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COUNSELLING
Engage in counselling with individuals
level:
5
credit:
9
planned review date:
June 2006
sub-field:
Social Services
purpose:
People credited with this unit standard are able to: establish
the counselling relationship with a service user; assist the
service user to identify their purpose(s) for counselling; assist
the service user to work towards achieving their identified
purpose(s) for counselling; and effect closure of the
counselling relationship.
entry information:
Open.
accreditation option:
Evaluation of documentation and visit by NZQA, industry and
teaching professional in the same field from another
provider.
moderation option:
A centrally established and directed national moderation
system has been set up by Community Support Services ITO
Limited (Careerforce).
special notes:
1
People awarded credit in this unit standard are able to
explain the application of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in the
social services, and are able to apply this competence
to the context of assessment for this unit standard (for
further clarification, please refer to Unit 7927, Explain
the application of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in the social
services).
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2
Glossary
Characteristics and needs of service users may be
physical, spiritual, or mental. Characteristics and needs
may include but are not limited to: age and stage of
development, coping strategies, culture, disability,
experience, knowledge, family or whānau history,
gender, health status, language, sexual orientation,
socio-economic situation; and needs for physical
comfort, safety, and privacy of the service user.
Service user is used as a generic term to denote an
individual from user groups of the social services who is
involved in the counselling relationship. Other terms
such as "client" may be used across the range of social
service settings.
3
People awarded credit in this unit standard are able to
demonstrate and self monitor their ability to relate to
difference, as evidenced by acknowledgement and
respect for difference, acceptance, genuineness,
honesty, humility, patience, and warmth. They use
inclusive language, and counselling methods that are
appropriate to the characteristics and needs of the
service user. They seek to establish and maintain
rapport with the service user, positive feedback is
responded to, criticism, or negative feedback is
responded to without defensiveness, and changes
required to re-establish rapport are acted upon. They
demonstrate and communicate clarity about their role in
the social services within all relationships with service
users. They know the limits of their role, function and
competence, and when to refer on to others.
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4
In any given situation, candidates may not complete all
elements of this unit standard. For example, the
service user may not need the candidate to assist them
to implement a plan, so the candidate may then move
on to establish closure of the relationship. However, it
is necessary to demonstrate competence in all
elements of this unit standard in order to be awarded
credit.
5
All communications are treated confidentially. The
scope and limits of confidentiality are defined through
negotiation and informed consent, and criteria
established by legislation, ethical practice, and service
provider guidelines. In the context of this unit standard,
sources of criteria established by legislation, ethical
practice, and service provider guidelines include but are
not limited to: Official Information Act 1982, Privacy Act
1993, service provider codes of conduct, codes of
practice issued by the Privacy Commissioner, social
service codes of ethics, and service provider guidelines,
protocols, staff manuals, strategic plans, kawa, or
tikanga.
6
People awarded credit in this unit standard show that
their actions are guided and supported by valid theory
for social service practice. Evidence is required of
social service theory that is derived from authoritative
sources, which may include but are not limited to: body
of knowledge related to social service work; cultural
theory; practice research.
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Elements and Performance Criteria
element 1
Establish the counselling relationship with a service user.
performance criteria
1.1
Establishment of the environment attends to the service user’s characteristics
and needs.
1.2
The role, function, and any legal responsibilities of the social service worker and
service provider are clarified with the service user.
1.3
The kawa or protocols for the counselling relationship are agreed with the
individual.
1.4
The service user is engaged in counselling according to their characteristics
and needs, and in accordance with the social service worker's role, function,
and any legal responsibilities.
element 2
Assist the service user to identify their purpose(s) for counselling.
Range:
assistance may include but is not limited to - co-creating and exploring
alternatives, challenging, coaching, confrontation, exploring past and current
behaviours, patterns and beliefs, feedback, focusing, making connections,
providing information, referral to other services, reframing.
Evidence is required of five.
performance criteria
2.1
The process to be used to identify the service user's concerns, issues, or needs
is established according to negotiation with the service user.
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2.2
Assistance enables the service user to identify and describe their presenting
concerns, issues, or needs.
2.3
Assistance is provided using interpersonal skills that respond to verbal and nonverbal communications including body language.
Range:
interpersonal skills include but are not limited to - attending,
clarifying, encouraging, following, listening, questioning,
paraphrasing, reflecting.
2.4
The service user is assisted to identify connections between their identified
concerns, issues, or needs, and their social and cultural context.
2.5
The service user is assisted to identify purpose(s) for counselling that are
consistent with their concerns, issues, or needs, and consistent with their
coping abilities, knowledge, resources, skills, and values.
element 3
Assist the service user to work towards achieving their identified purpose(s) for
counselling.
Range:
assistance may include but is not limited to - co-creating and exploring
alternatives, challenging, coaching, confrontation, exploring past and current
behaviours, patterns and beliefs, feedback, focusing, making connections,
providing information, referral to other services, reframing.
Evidence is required of five.
performance criteria
3.1
Assistance enables the service user to identify and select achievable options
consistent with their purpose(s) for counselling, and consistent with their coping
abilities, knowledge, resources, skills, and values.
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3.2
Assistance enables the service user to develop a plan to achieve their identified
purpose(s) for counselling.
3.3
The plan identifies resources that are available to achieve the purpose(s), a
time frame that is consistent with the use of those resources, the social service
worker's role in the plan (if any), and methods of evaluating progress.
3.4
Assistance is provided in accordance with the social service worker's role in the
plan.
3.5
Assistance is provided using methods that encourage self determination by the
service user and discourage dependency on the social service worker or
service provider.
3.6
Assistance enables the service user to evaluate progress in achieving their
purpose(s) for counselling.
3.7
Where necessary, the service user is assisted to redefine their purpose(s) for
counselling, establish new purposes, identify further options, and amend the
plan in terms of the evaluation of progress.
element 4
Effect closure of the counselling relationship.
performance criteria
4.1
Closure of each counselling session is effected according to the established
kawa or protocol.
4.2
Closure of the counselling relationship is effected according to completion of
planned involvement of the social service worker or service provider.
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4.3
The closure process identifies issues arising from counselling.
Range:
4.4
The closure process identifies issues for future involvement in counselling.
Range:
4.5
issues may include but are not limited to - identification of
achievements and new learning towards independence; ways of
dealing with future concerns, issues, or needs; ongoing self
management plans.
issues may include but are not limited to - factors that may lead to
resumption of contact; future roles, functions, and services; means
of re-establishing contact with the social service worker and
service provider; other sources of referral.
Closure of the counselling relationship is managed according to the established
kawa or protocol.
Comments to:
Careerforce
PO Box 2637
Wellington 6140
Please Note:
Providers must be accredited by the Qualifications Authority
before they can offer programmes of education and training
assessed against unit standards.
Accredited providers assessing against unit standards must
engage with the moderation system that applies to those unit
standards. [Please refer to relevant Plan ref: 0222]
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016