NZQA Expiring unit standard
20355 version 3
Page 1 of 4
Title
Provide a safe environment in whānau/family and foster care
Level
4
Credits
4
Purpose
People credited with this unit standard are able to describe a
safe environment in whānau/family and foster care, and
maintain a safe environment in whānau/family and foster care.
Classification
Social Services > Whānau/Family and Foster Care
Available grade
Achieved
Entry information
Critical health and
safety prerequisites
Open.
Explanatory notes
1
People awarded credit in this unit standard are able to outline the meaning of the
articles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the relevance of Te Tiriti o Waitangi to social
service work, and are able to apply this competence to the context of assessment for
this unit standard (for further clarification, please refer to Unit 19408, Outline the
meaning and relevance of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in social service work).
2
Glossary
Approved agency means an agency that has been approved under section 396,
Children, Young Persons, and Their Families Act 1989.
Carer means a person who is a custodial carer providing care for a child or young
person from their own whānau or 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.
Safe environment in this unit standard 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.
Whānau/family and foster care includes kinship care, whānau care, foster care, and
foster homes.
3
Legislation related to whānau/family and foster care 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.
Community Support Services ITO Limited
SSB Code 101814
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA Expiring unit standard
20355 version 3
Page 2 of 4
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Describe a safe environment in whānau/family and foster care.
Evidence requirements
1.1
The description identifies contributing risk factors.
Range
1.2
The description details the importance of employing safe practices within the
carer's home.
Range
1.3
risk factors – 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.
safe practice – visual and auditory scanning, routine, focus on high
risk areas, positioning.
The description defines methods for dealing with emergencies.
Range
emergencies include but are not limited to – chemicals,
earthquake, fire;
methods for dealing with emergencies include but are not limited
to – alarms, exits, safety plans.
1.4
The description defines the boundaries of the carer's legal responsibilities in
providing and maintaining a safe environment.
1.5
The description defines who is responsible for determining and providing a safe
environment in situations outside the home.
Range
1.6
The description outlines the functions of record keeping in maintaining a safe
environment in whānau/family and foster care.
Range
1.7
situations outside the home include – schooling; employment;
sports activities; potentially hazardous pursuits such as tramping,
kayaking, canyoning, public events.
functions – creation, storage, disposal of records.
The description outlines the purposes of record keeping in maintaining a safe
environment in whānau/family and foster care.
Range
purposes – accountability; evidence for court; information for
Family Group Conferences; behaviour patterns and trends;
information source for report writing; medication; protection in
allegation situations; supervision.
Community Support Services ITO Limited
SSB Code 101814
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA Expiring unit standard
20355 version 3
Page 3 of 4
Evidence is required of four.
Outcome 2
Maintain a safe environment in whānau/family and foster care.
Evidence requirements
2.1
Maintenance of a safe environment in whānau/family and foster care involves
adherence to a checking system.
2.2
Maintenance of a safe environment in whānau/family and foster care
demonstrates knowledge of safety requirements.
2.3
Maintenance of a safe environment is carried out through the application of
hygiene practices.
2.4
Techniques used in maintaining a safe environment redirect children and young
people from unsafe situations.
2.5
Techniques used in maintaining a safe environment assist children and young
people in learning self care skills and in choosing methods to keep themselves
safe.
Range
2.6
self care skills – washing, dressing and undressing, brushing hair,
cleaning teeth, toileting.
Record keeping is in accordance with the protocols and policies of one
approved agency and other relevant criteria.
Range
other relevant criteria include – 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.
Replacement information
This unit standard was replaced by unit standard 28554.
This unit standard is expiring. Assessment against the standard must take place by
the last date for assessment set out below.
Community Support Services ITO Limited
SSB Code 101814
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA Expiring unit standard
20355 version 3
Page 4 of 4
Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process
Version Date
Last Date for Assessment
Registration
1
24 November 2003
Rollover and
Revision
2
21 September 2007
Review
3
16 April 2015
31 December 2018
31 December 2018
31 December 2018
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.
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.
Community Support Services ITO Limited
SSB Code 101814
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016