Inherent Requirements

Inherent requirement statements

1. In preparation for work in the human services industry students are expected to demonstrate familiarity with and adherence to the professional standards including a number of codes of conduct. These include the Australian Community Workers Code of Ethics and, for those progressing to social work studies, the Australian Associate of Social Workers Code of Ethics.  
2. Student demonstrates knowledge of, and engages in ethical behaviour in practice.
3. Why is ethical behaviour an inherent requirement?
   Compliance with the codes and practice guidelines facilitates safe, competent interactions and relationships for students and/or the people with whom they engage. This supports the physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual wellbeing of all.
4. Adjustments offered by ACAP to assist students to meet the ethical behaviour requirement must ensure students demonstrate effective ethical behaviour in keeping with the code of conduct of the Australian Association of Community Workers as well the ACAP Student Code of Conduct. 
5. Examples of ways in which ethical behaviour applies to this course
   a. Demonstrating appropriate behaviour with confidential information in classroom.
   b. Demonstrate ability to reflect on ethical dilemmas and issues and take responsibility for ensuring awareness of ethical behaviour.
   c. Appropriately acknowledging sources in the preparation of written assignments. 

Inherent requirement statements

1. Behavioural stability is required to function and adapt effectively and sensitively in a demanding role.
2. Student demonstrates behavioural stability to work constructively in a diverse and changing academic and field placement environment.
3. Why is behavioural stability an inherent requirement?
   Behavioural stability is required to work individually and in teams in changing and unpredictable environments. Human services students will be exposed to complex and potentially confronting situations and scenarios in the classroom, and will be required to have the behavioural stability to manage this.
4. Adjustments offered by ACAP to assist students to meet the behavioural stability requirement must ensure students demonstrate effective behavioural stability. 
5. Examples of ways in which behavioural stability applies to this course
   a. Cooperation in groupwork tasks 
   b. Demonstrating the capacity to manage emotions and behaviour appropriately, including when feeling under stress.
   c. Being receptive and responding appropriately to constructive and / or critical feedback.

Inherent requirement statements

1. Human Services is mandated by legislation and professional regulations to enable the delivery of safe and appropriate professional practice. 
2. Students demonstrates knowledge and compliance with Australian Law, professional regulations and scope of practice.
3. Why is legal compliance an inherent requirement?
   Knowledge, understanding, and compliance with legislative and regulatory requirements are necessary pre-requisites to field placements in order to reduce the risk of harm to self and others.
   Compliance with these professional regulations and the Australian Law in the field placement setting ensures that students are both responsible and accountable for their practice.
4. Adjustments offered by ACAP to assist students to meet the legal compliance requirement must ensure students demonstrate effective legal compliance. 
5. Examples of ways in which legal compliance applies to this course
   Demonstrating capacity to research, understand and apply regulatory requirements specific to safe practice in the class setting and on supervised field placement. 

This course requires effective, verbal, non-verbal and written communication.

Verbal

Inherent requirement statements

1. Effective and efficient verbal communication, in English, is an essential requirement to provide safe delivery of support.
2. Student demonstrates:
   Sensitivity to individual and/or cultural differences.
   The ability to understand and respond to verbal communication accurately, appropriately and in a timely manner.
   The ability to provide clear instructions in the context of the situation.
   Timely, clear feedback and reporting.
3. Why is verbal communication an inherent requirement?
   The practice of human services work depends on effective verbal communication with clients, as well as members of the community and professional team. 
   Speed and accuracy of communication may be critical for individual safety or treatment.
4. Adjustments offered by ACAP to assist students to meet the verbal communication requirement must address relevant effectiveness, timeliness, clarity and accuracy issues.
5. Examples of ways in which verbal communication applies to this course
   a. Participating and engaging in academic and simulated clinical discussions in classroom setting.
   b. Demonstrating effective communication with a diverse range of clients in simulated settings. c. Demonstrating effective and engaging class assessment presentations.

Non-verbal

Inherent requirement statements

1. Effective non-verbal communication is fundamental to social work and needs to be respectful, clear, attentive, empathic, honest and non-judgemental.
2. Student demonstrates:
   The capacity to recognise, interpret and respond appropriately to behavioural cues.
   Consistent and appropriate awareness of own behaviours.
   Sensitivity to individual and / or cultural differences.
3. Why is non-verbal communication an inherent requirement?
   The ability to observe and understand non-verbal cues assists with building rapport with people and gaining their trust and respect in academic and professional relationships.
   Displaying consistent and appropriate facial expressions, eye contact, being mindful of space, time boundaries and body movements and gestures promotes trust in academic and professional relationships.
   The ability to observe and understand non-verbal cues is essential for effective observation of client reactions to facilitate assessment and to provide professional support.
4. Adjustments offered by ACAP to assist students to meet the non-verbal communication requirement must enable the recognition, assessment, initiation of or appropriate response to effective non-verbal communication in a timely and appropriate manner.
5. Examples of ways in which non-verbal communication applies to this course
   Recognising and responding appropriately to non-verbal cues in classroom situations and simulated roles plays. 

Written

Inherent requirement statements

1. Effective written communication, in English, is a fundamental human services work responsibility with professional and legal ramifications.
2. Student demonstrates capacity to construct coherent written communication appropriate to the circumstances.
3. Why is written communication an inherent requirement?
   Construction of text–based assessment tasks to reflect the required academic standards are necessary to convey knowledge and understanding of relevant subject matter for professional practice standards. 
   Accurate written communication, including record keeping, client instructions and case notes is vital to provide consistent and accurate assessments and professional support as demonstrated in workplace simulation activities.
4. Adjustments offered by ACAP to assist students to meet the written communication requirement must allow the students to meet necessary standards of clarity, accuracy and accessibility to ensure effective recording and transmission of information in both academic and simulated workplace settings.
5. Examples of ways in which written communication applies to this course
   Constructing a written assignment to academic standards including appropriate referencing of sources. 
   Constructing a case manager’s report in a simulated workplace setting which is appropriate to the audience and the purposes, in a timely manner that meets professional standards. 

This course requires knowledge of theory and the skills of cognition and literacy.

Knowledge and cognitive skills

Inherent requirement statements

1. Consistent and effective knowledge and effective cognitive skills must be demonstrated to provide professional and competent human services practice.
2. Student demonstrates:
   The capacity to locate appropriate and relevant information.
   The ability to process information relevant to practice.
   The ability to integrate and implement knowledge in practice.
3. Why are knowledge and cognitive skills inherent requirements?
   Safe and effective social work practice is based on knowledge that must be sourced, understood and applied appropriately.
   A demonstrated defined range of knowledge and cognitive skills is required in a range of codes of ethics across the human services field including the Australian Association of Social Workers, the Australian Community Workers Association and the Youth Work Association of Victoria.
4. Adjustments offered by ACAP to assist students to meet the cognitive skills requirement must ensure that a clear demonstration of knowledge and cognitive skills is not compromised or impeded.
5. Examples of ways in which knowledge and cognitive skills apply to this course
   Ability to conceptualise and use appropriate knowledge in response to academic assessment items.
   Appropriately applying knowledge of policy and procedures in the field placement setting.

Literacy (language)

Inherent requirement statements

1. Competent literacy skills are essential to permit safe and effective professional support.
2. Student demonstrates:
   The ability to accurately acquire information and convey appropriate, effective messages.
   The ability to read and comprehend a range of literature and information.
   The capacity to understand and implement academic and practice conventions to construct written text in an appropriate manner for the intended audience.
3. Why is literacy (language) an inherent requirement?
   The ability to read, decode, interpret and comprehend multiple sources of information is fundamental for safe and effective professional support in the supervised field placement context.
4. Adjustments offered by ACAP to assist students to meet the literacy (language) requirement must demonstrate a capacity to effectively acquire, comprehend, apply and communicate accurate information.
5. Examples of ways in which literacy (language) applies to this course
   Conveying a spoken message accurately and effectively in a simulated workplace setting. 
   Paraphrasing, summarising and referencing in accordance with appropriate academic and/or professional practice conventions, and without plagiarism. 
   Producing accurate, concise and clear case notes which meet legal and professional practice requirements. 

Inherent requirement statements

1. Human services work requires self-awareness and a capacity for reflectivity in order to consider the effect of one’s own issues, actions, values and behaviours on practice.
2. Student demonstrates:
   The ability to accurately reflect on their professional performance.
   The ability to accept feedback on their professional practice and respond constructively.
3. Why are reflective skills inherent requirements?
   Reflective practice is a key practice across the human services and is pedagogised as teaching strategy in human services education which requires a well-developed understanding of oneself in order to appropriately engage and progress in this activity. 
4. Adjustments offered by ACAP to assist students to meet the reflective skills requirement must not compromise the student’s ability to demonstrate an acceptable minimum level of capacity in this area.
5. Examples of ways in which reflective skills apply to this course
   Identifying when a practice issue is outside one’s scope or expertise or when one’s practice may be negatively affected by personal experience and / or reactions. 
   Identifying and managing the impact of personal issues, including health conditions, to facilitate progress through the course.