sure you clarify time frames for each of your work tasks with your supervisor. The
things you think might be important may not be. You may miss an important deadline if
you miss the timeline for completion.
It is important that all community service workers understand the importance of

ensuring that the community service provider’s policies, protocols and procedures are
appropriately and consistently addressed. This includes listening to, clarifying and
agreeing on timeframes for carrying out instructions given to you.
An organisational goal is the overall purpose and direction of the company. Strategic
plans, policies and protocols or procedures are all written in line with the organisations
goals and objectives and should be followed at all times to ensure the purpose of the
organisation is being carried out correctly.
A policy is a statement of intent, and is implemented as a procedure or protocol, these

make up the framework that determine how work should be carried out and the
timelines in which it is to be carried out. It is important that work is carried out within
the scope of your role and individual responsibilities within the agreed timelines.
In order for a worker to carry out their job role correctly it is essential that they are
aware of exactly what they are required to do, at what times and how they should
perform these tasks in order to ensure that they are working within the required
policies and procedures of a workplace.

It is the responsibility of all community service workers to ensure that all of their
actions are undertaken in line with organisational goals. Community service workers
must follow all policies and procedures that are written to support the organisational
goals as they will have been written in a manner that allows the organisation to work
effectively and within the law.

IDENTIFY LINES OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN ORGANISATION
AND OTHER SERVICES
There are service providing groups that are likely to be allied with or complementary to
the service which you work. Relevance will be dependent on client needs and on the
particular service that your organisation provides.
You may need to liaise and maintain links with several services, and the types of links
may include:
 Referral to and from other services

 Telephone contact
 Worker networks
 Informal contacts
 Case conferences
 Inter-agency meetings
 Community consultative committees
 Joint projects
To initiate links with the various services you will need to make contact. You will need
to know what services are provided by the different organisations or groups, the quality
of the service provided, any associated expenses or any eligibility criteria that must
apply, time frames and timetables applicable to the services and the most appropriate
method for accessing the services. You will also need to provide information about who
you are, the organisation for which you work and the needs and preferences of your
clients.
MAINTAIN ACTIVE PARTICIPATION
Networks can be either formal or informal. Informal networks consist of respect and
trust based relationships that do not require formal structures. Formal networks are
those which often require membership applications and a membership fee. These might
provide specific networking services, for example, databases of other organisations
which are in a similar field to your own, regular newsletters to inform members of
business developments, notification of formal networking functions and conferences
that assist business personnel in meeting with and growing relationships with similar
businesses.

A network can be described as:
 An intricately connected system of things or people

 A communication system
 An interconnecting or interacting configuration of components
 A system or set of associations and contacts which support each other
through the exchange of information and ideas
Work-oriented networks include all the people or groups of people with whom you
associate in order to complete your work. Networks provide information, support,
resources, and power.
Networking activities might include:
 Referrals to and from other services

 Telephone contact with associated services and community bodies
 Worker networks
 Informal contacts with network associates
 Formal network memberships
 Participation in case conferences
 Interagency meetings
 Community consultative committees:
o Joint projects
 Membership on community consultative committees:
o Joint projects
 Consultations:
o Joint initiatives
 Telephone advice
 Collaborative provision of staff development and training
 Exchanging of reports
 Community education

FACE-TO-FACE NETWORKING
Networking events, conferences and other face-to-face opportunities can provide you
with valuable information. These networks will enable you to gather the latest
information on other services and provide information to other services about your
service. This networking is vital in a community service organisation. No service works
alone. Each one offers a different type of service or activity and all work together to
provide clients with an overall service that meets their needs. These tips focus on
helping you get the most from in-person networking activities.
For networking to be effective, you should devote time and planning. All of your
business contacts and in particular, supplier and client contacts (including the family of
clients), should be considered in terms of relationship building. Take every possible
opportunity to build trust-based, information sharing relationships with work contacts
(including those who are separated from you by distance and with whom you
communicate electronically).
COMMUNICATING CONFIDENTLY
Be confident and use body language to support that confidence. Shake hands firmly,
smile and make eye contact while communicating at live networking events. Don’t forget
to bring business cards and or information to hand out to everyone you meet, and
remember to relax and be yourself.
Before heading out to a networking event, practice introducing yourself to new people
to gain confidence. Working on your introduction with someone you trust and asking for
their feedback also helps.

USE INDUSTRY TERMINOLOGY CORRECTLY IN VERBAL,
WRITTEN AND DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS
USE APPROPRIATE MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY IN VERBAL, COMMUNICATIONS
In all organisations of the health or community services, you will use both written and
verbal communication. It will be necessary for you to communicate orally with either
patients/clients, staff members, Doctors and other health professionals and other
departments or organisations in either a face-to-face situations or over the telephone.
Therefore, you must know how to pronounce any medical terminology that will be use.
You must also know the context in which the different terms or words are to be used.
Any information communicated must be clear, and feedback asked for to check that it
has been understood and that instructions are completed accurately.
USE APPROPRIATE MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY IN WRITTEN OR DIGITAL

COMMUNICATION
In written communication, it is also essential that you use the correct and appropriate
terminology. Written communication will include the normal types of general
correspondence found in all offices as well as correspondence that is relevant in a
medical/health context.
COMPLETING DOCUMENTS
Documentation could be paper-based, electronic, or both. Whenever a form or

document needs to be written, medical administrative staff must ensure that the
information recorded is accurate, and the finished document looks professional

FOLLOW COMMUNICATION PROTOCOLS THAT APPLY TO
INTERACTIONS WITH DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND LINES OF
AUTHORITY
All organisations have rules for the transfer of information. Knowing how to use the
different types of communication and following the correct procedures at the health
care organisation helps to ensure that information goes to the correct place and person.
Communication can be internal or external or both. Internal communication is between

staff at your organisation. External communication is between staff at the health care
organisation and clients or other community members including the media.
In a health care routine workplace protocols exist for:
 Written communication (sending and receiving information)

 Verbal communication (giving and following instructions and messages)
Types of written communication used in health care include:
 Email, letters and faxes

 Forms, reports and memos
 Minutes and agendas for meetings
 Technical and procedural manuals
 Workplace signs
 Whiteboards and pin-up boards
The type of written and verbal communication you use in the health care organisation
will depend on the area you work in and on your job description.
COMMUNICATION HIERARCHY
In all organisations, there is a correct line of communication. In the health care

organisation, the first line of communication is your immediate superior or supervisor.

It is important that you are able to discuss any issues or concerns you may have with
your supervisor. Your supervisor may then either take your concern to the next level, or
you may be advised to do so.
If you go straight to the director or head of the company, you will be advised to discuss
the matter first with your supervisor.

TOPIC 3 – ADDRESS CONSTRAINTS TO
COMMUNICATION
IDENTIFY EARLY SIGNS OF POTENTIALLY COMPLICATED OR

DIFFICULT SITUATIONS AND REPORT ACCORDIN G TO
ORGANISATION PROCEDURES
Conflict is part of the dynamics in the workplace. While it is inevitable, it should not
reduce productivity or bring down morale. Conflict should be addressed in a timely
fashion. Here are strategies to handle conflict and maintain a tension-free workplace:
 Understand the situation. Few situations are exactly as they seem or as

presented to you by others. Before you try to settle the conflict, ensure you
have investigated both sides of the issue.
 Acknowledge the problem. Acknowledging the frustration and concerns is an
important step in resolving the conflict. Acting immediately on the problem
will avoid the negative impacts to penetrate on to the workplace climate or
culture.
 Be patient and take your time. Get a clear understanding of the issues before
you try to intervene. People often have very different perceptions of what has
occurred. Understanding their perceptions will help you to focus on what is
important to each person, and to find common ground.
 Arrange to meet with parties concerned. After meeting all partied involved
individually, set a group meeting with them. Encourage each person to
summarise their view, uninterrupted. This is essential as often people
involved in conflict do not feel heard. Sometimes resolving workplace conflict
is as easy as providing a forum for people to express their views.
 Focus on the problem, not the individual. Focus on identifying and resolving
the conflict. Set aside biases, assumptions, judgements and personal
perceptions.
 Establish guidelines. Before conducting a formal meeting between
individuals, get both parties to agree to a few meeting guidelines. Ask them to
express themselves calmly—as unemotionally as possible. Have them agree

to attempt to understand each other’s perspective. Tell them if they violate
the guidelines the meeting will come to an end.
 Keep the communication open. The ultimate goal in conflict resolution is for
both parties to resolve the issue between themselves. Allow both parties to
express their viewpoint, but also share your perspective. Attempt to facilitate
the meeting and help them pinpoint the real issue causing conflict.
 Act decisively. Summarise the key issues once you have heard from all the
people concerned. Once you have taken the time to gather information, talked
to all the parties involved, and reviewed all the circumstances, make your
decision and act. Decide whether you will be able to mediate yourself, or you
will need the help of HR or external mediators.7
RESOLVE CONFLICT
Differences in personalities, goals and opinions sometimes result in conflict in the

workplace. Learning how to manage conflict efficiently is the key to preventing it from
slowing down employees' professional growth. Below are steps involved in conflict
resolution:
 Step 1: Identify the source of the conflict. The more information you have
about the cause of the conflict, the more easily you can help to resolve it. To
get the information you need, use a series of questions to identify the cause,
like, “When did you feel upset?” “Do you see a relationship between that and
this incident?” “How did this incident begin?” Both parties must be given the
chance to share their side of the story. This will give a clearer picture and
better understanding of the situation. Listening to both parties confirms
impartiality. Remember to listen actively as you acknowledge the information
and encourage the parties involved to continue to express their thoughts and
feelings.
 Step 2: Look beyond the incident. Often, it is not the situation but the
perspective on the situation that causes the friction that leads to visible and
sometimes, disruptive evidence of a conflict. The source of the conflict might
be a minor problem that occurred months before, but the level of stress has
7http://www.businessknowhow.com/manage/resolveconflict.htm
grown to the point where the two parties have begun attacking each other
personally instead of addressing the real problem. In the calm of your office,
you can get them to look beyond the triggering incident to see the real cause.
Ask probing questions that will help you get to the bottom of the issue.
 Step 3: Request solutions. After getting each party’s point of view on the
conflict, solicit ideas from them. Ask for their inputs on how to change the
situation. Empower them to resolve their own issues.
 Step 4: Identify solutions both disputants can support. You are listening for
the most acceptable course of action. Point out the merits of various ideas, not
only from each other’s perspective but in terms of the benefits to the
organization. For instance, you might point to the need for greater
cooperation and collaboration to effectively address team issues and
departmental problems.
 Step 5: Agreement. The mediator needs to get the two parties to agree to one
of the alternatives identified. There are cases that a contract needs to be
written and signed by all parties, including facilitators, mediators and even
supervisors. The contract should specify the agreed courses of action and
time frames. Plan strategies and form processes to prevent conflicts from
arising in the future. It will also help to establish and communicate
contingency and escalation plans.

IDENTIFY ACTUAL CONSTRAINTS TO EFFECTIVE
COMMUNICATION AND RESOLVE USING APPROPRI ATE
COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES AND TECHNIQUES
The community services sector and, in fact, our greater community are becoming more
and more diverse all the time. It is extremely important for a community services
worker to have an adaptable and flexible communication style that can be changed
when the need is recognised. Specific communication needs may arise from individual
and cultural differences and it is important that these are recognised and responded to
ensure correctly effective communication and respect for all involved.
There are many different factors which may cause a need for adapted communication
including:
 Gender
 Race
 Age
 Language
 Literacy level
 Disability
 Critical situations
 Emotional situations
It is important that all of these needs are responded to in a fair and non-judgmental
manner. There are many different appropriate methods that communication can be
altered in order to meet these needs. These include:
 Written materials in multiple languages

 Facial expressions and body language
 Practical demonstrations
 Cultural advisors
 Interpreters
 Brail machines
 Speaking machines
 Signs and symbols

It is important to conduct all communication in a sensitive and empathetic manner in
order to protect the right of all clients and colleagues for respect and understanding.

USE COMMUNICATION SKILLS TO AVOID, DEFUSE AND RESOLVE
CONFLICT SITUATIONS
Every workplace will have conflict from time to time. You will need to be able to
recognise conflict as it is about to happen, as this is the best way to avoid it by
addressing the conflict on the spot before it has a chance to manifest. It is always best to
try and resolve differences on a one to one basis with the person/s concerned, as a first
step. Personal and tactful communication is the best-starting approach.
You must remember to consider the other person’s point of view as well as any cultural
differences or special needs. You need to clearly understand how you respond to conflict
situations. When you do this, you’ll begin to identify your own patterns in conflict
situations.
There are some key questions to ask yourself about how you would attempt to resolve a
conflict situation between yourself and another person.
 Do you avoid conflict, hoping to “keep the peace”?

 Do you accommodate the other party in the conflict?
 Do you feel that compromise is the way resolve things?
 Do you actively collaborate?
You may be required to intervene in a conflict between co-workers at some point during
your career. Should the need arise, go about resolving the conflict as you would if it was
yourself involved, making certain that you are not biased, and that you hear out both
sides of the story.
CONFLICT AND PROBLEM-SOLVING IN THE WORKPLACE
When a number of people work together in a group situation, there is always potential
for conflict as each individual holds different values, beliefs, attitudes, backgrounds and
skills. Conflicts are likely to occur when:
 Individuals work together to achieve a shared goal

 Their work roles complement each other
 Resources are shared

When conflicts arise, it is necessary to negotiate a solution, one which all parties
involved are happy with and which allows you to continue to work together (a win–win
situation).
Involving team members in a discussion of problems is one way of ensuring the solution
reached is creative and owned by team members. Hayden (1998) suggests that there is a
role for shared decision-making in teams, particularly in children's services.
The five steps Hayden (1998, p. 4) outlines in shared decision-making are:
 Identify the problem and who owns it

 Realise that those who are most affected by the problem will be influenced by
the decision made
 Brainstorm solutions or gather ideas together
 Collate the suggestions
 Ensure consensus is reached, that is, most team members agree with the
decision
Staff meetings are one forum where shared decision-making can take place. Staff
meetings allow team members to interact openly and discuss achievements, issues or
problems that have arisen.
There are many benefits to holding regular staff meetings. They include the following:
 All team members receive the same information about occurrences in the
workplace.
 Problems can be freely discussed.
 Other staff can provide feedback.
 Social bridges are built between members.
 Time is available to plan together and distribute tasks.
 Creative ideas are generated and can be tested out.
 All team members are given the opportunity to contribute to decision-
making8
http://legacy.communitydoor.org.au/resources/etraining/units/chcorg3b/section3/section3topic02.ht
ml
TOPIC 4 – REPORT PROBLEMS TO
SUPERVISOR
COMPLY WITH LEGAL AND ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND

DISCUSS DIFFICULTIES WITH SUPERVISOR AND REFER
UNRESOLVED CONFLICT SITUATIONS TO SUPERVISOR
It is important for workers in community service roles to have clear understandings of

what their Duty of care and other legal responsibilities are. It is of equal importance that
they fulfil these responsibilities while practicing their professions or fulfilling their work
roles. Upon accepting any community service role in Australia, one must accept the
responsibility for upholding their duties of care and all other relevant legislation that
may apply to their own work role. It is monumental importance that each worker
understands that he or she is personally accountable for his or her own actions in
relation to their role.
Duty of care is one's legal obligation to take reasonable care to prevent others from
being harmed. This means that if a worker identifies something that could reasonably be
considered to be a risk, then that employee must, in response take reasonable action to
eliminate that risk.
Responsibilities of duty of care extend from workers to employers and even beyond the
organisation that they work within. Parties that are responsible for building that are
used to provide services to clients, as well as vehicle to transport them all, have duty of
care responsibilities in relation to the role of community service workers.
It is the responsibility of community workers to know what their duty of care

responsibilities are. If an employer meets their obligation to do everything in reason to
make their workers aware of their duty of care, it is then the responsibility of the
worker to be aware duty of care responsibilities, and be accountable for his or her own
actions.
The legal responsibilities and obligations of a role within the realm of community
services include key rafts of international, federal and local legislation which are
required by law to be followed by all employees in that role. Following these pieces of
legislation is essential to successfully carrying out the roles to which they pertain. It is
important to follow them closely, not just to perform well in one’s role, but also to avoid
any legal liability that may result in them not being followed. These legal ramifications
may be aimed directly at the employee as well as the organisation that employs them.
Despite the fact that these responsibilities and obligations may seem to be somewhat
daunting, they should be viewed also as helpful guidelines for the Role to which they
pertain. The guidelines not only form a framework for employees to work within, but
also act to protect the employees from disciplinary or legal charges that could be raised
against them.
The following Acts are relevant to community services:
 Adoption Act of 2000

 Children and young person (Care and Protection) Act 1998
 Community Services (Complaints, Reviews and Monitoring) Act 1993
 Community Welfare Act 1987
It is important that you discuss any difficulties with your legal and ethical
responsibilities with your supervisor.

REFER ANY BREACH OR NON-ADHERENCE TO STANDARD
PROCEDURES OR ADVERSE EVENT TO APPROPRIA TE PEOPLE
AND REFER ISSUES IMPACTING ON ACHIEVEMENT OF
EMPLOYEE, EMPLOYER AND/OR CLIENT RIGHTS AND
RESPONSIBILITIES
BREACH OF STANDARD PROCEDURES
Any breaches or non-adherence to standard procedures or an adverse event that may

have occurred must be reported to appropriate personnel as soon as reasonably
possible. All breaches should be reported no matter how minor they may seem at the
time. Any breach can have serious consequences, and it is an ethical responsibility and
within your duty of care to do so. Reporting breaches is not for the purpose of getting
the other worker or yourself in trouble but it is essential that appropriate personnel are
notified so that it can be managed correctly from this point onwards. There may be
legal ramifications as some issues require mandatory notification from the community
services provider.
Issues requiring mandatory notification may include:
 Issues defined by jurisdictional legislation and/or regulatory requirements

 Issues specifically identified by under organisation policies
 Protection of children and others identified to be at risk
It is standard practice to first discuss the breach in the code of ethics directly with the
colleague in a location that does not allow clients to overhear. If this method does not
prove effective in eliminating the problem or if organisational protocol dictates, the
Instance must be reported to superiors and in some instances, third party organisations.
Instances of reporting colleagues can present an ethical dilemma some workers because
they feel that they are failing to support their colleagues in their duties.
It is important for these workers to consider that a breach of a code of ethics is to the
detriment of all parties involved, especially clients, they are therefore not tolerated.
All community services provider will have set procedures for reporting breaches. These
will often include a written statement and an interview with the person reporting the
breach and the person who it is claimed has been involved in the breach.
Breaches can have serious consequences for the community services worker, as can
failing to report the breach.
Penalties for community services workers can include:
 In serious cases legal consequences

 Formal warnings
 Disciplinary meetings
 Changes in work role and scope of responsibility
 Suspension
 Dismissal
It is important that if you are involved in or aware of a breach that you do the right thing
and report it according to company policies and procedures.
ISSUES IMPACTING EMPLOYEE/EMPLOYER ACHIEVEMENT
Employees, employers and clients all have rights and responsibilities in the workplace.
The most important of all is the right to a safe environment.
If any of these rights are not being upheld, they must be referred.
You will need to follow workplace procedures in relation to the particular right you feel
is not being provided because there will be different referral process for each but if you
are not sure, check with your supervisor of manager of have a look at the complaints
procedure in your workplace. It will have vital information in it relating to the process
for making complaints.
KNOW HOW TO ADDRESS DILEMMAS THAT MAY ARISE BETWEEN AN

INDIVIDUAL’S RIGHTS AND THE DUTY OF CARE
During your work, you may find yourself in situations where the individuals you are
supporting do not agree with what you believe is best for them.
Who knows best? The individuals you support or you, a carer, the family?
In situations where there is a conflict of interest or a dilemma between an individual’s
rights and your duty of care, it is best practice to make sure the individual is aware of
the consequences of their choice and that they have the mental capacity to understand
the risks involved in their choice. It is their right as an individual to be able to make
informed choices about their own lives even if you disagree with their choice.
It is the right of every individual in your care to make choices and take risks. It is your
role to assist them in making those choices and reducing the risks without
compromising their rights. An individual may be restricted if his or her behaviour
presents a serious risk of harm to his or herself or to other people.
People who receive care and support are considered to be vulnerable, and as such the
law requires that an assessment be carried out to look at any possible risks there might
be to the individual or to others. The aim of this assessment is not to remove the
individual’s right to take risks, but to recognise and reduce them where possible to an
acceptable and manageable level.
The Mental Health Act Australia 2007 has a set of criteria to determine whether a person is able
to make informed decisions and choices.
It is important you are familiar with what the Mental Health Act Australia 2007 says as you may
be concerned that an individual you are working with shows signs of lacking the capacity to
make decisions for themselves. This could happen to an individual at any time and you will need
to ask for professional support to determine if the individual does lack capacity.
You also need to be aware of what you can and cannot do within your role in managing conflicts
and dilemmas. If individuals insist on doing something that you disagree with, you can only
advise and encourage them. You cannot force them to do anything.
For example:
If an individual refuses to take medication and their well-being depends on this medication, you
cannot force them to take the medication. You should immediately contact you supervisor /
manager and seek advice. You should also make sure you record what has happened and the
action taken in the care or support plan.
You should know the limits of your role and not do or say anything outside of this. It is important
that you know who to go for if you need advice because you are in a situation that you are not
comfortable with. Your supervisor / line manager will tell you who else you can talk to if they
are not available. 9
9http://www.cis-assessment.co.uk/docs/pdf/wb/St5_wkb.pdf
TOPIC 5 – COMPLETE WORKPLACE
CORRESPONDENCE AND
DOCUMENTATION
READ WORKPLACE DOCUMENTS RELATING TO ROLE AND

CLARIFY UNDERSTANDING WITH SUPERVISOR
When at work you are working in compliance with your job description, however, in a
child care centre, you have many things to do and probably many interruptions along
the way. One way to ensure you get everything in your job description done is to
manage your time well and keep working until it is done. Here are a few tips to ensure
you have time to get it all done one time and effectively.
 Plan your week/day

Properly planning your working week will assist you in saving extra time in the long
run. If you prepare yourself correctly so that you know exactly what you need to do for
the week, what you will need to do to handle unexpected situations as they occur and
setting out your priority list, then you will find that you will become far more efficient.
By planning your work week, you will save time each day as you will already have a plan
set out for what you will be doing each day. However, some amount of your day should
be spent on planning each day, in the sense of working out a priority list of the tasks that
are to be performed on that day.
 Group similar activities

With your tasks that you will be completing it is a good idea to group together similar
tasks so that you can work through them with a continuous flow so that you smoothly
transition between tasks without any down time.
 Do your work
The most important thing that you can do to ensure that you are working within the
guidelines of your job description is just to do your work. It is important that you do
everything within your capabilities to avoid any distractions and maintain
concentration on your work tasks.

 Finish every activity you start
Make sure that when you are completing your activities that you fully complete them
before moving onto the next one. The reason for this is so that you aren’t jumping
between different tasks, which allows for a smoother workflow and higher productivity.
It also means that you won’t forget about a task that you left incomplete, which can lead
to stress and problems for anyone who is involved in that task.
 Focus on the most important tasks

With your task planning done, you will have a list of the tasks that are a higher priority
than the rest. These are the tasks that you will need to focus on completing first, and
then you can move onto the other tasks on your list.
 Take a break
Taking breaks between long periods of constant work is a good way to help you
recharge and maintain concentration. A good way to have a break is every hour or two,
get up and leave your work area for five or so minutes, have a stretch, and refocus
before getting back to work.
AWARDS AND AGREEMENTS
As well as job descriptions defining your work role there are also awards and
agreements that need to be considered.
Awards and Agreements prescribe the wages and conditions of work in the industry and
have the force of law.
In order to fully understand awards and agreements, you will need to know what they
are and the differences between them. This is important so that you are able to accept
the best option for yourself for the job that you do.

DEFINITIONS
AWARDS
An Award is a legally binding document that sets out the rights and responsibilities of employers
and employees covered by it. Also referred to as 'Modern Awards', they confirm minimum terms
and conditions for workers in a particular industry. They include details on pay rates; hours of
work; sick leave; annual leave; public holidays; superannuation; meal breaks and times;
protective clothing and more.
These Awards are determined by negotiation between employers in the retail industry (or a
representative), and associations such as a union.
Modern Awards commenced on 1 January 2010 and covered the retail industry. Modern Awards
were created to establish one set of minimum conditions for employers and employees across
Australia, who work in the same industries and occupations. Some large retail organisations
have registered their own retail Award - Coles, Target and Woolworths are examples of this.
AGREEMENTS
Agreements set out the conditions of employment between:
 An employee or group of employees
 Their employer
Agreements were introduced some years ago into Australia, in an effort to increase productivity
by making employment conditions and rates of pay more agreeable to workers. Agreements
provide the chance for employee and employer to benefit by offering more attractive
employment conditions.
It is important to understand that an employee’s rights under an Agreement cannot be any less
than the rights they would have under their industry Award.
The advantage of Agreements is that an individual workplace (or group of workplaces) can
tailor their employment conditions to suit their individual workplace environment. However, not
all retail employees will benefit from an Agreement - conditions can vary greatly from business
to business.
One of the biggest issues about Agreements is that people are often afraid that there is a hidden
agenda - in other words, they're worried that they're going to get "ripped off" in some way.
In the examples given above, Claire really benefits from the Agreement; Dave is not happy, and a
good example of how changing a workplace's employment conditions doesn't always suit
everyone. Dinesh's story is another example of how an Agreement can benefit employees,
employers and companies.
Understanding of relevant Awards/Agreements and a capacity to ensure their implementation

in the workplace is critical to maintaining employee relations.10
10https://www.dlsweb.rmit.edu.au/toolbox/retailop/html/pages/er1/02_ia/__fset.htm?ia01.htm
You can access your relevant Awards by going to
http://www.fwa.gov.au/index.cfm?pagename=awardsfind

COMPLETE DOCUMENTATION ACCORDING TO LEGA L
REQUIREMENT AND ORGANISATION PROCEDURES AND
COMPLETE WRITTEN AND ELECTRONIC WORKPLAC E
DOCUMENTS TO ORGANISATION STANDARDS AND USE CLEAR,
ACCURATE AND OBJECTIVE LANGUAGE WHEN DOCUMENTING
EVENTS
For organisations to function effectively the staff need to know and understand the
environment they are working in. information in your workplace provides the
guidelines, policies and protocols expected in your work.
Each workplace will have its own guidelines as to what is expected of you, the worker,
when reporting and completing documentation. It is your responsibility to know and
understand the policies and procedures of your organisation. If you are in doubt as to
what your responsibilities are, then you may wish to consult with your supervisor or
manager, or manager or check with your procedure manuals.
To function effectively in your role as a community services worker, you need to be

aware of what is expected in terms of documentation and develop the necessary skills
administrative skills to fulfil those requirements.
The sharing of information between authorised parties is essential in the provision and
maintenance of the care of clients. Without the appropriate information being available,
the standard of care can be jeopardised. The information needs to have a valid and
reliable source, and should be kept up to date at all times.
In relation to the care of the client, some of the documents that you will frequently have
to address will be:
 Care plans
 Case and progress notes
 Incident reports
 Individualised plans
 Appointments
 Financial statements and receipts
 Personal documents

Documentation within your workplace will involve other aspects of the job apart from
the care of your clients. There are other aspects of your daily work that need to be
addressed. Some of these might include:
 Time sheets
 Rosters
 Client contact registers including telephone call meeting registers and
records
 Purchase orders and invoices
 Promotional materials
 Organisation's policies and procedures
 Standard operating procedures (sops-policy manuals)
 Relevant legislation
 Food safety information
 A multitude of organisational standard forms
The effectiveness of your communication and documentation will be dependent upon

how accurately you relay the information. All documentation should be:
 Relevant
 Legible
 Up to date
 Specific
 Timely
The accuracy of your documentation better facilitates the day to day handling of
information in the workplace.
Vigilance should be ensured at all times when sharing the information in your
workplace. This is to ensure that the information you are sharing is only available to the
appropriate people. Be aware that the information you are sharing can be critical to the
effective functioning of your organisation.

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES GUIDE YOUR WORK
In the same way that Regulations are unique to each state and territory, policies and
procedures are unique to each service. A policy is a deliberate plan of action to guide
decisions and achieve rational outcomes”. In relation to community services, the
outcomes of the policies and procedures are based on the legislative requirements and
government standards. Policies and procedures ensure consistency in practice.
Policies and procedures are developed because there needs to be a process in place.
They may include, for example, a consistent and compliant process for:
 Reporting breach of duty of care

 Completing documentation
 Written communications
 Reporting of harm or suspected harm (mandatory reporting) confidentiality
 Handling complaints
All organisations will have developed policies and procedures as they are essential to
ensuring that all clients, staff, families and management have the same understanding
and expectations about what happens in the service and provides a record of
accountability for certain decisions made by staff and management.
All organisations should ensure their policies are effective, current, clearly written and
easily accessible to all families, staff and children as they are used to support daily
practices and decision-making.
The policies will include information that explains what procedures must occur within
the service and why, as well as clear guidelines about how the policy will be
implemented and followed in daily practice.11
Policies are also important to ensure staff are informed of service procedures and
ensure consistency in the implementation of practices and why practices are necessary.
11http://www.spcc.nsw.edu.au/preschool.php?id=852.
Policies and procedures help to ensure that there is clear two-way communication
between clients, families and staff.
Policies and procedures that the community services worker will encounter in their
work include:
 The expectations of staff members in their work role

 Workplace health and safety procedures
 Communication
 Management of finances
 Confidentiality
 Duty of care
 Referring to or working with other agencies
 Incident reporting
 Complaint registering
 Care planning
It is important that all staff know where to access policy and procedure manuals within
their organisation and take the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the relevant
information. By doing so, they are promoting best practice for the organisation they
represent.

FOLLOW ORGANISATION COMMUNICATION POLICIES AND
PROCEDURES FOR USING DIGITAL MEDIA
We have discussed in detail above the policies and procedures and their use in your
organisation and in relation to your job role, however, there is one in particular that I
believe requires some extra discussion. That is the procedure in relation to digital
media.
Today, there is a great deal of legislation around, photographs, videos and other digital
images in the workplace (and in general). Your organisation will have a policy and
procedure related to this subject but generally here are a few points to note:
 You are not able to take photographs or any digital media without the
knowledge of those involved
 Nor are you allowed to display images in any manner except with written
permission by the person in the image or if the person is under 18 years of
age you must gain parent or guardian approval
 You also need to be specific with the person about where and when the image
will be used
If you want or need to use images of people, your organisation should have a consent
form available for you to use.
In all cases, please ensure your strictly follow the organisations policies and procedures
in this matter. The consequences of not adhering to them could be extensive.

TOPIC 6 – CONTRIBUTE TO
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
CONTRIBUTE TO IDENTIFYING AND VOICING IMPROVEMENTS IN

WORK PRACTICES
WHAT IS ‘CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT’?
“Continuous improvement” is the constant evaluation and enhancement of processes

used to deliver a product or service to customers, with the aim of proving customers
with the best possible outcome.
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT PROCESS (CIP)
 The core principle of CIP is the (self) reflection of processes. (Feedback)

 The purpose of CIP is the identification, reduction and elimination of
suboptimal processes. (Efficiency)
 The emphasis of CIP is on incremental, continuous steps, avoiding quantum
leaps. (Evolution)
Continuous improvement initiatives frequently occur within the framework of a Total

Quality Management (TQM) system. TQM is intended as a tool to help organisations
increase productivity, decrease costs, and improve the quality of outputs so that they
are more valued by customers. Producing high-quality, reliable outputs that are useful
to customers increase value. As the name states, TQM are about total quality, not partial
quality, so continuous improvement must reach all operations.
It’s better to do 100 things one percent better, than one thing 100 per cent better.
Continuous improvement is incremental rather than revolutionary. It involves

continual examination of every work process to identify gradual enhancements.
Complex processes are broken down into sub-processes, and then improved.
TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT (TQM)
 TQM is a set of management practices throughout the organisation, geared to

ensure the organisation consistently meets or exceeds customer
requirements.
 TQM places strong focus on process measurement and controls as means of
continuous improvement.
 TQM is the way of managing for the future, and is far wider in its application
than just assuring product or service quality – it is a way of managing people
and business processes to ensure complete customer satisfaction at every
stage, internally and externally. TQM, combined with effective leadership,
results in an organisation doing the right things right, first time.
 The core of TQM is the customer-supplier interfaces, both externally and
internally, and at each interface lay a number of processes.
This core must be surrounded by:
 Commitment to quality
 Communication of the quality message
 Recognition of the need to change the culture of the organisation to create
total quality
These are the foundations of TQM, and they are supported by the key management
functions of people, processes and systems in the organisation.

THE ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS OF TQM – COMMITMENT AND LEADERSHIP
TQM is an approach that seeks to benefit all of the business stakeholders through
improving the competitiveness, effectiveness and flexibility of the organisation. It is a
method for planning, organising, and understanding each activity within the
organisation. TQM also help to ensure the leaders of the organisation will adopt a
strategic overview of quality, which will allow them to focus on prevention of problems.
And that is exactly where TQM must start, with the leaders of the organisation. They
must be able to demonstrate their commitment to quality and communicate the quality
principles, strategies, and the benefits of high quality to the people that they have
responsibility for. Then those people will need to do the same, and communicate to the
people below them, and so on. This will assist with spreading the right attitudes towards
quality management throughout the organisation.
Having an accurate and efficient quality policy is a fundamental requirement for

organisation wishing to implement TQM. This quality policy will need to be supported
by plans and facilities for implementing it. The leaders of the organisation will need to
take responsibility in preparign, reviewing, and monitoring the implementation of the
policy.
Your task is to ensure you:
 Have personal involvement and act as a role model for a culture of total
quality
 Develop clear and effective strategies and support plans for achieving the
mission and objectives
 Contribute to identifying and voicing all opinions on improvements
 Communicate, motivate and support people and encourage effective employee
participation

THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF TQM: PROCESSES, PEOPLE, MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS AND
PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT
Everything we do is a process. A process is the transformation of a set of inputs, such as

an action, method, and operations, into the desired outputs, which satisfy the customers’
needs and expectations.
Within each area or function within an organisation there will be many processes taking
place. These processes can be analysed by examining the inputs and outputs to
determine the action that is needed to improve quality.
In every organisation there are some very large processes, which are groups of smaller
processes, called key or core business processes. These must be carried out well if an
organisation is to achieve its mission and objectives.
PRINCIPLES OF CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
Continuous improvement enables individuals and teams to manage the quality of all
they do in providing customer service.
Continuous improvement has six essential principles:

 The customer / supplier model, which requires the application of quality
management in every part of the supply chain, not just at specific inspection
points.
 Process control and capability, involving analysis of all activities in a work
process to ensure quality.
 Management by fact and the collection of accurate data – not a reliance on
guesswork and broad estimates.
 Problem solving using data to identify improvements to processes.
 The cost of quality – the organisation must be prepared to invest in the
certification of quality.
 Teamwork and involvement by creating the appropriate environment to
facilitate the involvement of team members in decision-making and team
operations.
THE CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT PROCESS
The fundamental steps of effective continuous improvement processes come from W.

Edward Deming’s Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle. It is the basis of problem all TQM
solving and monitoring continuous improvement initiatives. The PDCA cycle
commences with the identification of what needs to be changed.
From that point, the cycle involves:
 Planning the change

 Doing the change
 Checking the change
 Acting to refine the change.
FIVE WAYS TO CONTINUOUSLY IMPROVE
There are five common ways of making improvements, using a continuous improvement
process:
 Reduce resources, which reduces waste
 Reduce errors, which decreases inadequate work performance
 Meet or exceed customer expectations

 Reduce risk – make the process safer, resulting in higher productivity due to
fewer accidents and compensation claims
 Increase the job satisfaction of those involved in a process, leading to higher
productivity and fewer errors.
Identifying and implementing improved work practices is vital in maintaining a current

and safe work environment. It may include:
 Reporting and implementing suggested improvements

 Seeking and addressing customer feedback
 Monitoring tasks
 Responding to surveys and questionnaires
 Assessing/observing/measuring environmental factors
 Checking equipment
 Developing and implementing child safe, child-friendly resources,
environment and work tools to support staff and volunteers working with
people under 18 years of age
If you notice that something can be done easier or better, then it is your role to ensure
that you identify them in the first instance then implement a change with all other
workers. This change will need to be thought out, re-written and then gain approval for
the implementation. Once this has been done then, the changes can be made.

PROMOTE AND MODEL CHANGES TO IMPROVED WORK
PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES IN ACCORDANCE WITH
ORGANISATION REQUIREMENTS
Policies and protocols or procedures will need to be reviewed and developed from time
to time to ensure that the policies and procedures that have been selected for the work
role remain best practice and are continuously improved. There are many different
reasons that policies and procedures may need to be changed, and they include changes
in:
 Legislation
 Government protocols
 Funding agreements
 Budget
 Client needs
 Community needs
 Research or information
Other reasons that policies, protocols and procedures may need to change are:
 Incidents
 Accidents
 Continual improvement
It is important that all community services personnel respond to these changes to

improve the organisation and work practices positively. This can be encouraged by
ensuring that the community services personnel understand the reasons for the change
and the way that these changes will improve best practice. They should also be given
training and support to ensure that they can manage the change effectively.
It is the responsibility of the community services personnel to ensure that they have a
flexible and positive work attitude when it comes to accepting changes and undertaking
new practices and systems within the workplace. The community is ever changing, and
so the organisation and its staff will also need to be in order to successfully keep up with
the change.

SEEK FEEDBACK AND ADVICE FROM APPROPRIATE PEOPLE ON
AREAS FOR SKILL AND KNOWLEDGE DEVELOPMEN T
Community service workers have a responsibility to ensure that they review and update
their own skills in order to remain competent and develop professionally. It is important
to seek advice from appropriate personnel or departments for advice on potential areas
for skill and knowledge development.
There are some skills which will need to be regularly updated and these include:
 First Aid
 WHS
 Legislative changes
 Policies and procedures
People and departments that you can seek advice from in relation to your training needs
include:
 Supervisors
 Managers
 Colleagues
 Human Resources Departments
 Internal Trainers
 External Trainers
 Specialist Departments
 Industry bodies
Skills and performance reviews can be conducted to ensure that your current
performance and skills are taken into consideration to ensure that the most beneficial
and relevant skills and knowledge development can take place.

Other methods for assessing the need for skills and knowledge development include:
 Feedback from staff

 Feedback from customers
 Work output
 Work quality
 Number of complaints
 Number of incidents
All community services personnel should continuously and actively seek feedback
relevant to their own work role and professional performance.
Constructive feedback should be viewed as a supportive and helpful tool that assists in
improving work practices and professional development. It is important that feedback
is received in this way and not viewed as a personal attack. There is no reason to take
feedback in a personal manner or to become defensive about it.
All feedback should be received in a positive manner and taken as an effective learning
tool. When receiving feedback, it is important to ask questions and clarify any points
related to the feedback to ensure a maximum learning possibility. It is important to ask
for assistance and advice regarding how you can develop and deal with this situation
differently in the future.
Feedback should actively be sought from:
 Clients
 Colleagues
 Supervisors
 Management
 Trainers
 Other Stakeholders
There are two main types of feedback that you can seek, and these are:

Examples of informal feedback include:
 Direct questioning
 Probing during conversation
 Analysing the success of relationships
Examples of formal feedback include:
 Surveys
 Feedback forms
 Peer analysis
 Performance Reviews

CONSULT WITH MANAGER REGARDING OPTIONS FOR ACCESSING
SKILL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND INITIATE ACTION
Once you have identified the need for skills or knowledge development it is important to
identify options for accessing these training opportunities. It is important to conduct
your investigation and initiation of skills and knowledge opportunities with your
manager. Your manager will be able to assist in determining what the best method will
be for meeting these needs. Management in a community services organisation will also
have access to resources and can approve different methods of updating skills and
knowledge. Different methods include:
 Internal training
 External training
 Mentoring
 Coaching
 Self-study
Training in the following areas is typical in the community services sector:
 ‘Cardiopulmonary resuscitation emergency response and notification

protocols
 Child protection
 Communication, conflict resolution
 Cultural awareness
 Customer service, including the provision of a child-friendly environment that
values, respects and welcomes children and young people
 Discrimination, harassment and bullying in the workplace
 Fire emergency response procedures for notification and containment of fire,
use of firefighting equipment and fire safety procedures
 First aid
 Formal and informal resolution of grievances
 Hazard control
 Manual handling
 Quality improvement policy and practice
 WHS

TOPIC 7 - FURTHER INFORMATION
CONFIDENTIALITY, PRIVACY AND DISCLOSURE
The Australian Medical Association (AMA), Code of Ethics, requires medical

practitioners to maintain a patient’s confidentiality and privacy. Your workplace will
also have its own policies in place on how you go about doing this.
While the terms ‘privacy’ and ‘confidentiality’ are commonly used interchangeably, they
are not identical concepts. Privacy laws regulate the handling of personal information
(including health information) through enforceable privacy principles. On the other
hand, the legal duty of confidentiality obliges health care practitioners to protect their
patients against the inappropriate disclosure of personal information.
WHAT IS CONFIDENTIALITY
Confidentiality means keeping a client’s information between you and the client. You are
not to make a client’s information available to anyone else unless they are involved in
their care. This includes; family, friends, colleagues and anyone else you may be talking
to.
The types of information that is considered confidential can include:
 Name, date of birth, age, sex and address

 Current contact details of family, guardian, etc.
 Bank details
 Medical history or records
 Personal care issues
 File progress notes
 Individual personal plans
 Assessments or reports
Adult clients have the right to decide what information they consider personal and
confidential.

There is, however, no such thing as absolute confidentiality in the community services
industry. Workers are required to keep notes on all interactions with clients and often
to keep statistics about who is seen and what issues are addressed. As a worker, there
will be times when you could be faced with some personal difficulties regarding
confidentiality.12
It is desirable for confidentiality to be handled consistently throughout the service, and

while the type and extent of the information conveyed by staff will vary according to the
situation, certain basic principles are applicable in all instances.
12 http://sielearning.tafensw.edu.au/MCS/CHCAOD402A/chcaod402a_csw/knowledge/confid...

DISCRIMINATION
In Australia, employers and their employees are legally obliged to uphold the human
rights standards set out in a number of federal laws. Some of these human rights
standards are included in the types of Acts listed below.
Some of the types of laws governing human rights include:
 Age Discrimination
 Disability Discrimination
 Human Rights and Equal Opportunity
 Race Discrimination
 Sex Discrimination
It is important for you to familiarise yourself with the relevant human rights legislation.
You will be able to access your own copy of relevant legislation at
http://www.humanrights.gov.au/our-work/legal/legislation

INTERVENTION AND CHILD PROTECTION
The involvement the agency or worker has with clients is called intervention. This
engagement can be of free choice, where a client or representative voluntarily contacted
an agency for help, or sometimes it can be forced or legal, such as where a client has not
asked for help but workers are required to intervene.
A legal intervention happens when an agency or department has a statutory

responsibility to become involved. This intervention may happen:
 Earlier than tribunal involvement

 At the same time as tribunal involvement
 As a result of tribunal involvement
This is definitely the case when a child becomes involved. If you have a client who has
sought help or has had help forced on them and they have a child involved in this
problem then you will need to determine whether that child is safe in the present
situation. For example: a client has come to you for help (voluntarily) with his drinking
problem. He becomes violent when he drinks too much and needs help. You identify he
has a small child who has recently been in hospital with a broken arm and bruising (he
advised the child fell over). What should you do?
In this situation you should ensure you document the incident and speak with your
supervisor or Manager. They may want you to monitor the situation or if there are
suspicions that the child was hurt by her father, you may be required to report this.
If you need to report to the authorities you will need to explain to your clients the
necessary and relevant information of the Child Protection system involving themselves
and their child. The rights the client needs to understand are:
 To take part in the child’s case study, by means of family gatherings, case
meetings, etc.
 To be familiar with their child’s Child Safety worker and know his/her contact
details
 To grasp the methods and conditions of each Assessment of Protection order
their child is dealing with

Furthermore, clients that are parents should know that:
 To be able to have 24/7 child protection, their child’s case study is monitored
and evaluated
 In hindering or neglecting their responsibilities as mentioned in the plan, will
lead to an additional examination for the child’s need of protection. Removal
from the child’s family home might be one of the options
In circumstances where the child cannot be sufficiently protected at home and the
parents’ arrangement is not adequate according to the Statutory Officer, tribunal action
could be the next step. Nevertheless, tribunal action is applied as a last resort solution.
This is a severe action due to the fact that the parents lose authority.13
Once you have identified the need for assistance you will need to implement strategies
to assist your client. Strategies that you will employ will be as individual as the people
you work with and very few people will have the same strategy which is why it is vital
that you gather the most appropriate information from your assessment with the client
and implement strategies that are as individual as their circumstances are.
13 http://etraining.communitydoor.org.au/mod/page/view.php?id=83

WORK ROLE BOUNDARIES
Community service workers are often required to make decisions according to the
ethics and philosophies of their organisation. Behaving in a way that is ethical and
adhering to the policies and procedures of the organisation are a good starting point for
providing high standards of care for the client. It is the responsibility of management to
develop policies and procedures which reflect the values, objectives, and purpose of the
organisation. Whilst management also have the responsibility to introduce staff to the
policies and procedures, particularly to the new worker at the time of induction, it is the
responsibility of the worker to familiarise themselves with the relevant information and
ensure they comply.
Position descriptions are a good way for the worker to establish the scope of their work.
These descriptions provide information about the scope of the work and the duties to be
performed.
Policies and procedures provide valuable information about how the work should be
done.
Community workers should pay particular attention to the boundaries of their work.
Not only are they expected to perform to a particular standard outlined by the
organisation, but they must ensure that they do not exceed the boundaries of their work
role. Attempting to work beyond the level of one's qualifications can be both dangerous
to the health and safety of others, as well as to the detriment of the client. For example A
person who holds a certificate 4 in community services should not be attempting to
provide treatment for a client which would normally be the job of a registered nurse.
All workers need to be aware of their responsibilities and the boundaries of their work
role. If at any stage you are unclear about the scope of your work then you should
consult with your supervisor or manager, as well as the policy and procedure manual of
the organisation.

TRANSLATION/INTERPRETERS
When working with clients, you may require the services of an interpreter. This may be
in the form of a professional person or possibly a family member or friend who can
correctly relay the desired information. You may at some stage be working with clients
from a diverse range of cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
Overcoming communication difficulties across cultural and linguistic bonds may be

achieved by:
 Speaking slowly and clearly

 Maintaining a normal volume
 Maintaining normal volume
 Paraphrasing
 Prioritising and sequencing your instructions
 Using clear and simple language
 Responding appropriately to emotions
 Providing opportunities for questioning and clarification
 Employing the use of communication aids
You might use the following strategies to enhance the communication of your clients in
their own language:
 Learning some of the keywords in their language

 Utilising aids such as communication charts
 Involving relatives or friends to assist where appropriate
 Using signage
Some strategies used to improve communication may require specialised training, such
as:
 Professional interpreters
 Bilingual health care staff
 Telephone interpreter services

In order to maintain the highest standards of care, it is essential that staff be aware of
the appropriate uses and restrictions surrounding the communication aids of their
clients. Inappropriate use may be detrimental rather than helpful.

INFORMED CONSENT
Informed consent is the process by which the treating health care provider discloses
appropriate information to a competent patient so that the patient may make a
voluntary choice to accept or refuse treatment. (Appelbaum, 2007)14 It originates from
the legal and ethical right the patient has to direct what happens to her body and from
the ethical duty of the physician to involve the patient in her health care.
DIGITAL MEDIA AND USE
Digital media is used frequently in the community service and health sectors. The types
of media will vary between organisations however, the most common will include:
 Web - the web is used everywhere now, it is used in the community service
sector for researching and locating other services and health professionals,
finding addressing and keeping up with the latest trends.
 Email - email is used for communication between colleagues and external
agencies and sometimes even clients.
 Social media - social media is used to promote service programs and activities
that service providers run.
 Podcast and videos - podcasts and videos are often used for training purposes
for either staff members or clients.
 Tablets and applications - tablets and applications are often used on the go,
workers can keep in touch with the service while they are out of office.
 Newsletters and broadcasts - newsletters and broadcasts again offer a
method of promotion for the organisation, promoting everything from
activities and services to the latest equipment and timetables.
 Intranet - the intranet is used to provide staff members with current up-to-
date information on changes and trends in the organisation. It will often be
the place where workers can find information such as policies and
procedures and position descriptions.
14 https://depts.washington.edu/bioethx/topics/consent.html
SUMMARY
Now that you have completed this unit, you should have the skills and knowledge
required to communicate effectively with clients, colleagues, management and other
industry providers.
If you have any questions about this resource, please ask your trainer. They will be only
too happy to assist you when required.

REFERENCES
http://www.ywca-canberra.org.au/womens_leadership/effective_communication
(accessed 8 May 2015)
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html (accessed 8 May 2015)
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CHCCOM005

COMMUNICATE AND WORK IN HEALTH OR

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ABOUT THIS RESOURCE

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Throughout your training we are committed to your learning by providing a training

You are going to be assessed for:

Your assessment may be conducted through a combination of the following methods:

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1.2 Communicate service information in a manner that

1.3 Confirm the person’s understanding

1.4 Listen to requests, clarify meaning and respond

1.5 Exchange information clearly in a timely manner

2.2 Identify lines of communication between

2.3 Use industry terminology correctly in verbal,

2.4 Follow communication protocols that apply to

3. Address constraints to 3.1 Identify early signs of potentially complicated or

3.2 Identify actual constraints to effective

3.3 Use communication skills to avoid, defuse and

4.2 Refer any breach or non adherence to standard

4.3 Refer issues impacting on achievement of employee,

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5. Complete workplace 5.1 Complete documentation according to legal

5.3 Complete written and electronic workplace

5.4 Follow organisation communication policies and

5.5 Use clear, accurate and objective language when

6. Contribute to continuous 6.1 Contribute to identifying and voicing improvements

6.2 Promote and model changes to improved work

6.3 Seek feedback and advice from appropriate people

6.4 Consult with manager regarding options for

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 Demonstrated effective communication skills in 3 different work situations

The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively

 Legal and ethical considerations in relation to communication:

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There are no pre-requisites for this unit.

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USE VERBAL AND NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION TO ENHANCE

Effective verbal or spoken communication is dependent on a number of factors and

 Spoken or verbal communication

Communication refers to the manner in which the meaning of a message is transmitted

Unaided communication such as:

Verbal communication includes sounds, words, language, and speech. Speaking is an

 Intrapersonal Communication - This form of communication is extremely

Nonverbal communication manages to convey the sender's message without having to

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Listening is just as important in the communication process as talking. Active listening is

Implementing and practicing effective communication strategies for the workplace,

Communication strengths vary from person to person. It is important to consider guide

An organisation that has an established work environment with sound communication

Consistency helps employees to understand and appreciate their duties and

Complete information is imperative in workplace communication. Information such as

Practicing communication accountability fosters effective communication in the

An important place in the organisation for the practice of accountability in

Implementing an Accountability Program standardises how everyone is held

Effective communication offers many benefits such as productivity growth, decrease in

CLARIFYING AND CLARIFICATION

Clarification is important in many situations especially when what is being communicated is

The Purpose of Clarification is to:

 “When did you first start feeling like this?”