NZQA registered unit standard
28554 version 1
Page 1 of 4
Title
Provide a safe environment for a child or young person in
whānau/family and foster care
Level
3
Purpose
Credits
3
This unit standard is designed for those people whose activities
bring them into contact with children, or who have a
responsibility to respond to children in a whānau/family and
foster care setting.
People credited with this unit standard are able to describe and
maintain a safe environment in whānau/family and foster care.
Classification
Social Services > Whānau/Family and Foster Care
Available grade
Achieved
Explanatory notes
1
Legislation relevant to this unit standard may include but is not limited to:
Care of Children Act 2004;
Children, Young Persons, and Their Families Act 1989;
Crimes Act 1961;
Domestic Violence Act 1995;
Family Proceedings Act 1980;
Human Rights Act 1993;
Privacy Act 1993;
Vulnerable Children Act 2014.
2
Definitions
Approved agency – an agency that has been approved under section 396, Children,
Young Persons, and Their Families Act 1989.
Carer – a person who is a custodial carer providing care for a child or young person
from their own whānau/family, and/or a person who is providing foster care for a child
or young person placed with them by an agency approved under section 396,
Children, Young Persons, and Their Families Act 1989. In the context of this unit
standard, carers do not include adoptive parents or birth parents.
Whānau/family and foster care includes but is not limited to – kinship care, whānau
care, foster care, foster homes.
Organisational policies and procedures – policies, procedures and methodologies of
an organisation. They include legislative and regulatory requirements which may
apply across a company, a specific site, or a workplace. Requirements are
documented in the company’s health and safety plans, contract work programmes,
quality assurance programmes, policies and procedural documents.
Community Support Services ITO Limited
SSB Code 101814
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
28554 version 1
Page 2 of 4
Safe environment – is focussed on the home environment, which may include but is
not limited to – play equipment; indoor and outdoor areas; toilet; kitchen; street;
vehicles; plants.
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Describe a safe environment in whānau/family and foster care.
Evidence requirements
1.1
Contributing risk factors are described in terms of the impact on a safe
environment.
Range
1.2
The importance of employing safe practices within the carer's home are
described in terms of the impact on a safe environment.
Range
1.3
responsibilities include but are not limited to – emergency
situations, within the home, outside the home.
Record keeping requirements to maintain a safe environment in whānau/family
and foster care are described in terms of organisational policies and
procedures.
Range
1.5
safe practices includes but are not limited to – visual and auditory
scanning, routine, focus on high risk areas, positioning.
Carer's legal responsibilities to provide and maintain a safe environment are
described in terms of organisational policies and procedures.
Range
1.4
risk factors may include but are not limited to – health and safety,
inappropriate behaviour identified as dangerous, high children or
young people to adult ratios, number of young children, available
space, driving, leaving keys in vehicles, alcohol and drugs, specific
physical and mental conditions of children and young people;
evidence is required of five risk factors.
requirements include but are not limited to – creation, storage,
disposal of records.
The purposes of record keeping in maintaining a safe environment in
whānau/family and foster care are described in terms of organisational policies
and procedures.
Range
purposes may include but are not limited to – accountability,
evidence for court, information for Family Group Conferences,
behaviour patterns and trends, information source for report
writing, medication, protection in allegation situations, supervision;
evidence is required of four purposes.
Community Support Services ITO Limited
SSB Code 101814
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
28554 version 1
Page 3 of 4
Outcome 2
Maintain a safe environment in whānau/family and foster care.
Evidence requirements
2.1
Techniques are used to maintain a safe environment by redirecting children and
young people from unsafe situations and by assisting children and young
people in learning self-care skills and in choosing methods to keep themselves
safe.
self-care skills include but are not limited to – washing, dressing
and undressing, brushing hair, cleaning teeth, toileting.
Range
2.2
A safe environment in whānau/family and foster care is maintained in
accordance with the checking system, safety requirements and hygiene
practices.
2.3
Records are completed in accordance with the protocols and policies of one
approved agency and other relevant criteria.
other relevant criteria include but are not limited to – factual,
relevant to the whānau/family and foster care situation, kept daily,
stored securely;
evidence is required of diary keeping in one whānau/family and
foster care situation.
Range
Replacement information
This unit standard replaced unit standard 20355
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
16 April 2015
N/A
Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR) reference
0222
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
28554 version 1
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 (CMR). 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