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Deal with violence in a social service
workplace
level:
5
credit:
6
planned review date:
June 2006
sub-field:
Social Services
purpose:
People credited with this unit standard are able to:
demonstrate knowledge of violence in a social service
workplace; explain ways of minimising risks of violence in a
social service workplace; and demonstrate knowledge and
skills for responding to violence in a social service
workplace.
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
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
Glossary:
An environment conducive to reducing violence is one
in which all people are attended to in terms of their
characteristics and needs. Characteristics may be
physical, spiritual and mental, and may include but are
not limited to: age and stage of development, culture,
disability, gender, health status, language, and sexual
orientation. Needs include needs to be respected,
affirmed, and supported, and needs for physical
comfort, safety, and privacy.
Violence includes "all forms of physical and nonphysical abuse, attack, threat or assault [that may be
emotional, physical, verbal, and/or sexual in nature,
and] has damaging physical or psychological effects
upon the person".
Acknowledgements: Bibby, P., compiler and editor.
1994. Personal Safety for Social Workers. England:
Arena Ashgate Publishing Company.
For the purposes of this unit standard, verbal abuse
includes abuse based upon the age, culture, disability,
gender, health status, language, or sexual orientation of
the person abused.
People using violence may be employers, managers,
supervisors, co-workers, people from user groups of the
social services, students, or contacts outside of the
workplace. This unit standard does not cover specialist
competencies required for dealing with violence
accompanying armed robbery.
3
People awarded 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 respond
in inclusive ways that are appropriate to the
characteristics and needs of people with whom they are
interacting. They demonstrate clarity about the limits of
their role, function, and competence, and when to refer
on to others.
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4
All communications are treated confidentially, except
where there is an ethical, legal, or organisational duty
on the social service worker to report violence. Service
users are informed of the scope and limits of
confidentiality as defined by 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: Children, Young Persons and Their Families
Act 1989, Domestic Violence Act 1995 Section 43,
Health Act 1956 Sections 22B and 22C, 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
Other legislation relevant to this unit standard: Health
and Safety in Employment Act 1992, Employment
Relations Act 2000, Human Rights Act 1993 ss. 61 69.
6
Guidelines relevant to this unit standard: Occupational
Safety and Health Service. January 1995. A Guide for
Employers and Employees on Dealing With Violence at
work: Information for employers and other people who
may be exposed to physical assault, verbal abuse,
threats or intimidation. Wellington: Occupational Safety
and Heath Service, Department of Labour.
The Occupational Safety and Health guidelines can be
downloaded from the following web site:
http://www.osh.govt.nz/order/catalogue/index.html
7
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.
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Elements and Performance Criteria
element 1
Demonstrate knowledge of violence in a social service workplace.
performance criteria
1.1
Violence is defined in terms of the range of violent and aggressive behaviour
that may occur in a social service workplace.
Range:
1.2
Violence is explained in terms of contextual and contributing factors.
Range:
1.3
violent and aggressive behaviour includes - emotional violence;
physical violence; verbal violence; sexual violence; racial
harassment; sexual harassment; aggressive, intimidating, and
threatening behaviour; telephone harassment; loitering.
contextual and contributing factors - alcohol and drug issues;
anger; frustration; gender relationships; institutional and societal
constructs; power and control issues; cultural learning; stress;
mental health; physical health.
The short and long term consequences of violence are explained for people
who have experienced violence in the workplace.
Range:
consequences – cultural, emotional, financial, physical,
psychological, sexual, spiritual, victimisation, trauma.
Evidence is required of four of the range, with cultural
consequences being defined from the perspective of the
candidate's own culture.
1.4
Legislation in Special Note 5 is outlined in terms of legislated definitions of
violence, legal sanctions, protections, and remedies.
1.5
Service providers that respond to violence are described in terms of the
services they can provide for workers in a social service workplace.
Range:
service providers may include but are not limited to - ACC; Child,
Youth and Family; Domestic Violence Act providers; Family Court;
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health services; Human Rights Commission; Iwi/Māori social
services; legal services; Pacific Island social services; Police;
Rape Crisis; Relationship Services; stopping violence services; Te
Korowai Aroha Aotearoa; Victim Support; Women's Refuge.
Evidence is required of four service providers, one of which is the
Human Rights Commission.
1.6
Personal attributes and experiences are explained in terms of their relevance to
violence in a social service workplace.
Range:
personal attributes and experiences include but are not limited to –
assertiveness; body language; communication patterns; impact of
personal experiences of violence; conditioning in gender roles and
sexuality; controlling attitudes; use of power and control; methods
of dealing with anger and frustration.
Evidence is required of four personal attributes and experiences.
element 2
Explain ways of minimising risks of violence in a social service workplace.
performance criteria
2.1
Situations in a social service workplace are identified and explained in terms of
potential risks of violence.
Range:
2.2
situations - meetings within the workplace; meetings outside of the
workplace; cash handling; environmental issues in the workplace;
race and gender issues; transport issues.
Signs of impending violent behaviour are identified and explained.
Range:
verbal signs, non-verbal signs.
2.3
Work place policies, procedures, and management action plans are explained
in terms of provisions and resources to deal with violence in the workplace.
2.4
Actions that can be taken in a social service workplace are identified and
explained in terms of their potential to minimise risks of violence.
Range:
actions include but are not limited to - environment conducive to
reducing violence; furniture; room layout; screens; lighting;
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presence of other staff; team work; work place policies and
management plans that recognise different needs and vulnerability
of staff members.
element 3
Demonstrate knowledge and skills for responding to violence in a social service
workplace.
performance criteria
3.1
Personal attributes are explained in terms of their positive and negative value in
responding to violence in a social service workplace.
Range:
3.2
Skills and techniques are demonstrated in terms of their positive and negative
value in responding to violence in a social service workplace.
Range:
3.3
personal attributes include but are not limited to – assertiveness;
verbal and non-verbal communication; management of anxiety,
fear, and tension.
skills and techniques may include but are not limited to –
assertiveness; body language; non-threatening posture; body
positioning; calming; compromise; control; flight; use of verbal
language; personal alarms; techniques for release from holds and
deflecting physical attack.
Demonstrated skills are in accordance with criteria established by legislation,
ethical practice, and service provider guidelines.
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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