7970 version 4
28-Jun-16
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PROVIDE SOCIAL SERVICES
Facilitate conflict resolution in social
service work
level:
5
credit:
4
planned review date:
June 2006
sub-field:
Social Services
purpose:
People credited with this unit standard are able to: clarify the
conflict between the service users; facilitate resolution of the
defined conflict between service users; and facilitate closure
of conflict resolution.
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).
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
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2
Glossary
An environment conducive to conflict resolution is one
in which service users are attended to in terms of their
characteristics and needs. Characteristics may be
physical, spiritual and mental, and include their age and
stage of development, culture, disability, gender, health
status, language, and sexual orientation.
Needs
include needs to be respected, affirmed, and supported,
and needs for physical comfort, safety, and privacy.
Facilitation … directed towards enabling collaborative
problem solving may include but is not limited to:
enhancing accurate communication; enabling nonbelligerent communication; focusing service users on
their feelings, needs, and views; focusing service users
on listening to the feelings, needs, and views of other
service users; enabling service users to move through
blocks and impasses to conflict resolution; clarifying
points of agreement; evaluating progress towards
conflict resolution; generating further options; enabling
service users to pursue different options as necessary
in terms of the evaluation of progress.
Service user is used as a generic term to denote the
people from user groups of the social services who are
involved in conflict. They may be referred to by various
descriptive terms in the range of social services
settings.
3
People awarded 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 respond
in inclusive ways that are appropriate to the
characteristics and needs of service users. They
demonstrate clarity about the limits of their role,
function, and competence, and when to refer on to
others.
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4
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.
5
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.
Elements and Performance Criteria
element 1
Clarify the conflict between the service users.
performance criteria
1.1
An environment is established that is conducive to conflict resolution.
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1.2
Roles, functions, and any legal responsibilities of the social service worker and
service provider are clarified with service users.
1.3
Kawa or protocols for conflict resolution are established and sustained
according to consultation with service users.
1.4
Methods and interpersonal skills used are appropriate to conflict resolution in a
social service setting.
Range:
methods include - acknowledge the characteristics and needs of
each party; facilitate expression of emotional aspects and
substantive issues in the conflict; encourage self respect of
service users and mutual respect between service users; enhance
accurate and non-belligerent communication between service
users;
interpersonal skills include - attending, listening, following,
clarifying, encouraging, questioning, discussion, paraphrasing,
reflection of feeling and content, summarising.
1.5
Verbal and non-verbal communications are acknowledged, and expression of
feelings, needs, and views is facilitated.
1.6
Information is sought according to its relevance and sufficiency for clarifying all
emotional aspects, substantive issues, and processes in the conflict.
element 2
Facilitate resolution of the defined conflict between service users.
performance criteria
2.1
Facilitation assists service users to generate achievable options to resolve the
conflict.
Range:
2.2
assistance may include but is not limited to - brainstorming, cocreating and exploring alternatives, challenging, confrontation,
feedback, focusing, providing information.
Facilitation assists service users to jointly select the options or combination of
options that best meets each service user's needs.
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2.3
Facilitation assists service users to prepare and implement a plan of action for
the selected options.
2.4
Facilitation is conducted using methods that encourage self-determination of
service users and discourage dependency by them on the social service worker
or service provider.
2.5
Facilitation is conducted according to the characteristics and needs of the
service users.
2.6
Facilitation is directed towards enabling collaborative problem solving to resolve
the conflict between service users.
element 3
Facilitate closure of conflict resolution.
performance criteria
3.1
Facilitation enables closure according to agreement with service users on
termination of conflict resolution.
Range:
3.2
Facilitation of closure identifies relevant issues for future resumption of contact
or other sources of resolution of conflict.
Range:
3.3
agreement with service users may include but is not limited to agreement that the conflict is completely resolved, agreement that
the conflict is partially resolved and no further purpose can be
achieved in conflict resolution, agreement that resolution is
impossible and facilitation of conflict resolution is to end.
relevant issues may include but are not limited to - factors that
may lead to resumption of contact; future roles, functions and
available services; means of re-establishing contact with social
service worker or service provider; other sources of referral for
conflict resolution.
Facilitation of closure is conducted according to the agreed kawa or protocols
and completion of planned involvement of the social service worker or service
provider.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
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Facilitate conflict resolution in social
service work
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