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Use interpersonal skills in carer relationships in whānau/family and
foster care
Level
5
Credits
9
Purpose
People credited with this unit standard are able to: assist the child or young
person and their whānau or family to identify the purpose and goals of the
relationship in whānau/family and foster care; assist the child or young
person and their whānau or family to work towards achieving the identified
goals for the relationship in whānau/family and foster care; and effect closure
of the relationship in whānau/family and foster care.
Subfield
Social Services
Domain
Whānau/Family and Foster Care
Status
Registered
Status date
26 January 2005
Date version published
21 September 2007
Planned review date
31 December 2009
Entry information
Open.
Accreditation
Evaluation of documentation and visit by NZQA, industry
and teaching professional in the same field from another
provider.
Standard setting body (SSB)
Community Support Services ITO Limited (Careerforce)
Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP) reference
0222
This AMAP can be accessed at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/search/index.do.
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).
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2
Assessment notes
This unit standard may be assessed through classroom activities and work-based
settings. The candidate must demonstrate competence through the elements as a
carer in whānau/family and/or foster care.
People awarded credit in this unit standard show that their actions through all
elements 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.
People awarded credit in 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
use inclusive language, and interpersonal skills that are appropriate to the
characteristics and needs of the child or young person and their whānau or family.
They seek to establish and maintain rapport with the child or young person and their
whānau or family, positive feedback is responded to, criticism or negative feedback is
responded to without defensiveness, and changes required to re-establish rapport
are acted upon. They demonstrate and communicate clarity about their role in the
social services within all relationships with the child or young person and their
whānau or family. They know the limits of their role, function and competence, and
when to refer on to others.
3
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.
Characteristics and needs of the child or young person and their whānau or family
may be physical, spiritual, or mental. Characteristics and needs may include but are
not limited to: age and stage of development, coping strategies, culture, disability,
experience, knowledge, family or whānau history, gender, health status, language,
sexual orientation, socio-economic situation; and needs for physical comfort, safety,
and privacy of the child or young person and their whānau or family.
Culture includes but is not limited to: cultures based upon age, class, disability,
ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation; cultures within Māori, Pākehā, Pacific nations,
and Asian groupings; identification with a culture through birth, adoption, or
genealogy or whakapapa.
Inclusive language means language that is free of sexist, racist or other biases,
avoids stereotypes, recognises performance and achievement irrespective of age,
class, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or other characteristics when they are
irrelevant, and avoids potentially offensive or discriminatory forms of expression.
Whānau/family and foster care includes kinship care, whānau care, foster care, and
respite care.
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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
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.
Elements and performance criteria
Element 1
Assist the child or young person and their whānau or family to identify the purpose and
goals of the relationship in whānau/family and foster care.
Range
assistance may include but is not limited to – co-creating and exploring
alternatives; challenging; coaching; confrontation; exploring past and current
behaviours, patterns and beliefs; feedback; focusing; making connections;
providing information; referral to other services; reframing.
Evidence is required of five.
Performance criteria
1.1
The process to be used to identify the purpose and goals of the relationship and
the concerns, issues, or needs of the child or young person and their whānau or
family is established through negotiation.
1.2
Assistance enables the child or young person and their whānau or family to
identify and describe their concerns, issues, or needs.
1.3
Assistance is provided using interpersonal skills that respond to verbal and nonverbal communications including body language.
Range
1.4
interpersonal skills include but are not limited to – attending,
clarifying, encouraging, listening, questioning, paraphrasing,
reflecting.
The child or young person and their whānau or family is assisted to identify
goals for the relationship that are consistent with the needs of the child or young
person and their own concerns, issues, or needs; and consistent with their
coping abilities, knowledge, resources, skills, and values.
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Element 2
Assist the child or young person and their whānau or family to work towards achieving the
identified goals for the relationship in whānau/family and foster care.
Range
assistance may include but is not limited to – co-creating and exploring
alternatives; challenging; coaching; confrontation; exploring past and current
behaviours, patterns and beliefs; feedback; focusing; making connections;
providing information; referral to other services; reframing.
Evidence is required of five.
Performance criteria
2.1
Assistance enables the child or young person and their whānau or family to
develop a plan that contributes to achieving the identified goals for the
relationship.
2.2
The plan identifies resources that are available to achieve the goals, a time
frame, the carer's role in the plan, and methods of evaluating progress.
2.3
Assistance is provided in accordance with the carer's role in the plan.
2.4
Assistance is provided using methods that encourage self determination by the
child or young person and their whānau or family and discourage dependency
on the carer or approved agency.
2.5
Assistance enables the child or young person and their whānau or family to
evaluate progress in carrying out the plan.
2.6
Where necessary, the child or young person and their whānau or family is
assisted to establish new goals, and amend the plan in terms of the evaluation
of progress.
Element 3
Effect closure of the relationship in whānau/family and foster care.
Performance criteria
3.1
Closure of the relationship is effected according to completion of planned
involvement of the carer or approved agency.
3.2
The closure process identifies issues arising from the relationship.
Range
issues may include but are not limited to – identification of
achievements and new learning; ways of dealing with future
concerns, issues, or needs; ongoing plans.
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3.3
The closure process identifies issues for future involvement in a relationship
with the carer or approved agency.
Range
issues may include but are not limited to – factors that may lead to
resumption of contact; future roles, functions, and services; means
of re-establishing contact with the carer or approved agency; other
sources of referral.
Please note
Providers must be accredited by NZQA, or an inter-institutional body with delegated
authority for quality assurance, before they can report credits from assessment against
unit standards or deliver courses of study leading to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be accredited by NZQA before they can register
credits from assessment against unit standards.
Accredited providers and Industry Training Organisations assessing against unit standards
must engage with the moderation system that applies to those standards.
Accreditation requirements and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this
standard are outlined in the Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP). The
AMAP 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 Community Support Services ITO Limited (Careerforce)
info@careerforce.org.nz if you wish to suggest changes to the content of this unit
standard.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016