7938 version 4
28-Jun-16
1 of 5
PROVIDE SOCIAL SERVICES
Provide social service advice to
individuals, groups, and communities
level:
6
credit:
6
planned review date:
June 2006
sub-field:
Social Services
purpose:
People credited with this unit standard are able to: identify
the service user's concern, issue, or need for advice; present
information to the service user on the concern, issue, or
need for advice; and provide advice or recommendations for
action to the service user.
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
implement Te Tiriti o Waitangi in the social services
according to the authority and resources available to
them, and are able to demonstrate application of this
competence to the context of assessment for this unit
standard (for further clarification, please refer to Unit
7928, Implement Te Tiriti o Waitangi in the social
services).
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
7938 version 4
28-Jun-16
2 of 5
PROVIDE SOCIAL SERVICES
Provide social service advice to
individuals, groups, and communities
2
Glossary
Identified concerns, issues, or needs may include but
are not limited to: alternative care, community issues,
consumer rights, criminal justice, disabilities, economic
development, employment, environmental issues,
families and whānau, health care, housing and land,
human rights, iwi development, legal issues, planning,
poverty, psychiatric care, safety, sexuality, social policy
and services, alcohol and drug issues. Identified
concerns, issues, or needs may be cultural, economic,
educational,
emotional,
psychological,
physical,
spiritual, social, or political, or related to age or gender.
People awarded credit for this unit standard
demonstrate competence in three contexts, with any
combination of the above factors.
Information may be oral or written.
Sources of
information may include: service provider or personal
data bases, manuals, pamphlets and records;
information from other agencies and organisations and
social service networks; professional journals, text
books, and reference works; legislation.
Those who seek social services advice are referred to
as service users. They may be individuals, groups,
families or whānau, hapū, iwi, or other kin group; a
community of interest, a community of locality, or a
cultural community.
Service user includes those who require the advice
themselves and those who are directly or indirectly
involved with a service user. The service user's
characteristics and needs may include but are not
limited to: their age and stage of development, culture,
disability, gender, health status, language, sexual
orientation; and needs for physical comfort, safety, and
privacy. People awarded credit for this unit standard
demonstrate competence in three contexts, with any
combination of the above factors.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
7938 version 4
28-Jun-16
3 of 5
PROVIDE SOCIAL SERVICES
Provide social service advice to
individuals, groups, and communities
3
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.
4
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
Identify the service user's concern, issue, or need for advice.
performance criteria
1.1
Interpersonal skills are used which respond to verbal and non-verbal
communications and identify the concern, issue, or need for advice.
Range:
1.2
interpersonal skills - attending, clarifying, encouraging, following,
listening, questioning, paraphrasing, reflection of feeling and
content, summarising.
The concern, issue, or need for advice is identified according to confirmation
with the service user.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
7938 version 4
28-Jun-16
4 of 5
PROVIDE SOCIAL SERVICES
Provide social service advice to
individuals, groups, and communities
element 2
Present information to the service user on the concern, issue, or need for advice.
performance criteria
2.1
Information is accessed from sources that are current and valid.
2.2
Information presented to the service user is relevant to the concern, issue, or
need for advice according to confirmation with the service user.
2.3
Information is presented within criteria established by legislation, ethical
practice, and service provider guidelines.
2.4
The method of presentation of information matches the service user's
characteristics and needs.
element 3
Provide advice or recommendations for action to the service user.
Range:
evidence is required of advice or recommendations for action.
performance criteria
3.1
Advice or recommendations for action is/are provided within the social service
worker's role, function, and expertise within the service provider setting.
3.2
Advice or recommendations for action is/are given in terms of analysis of the
information presented to the service user and acknowledge personal, cultural,
and political factors in the situation.
3.3
Advice or recommendations for action is/are provided within criteria established
by legislation, ethical practice, and service provider guidelines.
3.4
The method of presentation of advice or recommendations for action matches
the characteristics and needs of the service user.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
7938 version 4
28-Jun-16
5 of 5
PROVIDE SOCIAL SERVICES
Provide social service advice to
individuals, groups, and communities
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