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SOCIAL SERVICE WORK IN SUICIDE
INTERVENTION
Assess a person identified as at risk of
suicide
level:
6
credit:
6
planned review date:
February 2003
sub-field:
Social Services
purpose:
People credited with this unit standard are able to: attend to
immediate safety in a suicide risk situation; establish an
environment for assessing risk of suicide; gather information
about a person in a situation of suicide risk; and assess the
information gathered about a person in a situation of suicide
risk.
This unit standard is intended for people who wish to
upgrade their existing social service knowledge and skills for
working in suicide intervention.
It pre-supposes that
candidates have existing competence in social service
knowledge and skills at a level equivalent to or higher than
that of this unit standard.
entry information:
Candidates for this unit standard will have completed the
National Diploma in Social Services (Level 6) with strands in
Community Work, Counselling and Social Work [Ref: 0251],
the National Diploma in Iwi/Maori Social Services (Level 6)
[Ref: 0667], or the National Diploma in Youth Work (Level 6)
[Ref: 0670]; or will have completed an equivalent
professional social service qualification; or demonstrate
equivalent knowledge and skills.
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
implement Te Tiriti o Waitangi in the social services
according to the authority and resources available to
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them, and are able to demonstrate application of this
competence to the context of assessment for this unit
standard (for further clarification, please refer to Unit
7928, Implement the Treaty of Waitangi in the social
services).
2
This unit standard may be assessed on the basis of
evidence of demonstrated performance in the work
place, and/or through the use of simulated work place
situations that closely approximate the performance
required in workplace settings. Work place settings
can include field education placements.
3
It is acknowledged that "Suicide risk assessment is
based on the (social service worker's) identification of
risk factors and on subjective intuition. The (social
service worker) needs to attend to her/his intuition as
well as objective responses when determining if, and
the degree to which, a person is at risk of suicide."
Ministry of Health and National Health Committee.
(1998) Young People at Risk of Suicide: A Guide for
Schools.
Wellington: Ministry of Education: p.14.
Assessment of candidates for award of this unit
standard will also need to acknowledge the significance
of intuitive judgement in the assessment process.
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SOCIAL SERVICE WORK IN SUICIDE
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Assess a person identified as at risk of
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4
Best practice in assessment of suicide risk with a
person who is of a different culture from that of the
candidate may require understanding of cultural
concepts of a depth beyond that required by this unit
standard. People awarded credit in this unit standard
may demonstrate their competence by identifying the
limits of their cultural knowledge, and accessing a
cultural specialist to assist in the assessment.
5
Person refers to a person who may be at risk of
suicide. Participants may include but are not limited to:
the person who may be at risk of suicide, her/his family
or whānau, peers, informants, other professionals.
6
Other professionals may include but are not limited to:
counsellors, cultural specialists, resource people,
health professionals, other specialist assessors, as
relevant to the context of assessment.
7
Information relevant to assessment of the risk of
suicide, relevant aspects of the person and the body of
knowledge related to suicide intervention may be
defined by reference to the resources listed in special
note 11; in particular the resources listed as a, b, and
d-g. People awarded credit in this unit standard
demonstrate competence in relation to two of those
resources in terms of their focus on assessing risk of
suicide.
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8
Agreement with the person or other significant people
reflects the desirability of the social service worker first
attempting to achieve agreement with the person and
her/his family or whānau on accuracy of information
and any processes to be undertaken.
In some
instances this may not be possible. In those situations,
agreement is judged in terms of information and
opinions held by other people of significance, who first
include members of the person's family or whānau; and
secondly, health and social service workers, kaumātua,
ministers of religion, peers, police officers, solicitors,
teachers, and others who have current knowledge
about the person and their situation.
9
Available resources may include but are not limited to
resources available to the person from: the social
service worker; the social service provider; Iwi/Māori
social services; Pacific Island social services; other
social services; community groups; the person's family
or whānau; church; the person's own resources.
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10
All communications are treated confidentially, except
where there is an ethical, legal, or organisational duty
on the social service worker to report suicide risk. The
scope and limits of confidentiality are defined through
negotiation with and informed consent of participants,
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: the Official
Information Act 1982, Privacy Act 1993, agency 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.
11
Social service worker is used as a term to refer to the
person seeking award of credit in this unit standard.
Social service worker may include but is not limited to:
community worker, counsellor, kaiāwhina, social
worker, kaitautoko, youth worker, and others who
deliver social services, whether paid or unpaid.
12
In carrying out all elements of this unit standard,
actions are documented according to enterprise
standards. Enterprise standards include but are not
limited to: service provider strategic plans, kaupapa,
governing legislation, staff manuals, service provider
protocols.
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13
Resources related to suicide intervention include but
are not limited to:
a
Coggan, Carolyn; Dickinson, Pauline; Rimm,
Michael; Cherrington, Jane. 1999. A Practical
Guide to Coping With Suicide. Auckland: Mental
Health Foundation.
b
Ellis, Pete M.; Collings, Sunny C. D.; Eds.
October 1997. Mental Health in New Zealand
from a Public Health Perspective. Wellington:
Public Health Group, Ministry of Health.
c
Joseph, Paul (Ati Hau). 1997. Māori Youth
Suicide in Aotearoa: Selected Interviews with
Māori Elders.
Auckland: The University of
Auckland: Iri Masters Thesis Series Number 10.
d
Ministry of Health, Ministry of Youth Affairs, and
Te Puni Kōkiri - Ministry of Māori Development.
1999. In Our Hands: New Zealand Youth Suicide
Prevention Strategy - Kia Piki Te Ora o Te
Tamariki:
Strengthening
Youth
Wellbeing.
Wellington: Ministry of Health, Ministry of Youth
Affairs, and Te Puni Kōkiri.
e
Ministry of Health and National Health Committee.
1998. Young People at Risk of Suicide: A Guide
for Schools. Wellington: Ministry of Education.
f
Royal New Zealand College of General
Practitioners and Ministry of Youth Affairs. 1999.
Guidelines for Primary Care Providers: Detection
and Management of Young People at Risk of
Suicide. Wellington: Royal New Zealand College
of General Practitioners and Ministry of Youth
Affairs.
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g
h
Royal New Zealand College of General
Practitioners and Ministry of Youth Affairs. 1999.
A Quick Reference for Primary Care Providers:
Detection & Management of Young People at Risk
of Suicide.
Wellington: Royal New Zealand
College of General Practitioners and Ministry of
Youth Affairs.
Smith, Don; Beautrais, Annette. December 1999.
"Identifying young people at risk of suicide".
Social Work Now 14:23-34.
Please note that at the time of registration, there were
no specific resources recommended related to suicide
intervention with older persons.
14
It is a principle of safe practice in working with suicide
intervention that social service workers at all levels of
competence participate in professional supervision
(sometimes referred to as clinical supervision). People
awarded credit in this unit standard demonstrate
consistent use of professional supervision as part of
safe practice.
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Elements and Performance Criteria
element 1
Attend to immediate safety in a suicide risk situation.
performance criteria
1.1
Attention establishes the immediate safety of the person who may be at risk of
suicide as the first and paramount consideration.
1.2
Attention to immediate safety addresses the presenting issues in the situation
in terms of their severity and identified safety risk(s).
Range:
1.3
addresses - identifies, prioritises, responds;
presenting issues may include but are not limited to - actual
suicide attempt, suicide plan, means of committing suicide, health
and safety issues, self mutilation.
Immediate safety procedures are established in accordance with cultural
protocols, and in accordance with criteria established by legislation, ethical
practice, and service provider guidelines.
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element 2
Establish an environment for assessing risk of suicide.
performance criteria
2.1
Cultural concepts used to begin the assessment are appropriate to the
participants.
Range:
Māori - mihi, karakia, manaakitanga, te Reo, tikanga,
whānaungatanga, āhuatanga;
Tauiwi - cultural concepts from one selected Tauiwi culture which
may include but are not limited to - greetings, welcome,
compassion, openness, support, warmth.
2.2
The environment that is established for the assessment attends to the
characteristics and needs of the participants.
2.3
Kawa or protocols for the assessment are established and sustained with the
participants.
2.4
The participants are engaged in the assessment according to their
characteristics and needs, and in accordance with the social service worker's
role, function, and any legal responsibilities.
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element 3
Gather information about a person in a situation of suicide risk.
performance criteria
3.1
Information gathering is in terms of establishing the safety of the person who
may be at risk of suicide as the first and paramount consideration.
3.2
Information gathering uses interpersonal skills and language that respond to
verbal and non verbal communications including body language.
Range:
3.3
interpersonal skills may include but are not limited to - active
listening skills, recognition of body language.
Information gathering researches all available sources about the person within
her/his wider context in a situation of suicide risk.
Range:
all available sources - the person; family or whānau; service
provider records; other professionals.
Wider context - family or whānau; wider kinship context; peer
group; community and social systems.
3.4
Information gathering focuses on seeking all information relevant to
assessment of the risk of suicide.
3.5
Information gathered is accurate according to agreement with the person or
other significant people.
3.6
Information gathering is according to cultural protocols and criteria established
by legislation, ethical practice, and service provider guidelines.
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element 4
Assess the information gathered about a person in a situation of suicide risk.
performance criteria
4.1
Assessment is in terms of establishing the safety of the person who may be at
risk of suicide as the first and paramount consideration.
4.2
Assessment identifies relevant aspects of the person according to agreement
with the person or other significant people, and cultural protocols.
4.3
Assessment of relevant aspects of the person is conducted according to criteria
established by legislation, ethical practice, and service provider guidelines.
4.4
Assessment acknowledges the value of subjective intuition in terms of special
note 3.
4.5
Assessment identifies the degree of risk of suicide in accordance with one of
the resources listed in special note 13 d - f.
4.6
The assessment indicates or excludes the need for assessment by other
professionals as defined by the body of knowledge related to suicide
intervention.
Range:
the body of knowledge related to suicide intervention may include
but is not limited to - one of the resources listed in special note 13
d - f.
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4.7
The assessment conclusions are valid according to relevant criteria.
Range:
4.8
relevant criteria - acknowledgment of validity by the person,
agreement with other significant people, agreement with another
professional opinion, the body of knowledge related to suicide
intervention;
evidence is required in relation to two of the range;
the body of knowledge related to suicide intervention may include
but is not limited to - one of the resources listed in special note 13
d - f.
The assessment includes a plan for future action in accordance with the degree
of risk of suicide.
Range:
future action - immediate action, subsequent action, long term
follow up.
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