NZQA registered unit standard
23374 version 3
Page 1 of 4
Title
Describe autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and support strategies
Level
3
Purpose
Credits
3
This unit standard is for people providing services in a health or
wellbeing setting.
People credited with this unit standard are able to describe:
defining features of people with ASD; the impact of ASD on a
person’s daily living interactions with others; and a support
strategy that may assist people on the autistic spectrum.
Classification
Health, Disability, and Aged Support > Core Health
Available grade
Achieved
Explanatory notes
1
Legislation and standards relevant to this unit standard include:
Health and Disability Commissioner (Code of Health and Disability Services
Consumers’ Rights) Regulations 1996 (the Code of Rights);
Health and Disability Services (Safety) Act 2001;
Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992;
Human Rights Act 1993;
Privacy Act 1993;
NZS 8134.0:2008 Health and disability services Standards – Health and disability
services (general) Standard;
NZS 8134.1:2008 Health and disability services Standards – Health and disability
services (core) Standards;
NZS 8134.3:2008 Health and disability services Standards – Health and disability
services (infection prevention and control) Standards;
NZS 8158:2012 Home and community support sector Standard; available at
http://www.standards.co.nz/.
2
In the context of this unit standard, support should aim to maintain, improve, or
restore a person’s independence and/or interdependence by utilising the person’s
existing strengths and appropriate resources; but may include providing assistance to
enable a client’s health and wellbeing needs to be met.
3
Definitions
Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) – a type of behavioural psychology which is used
with people with ASD to teach specific tasks or skills.
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) – a range of neurological disorders that most
markedly involve some degree of difficulty with communication and interpersonal
Community Support Services ITO Limited
SSB Code 101814
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
23374 version 3
Page 2 of 4
relationships, as well as obsessions and repetitive behaviour patterns. As the term
spectrum indicates, there can be a wide range of effects.
The essential features of autistic disorder are the presence of markedly abnormal or
impaired development in social interaction and communication, and a markedly
restricted repertoire of activity and interests. Manifestations of the disorder vary
greatly depending on the developmental level and chronological age of the individual.
The term autistic spectrum is traditionally used by the sector to describe a person
who exhibits a range of clustered features from one or both definitions given above.
Health or wellbeing setting includes but is not limited to – the aged care, acute care,
community support, disability, mental health, and social services sectors.
Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) – an alternative form of
communication used to supplement or replace speech or writing.
Person – a person accessing services. Other terms used for the person may include
client, consumer, customer, patient, individual, resident, service user, tūroro or
tangata whai ora.
Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication-Handicapped
Children (TEACCH ) - a programme which aims to prepare people with ASD to live
or work more effectively at home, at school or in the community by reducing autistic
behaviour patterns.
Structure, Positive (approaches and expectations), Empathy, Low arousal, Links
(SPELL) – a framework for understanding and responding to the needs of people
with ASD by building on strengths and reducing the disabling effects of the condition.
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Describe defining features of people with ASD.
Range
evidence is required of three specific disorders.
Evidence requirements
1.1
ASD is described in terms of typical features associated with the specific
disorders.
1.2
ASD is described in terms of its enabling and/or disabling effects.
Range
effects may include but are not limited to – communication style,
social interaction, flexibility of thought, sensory processing;
evidence is required of three effects.
Outcome 2
Describe the impact of ASD on a person’s daily living interactions with others.
Evidence requirements
2.1
Daily living interactions are described in terms of the possible enabling or
disabling effects of ASD.
Community Support Services ITO Limited
SSB Code 101814
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
23374 version 3
Page 3 of 4
interactions may include but are not limited to – self-development,
learning, relationships, leisure, employment;
evidence is required of three interactions.
Range
Outcome 3
Describe a support strategy that may assist people on the autistic spectrum.
Range
strategies may include but are not limited to – TEACCH, SPELL, PECS,
sensory integration, ABA, visual strategies, social stories;
evidence of at least one strategy for one specific disorder is required.
Evidence requirements
3.1
The beneficial effects of physical and social environments are described in
terms of the impact on support strategy adopted to assist a person on the
autistic spectrum.
effects may include but are not limited to – environmental
assessment, structure, consistency, sensory qualities, interactions,
choices, transitions;
evidence is required of three effects.
Range
3.2
The features of the support strategy are described in terms of their ability to
assist a person on the autistic spectrum.
Planned review date
31 December 2019
Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process
Version Date
Last Date for Assessment
Registration
1
20 March 2008
31 December 2017
Revision
2
21 January 2011
31 December 2017
Review
3
16 April 2015
N/A
Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR) reference
0024
This CMR can be accessed at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/search/index.do.
Please note
Providers must be granted consent to assess against standards (accredited) by NZQA,
before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses
of study leading to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be granted consent to assess against standards by
NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.
Community Support Services ITO Limited
SSB Code 101814
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
23374 version 3
Page 4 of 4
Providers and Industry Training Organisations, which have been granted consent and
which are assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that
applies to those standards.
Requirements for consent to assess and an outline of the moderation system that applies
to this standard are outlined in the Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMRs). The
CMR also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations wishing
to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors
and assessors, and special resource requirements.
Comments on this unit standard
Please contact the Community Support Services ITO Limited
enquiries@careerforce.org.nz if you wish to suggest changes to the content of this unit
standard.
Community Support Services ITO Limited
SSB Code 101814
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016