18297
28-Jun-16
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SOCIAL SERVICE WORK WITH ABUSE,
NEGLECT, AND VIOLENCE
Undertake assessments in situations of
abuse, neglect, or violence
level:
6
credit:
9
planned review date:
April 2005
sub-field:
Social Services
purpose:
People credited with this unit standard are able to: explain
the significance of assessment in social service work with
abuse, neglect, and violence; demonstrate knowledge of
types of assessment in social service work with abuse,
neglect, and violence; establish an environment for making
an assessment in a situation of abuse, neglect, or violence;
gather information on the participant(s) within their wider
context in social service work with abuse, neglect, or
violence; and prepare and record an analysis of the
information gathered in a situation of abuse, neglect, or
violence.
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).
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
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SOCIAL SERVICE WORK WITH ABUSE,
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Undertake assessments in situations of
abuse, neglect, or violence
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
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
Glossary
Abuse, neglect, and violence includes abusive,
neglectful, violent, or controlling behaviour that may be
economic, emotional, physical, social, verbal, spiritual,
and/or sexual in nature. It also includes role abuse,
which means the abuse of power by an individual or
agency that has a professional, service, or statusbased role in relation to survivors. Abuse, neglect, and
violence may occur within or outside of families and
whānau.
Participants may include but are not limited to:
person(s) whose life or safety is affected by abuse,
neglect, or violence; offenders; family or whānau.
Characteristics and needs may be physical, spiritual,
cultural, and mental. Characteristics and needs include
age and stage of development; coping strategies;
family or whānau system and dynamics; culture;
disability; experience and knowledge; family or whānau
history; gender; health status; personal history;
language; psycho-social situation and systems; sexual
orientation;
socio-economic
situation;
religious
adherence; and needs for physical comfort, safety, and
privacy of participants.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
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SOCIAL SERVICE WORK WITH ABUSE,
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Undertake assessments in situations of
abuse, neglect, or violence
Other professionals may include, but are not limited to,
care and protection resource people, legal advisers,
health advisers, other specialist assessors or advisers,
as relevant to the context of assessment.
Agreement with the participants and/or people of
significance to the participants reflects the desirability
of the social service worker first attempting to achieve
agreement with the participants and 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
participant's family/whānau; and secondly, health and
social service workers, ministers of religion, police
officers, solicitors, and others who have current
knowledge about the participants and their situation.
Available resources may include but are not limited to
resources available to the participant from: the social
service worker; the social service provider; Iwi/Maori
social services; Pacific Island social services; other
social services; community groups; the participant's
family or whānau; church; the participant's own
resources.
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 workers, counsellors, kaiāwhina, social
workers, kaitautoko, youth workers, and others who
deliver social services, whether paid or unpaid.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
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SOCIAL SERVICE WORK WITH ABUSE,
NEGLECT, AND VIOLENCE
Undertake assessments in situations of
abuse, neglect, or violence
3
All communications are treated confidentially, except
where there is an ethical, legal, or organisational duty
on the social service worker to report abuse, neglect, or
violence. Participants 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: the 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, 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.
4
Statutes relevant to this unit standard are the Children,
Young Persons and Their Families Act 1989, Domestic
Violence Act 1995, Domestic Violence (Programmes)
Regulations 1996, Guardianship Act 1968, Health Act
1956 Sections 22B and 22C, Official Information Act
1982, Privacy Act 1993. People awarded this unit
standard demonstrate knowledge of the provisions of
these statutes and criteria relating to the reporting of
abuse, neglect, and violence, and care and protection
measures, according to their relevance to the
assessment context.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
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SOCIAL SERVICE WORK WITH ABUSE,
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5
Resources related to abuse and neglect of children and
young persons may include but are not limited to:
a
Children, Young Persons and Their Families
Service. 1998. Breaking the cycle: an interagency
guide to child abuse. Wellington: Children, Young
Persons and Their Families Service.
b
Risk Management Project, Children, Young
Persons and Their Families Service. 1997.
Recognition of child abuse and neglect: Tirohanga
tukino tamariki. Wellington: Children, Young
Persons and Their Families Service.
6
Resources related to the Domestic Violence Act 1995
and Domestic Violence (Programmes) Regulations
1996:
a
Department for Courts. July 1999. Individual
provider guidelines: for individuals wishing to
provide domestic violence programmes for adult
protected persons. Wellington: Department for
Courts.
b
Department for Courts. July 1999. Individual
provider guidelines: for individuals wishing to
provide domestic violence programmes for
children. Wellington: Department for Courts.
c
Department for Courts. July 1999. Individual
provider guidelines: for individuals wishing to
provide domestic violence programmes for
respondents. Wellington: Department for Courts.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
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SOCIAL SERVICE WORK WITH ABUSE,
NEGLECT, AND VIOLENCE
Undertake assessments in situations of
abuse, neglect, or violence
7
Resources related to elder abuse and neglect - may
include but are not limited to:
a
Age Concern New Zealand. 1992. Promoting the
rights and well-being of older people and those
who care for them: a resource kit about elder
abuse and neglect. Wellington: Age Concern New
Zealand.
b
Age Concern New Zealand. 1999. Age Concern
elder abuse and neglect services: A report of
statistics and service developments covering the
three years from July 1996 to June 1999.
Wellington: Age Concern New Zealand.
c
Age Concern New Zealand. 1999 (2nd Ed). Elder
abuse and neglect: a handbook for those working
with older people. Wellington: Age Concern New
Zealand.
8
It is a principle of safe practice in working with abuse,
neglect, and violence 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.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
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SOCIAL SERVICE WORK WITH ABUSE,
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Undertake assessments in situations of
abuse, neglect, or violence
Elements and Performance Criteria
element 1
Explain the significance of assessment in social service work with abuse, neglect, and
violence.
performance criteria
1.1
The explanation of assessment in social service work with abuse, neglect, and
violence outlines its purpose and rationale.
1.2
The explanation of assessment in social service work with abuse, neglect, and
violence demonstrates how assessments assist with intervention, safety, and
outcomes for participants.
1.3
The explanation of assessment in social service work with abuse, neglect, and
violence identifies social, ethical, and cultural factors in assessment.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
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SOCIAL SERVICE WORK WITH ABUSE,
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Undertake assessments in situations of
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element 2
Demonstrate knowledge of types of assessment in social service work with abuse,
neglect, and violence.
Range:
types of assessment in social service work with abuse, neglect, and violence
may include but are not limited to - informal and formal assessment; clinical
assessment; cultural assessment; risk assessment; self assessment; whānaubased assessment.
Evidence is required for at least two types of assessment.
performance criteria
2.1
Types of assessment in social service work with abuse, neglect, and violence
are analysed and explained in terms of principles, purpose, and assessment
procedures.
2.2
Choice of type of assessment in social service work with abuse, neglect, and
violence is according to participants to be assessed and the nature of the
situation of abuse, neglect, and violence.
element 3
Establish an environment for making an assessment in a situation of abuse, neglect, or
violence.
performance criteria
3.1
The environment that is established for the assessment attends to the
characteristics and needs of the participants.
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SOCIAL SERVICE WORK WITH ABUSE,
NEGLECT, AND VIOLENCE
Undertake assessments in situations of
abuse, neglect, or violence
3.2
Cultural concepts used to begin the assessment are appropriate to the
participants and their family or whānau.
Range:
cultural concepts - Māori, one Tauiwi culture.
3.3
Kawa or protocols for the assessment are established and sustained with the
participants, and in accordance with the purpose of the assessment.
3.4
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.
element 4
Gather information on the participant(s) within their wider context in social service work
with abuse, neglect, or violence.
Range:
wider context may include but is not limited to - family or whānau context; wider
kinship context; other community or social system.
Evidence is required in relation to participant(s) within one wider context
relevant to the context of assessment.
performance criteria
4.1
Information gathering uses interpersonal skills and language that respond to
verbal and non-verbal communications including body language.
Range:
interpersonal skills - attending, clarifying, encouraging, following,
listening, questioning, paraphrasing, reflection of feeling and
content, summarising.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
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SOCIAL SERVICE WORK WITH ABUSE,
NEGLECT, AND VIOLENCE
Undertake assessments in situations of
abuse, neglect, or violence
4.2
Information gathering researches all available sources on the participant(s)
within their wider context in a situation of abuse, violence, and neglect.
Range:
all available sources - participants; family or whānau; service
provider records.
4.3
Information gathering is in accordance with the purpose(s) for the assessment.
4.4
Information gathered is accurate according to agreement with the participant(s),
or other significant people.
4.5
Information gathering is according to cultural protocols and criteria established
by legislation, ethical practice, and service provider guidelines.
element 5
Prepare and record an analysis of the information gathered in a situation of abuse,
neglect, or violence.
performance criteria
5.1
The analysis acknowledges that the safety of person(s) whose life or safety is
affected by abuse, neglect, or violence is the first and paramount consideration.
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SOCIAL SERVICE WORK WITH ABUSE,
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Undertake assessments in situations of
abuse, neglect, or violence
5.2
The analysis identifies relevant aspects of the participant(s) within their wider
context.
Range:
relevant aspects - safety of person(s) whose life or safety is
affected by abuse, neglect, or violence as the first and paramount
consideration; risk to person(s) whose life or safety is affected by
abuse, neglect, or violence; participant strengths, resilience, and
means; available resources; suitability for service provider service
or programme; wider context.
5.3
The analysis is based upon systemic assessment of all relevant aspects of the
participant(s) within their system context.
5.4
The analysis is according to the purpose of the assessment.
5.5
The analysis concludes with a plan for action in accordance with consultation
with the participants and/or people of significance to the participants.
5.6
The analysis, plan for action, and recording of the analysis are in accordance
with criteria established by legislation, ethical practice, and service provider
guidelines.
5.7
Completion of the assessment is effected according to the established kawa
and tikanga.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
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SOCIAL SERVICE WORK WITH ABUSE,
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Undertake assessments in situations of
abuse, neglect, or violence
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