Certificate III in Aged Care

Course overview

This course is for people who work or want to work in a range of residential aged care facilities.

You will learn about the aged care sector, how to provide personal care and support for older people and how to interview and communicate with older people within residential facilities.

REQUIREMENTS AND ADVICE FOR STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN WORK PLACEMENT

Some or all of the following advice will apply to you, depending on your course and the type of organisation where you will be undertaking work placement.

NSW HEALTH WORK PLACEMENT REQUIREMENTS AND ADVICE

Volunteer/Student Declaration

Before commencing each clinical work placement in a NSW Health facility you will be required to sign and provide a NSW Commission for Children and Young People Volunteer/Student Declaration. This form declares that you are not prohibited from working with children and young people.

Occupational Assessment, Screening and Vaccination against Infectious Disease NSW Health also requires students to undertake Occupational Assessment, Screening and Vaccination against Infectious Diseases. Before commencing work placement you will have to provide NSW Health with your Health Care Worker/Student Vaccination Record Card.

Please note that these requirements may take several months to complete and you will be required to pay for your Criminal Record Check screening and any necessary immunisations.

NSW Health Code of Conduct Finally, before you undertake clinical work placement in a NSW Health facility, you will be given the NSW Health Code of Conduct and be required to sign a form stating that you have read and understood it.

For more information visit the NSW Health website at: http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/ and type 'clinical placement' in search area.

AGED CARE WORK PLACEMENT REQUIREMENTS AND ADVICE

National Criminal Record Check

Before you undertake a work placement in a federally funded Aged Care Facility (or NSW Health facility) you will be required to undertake a Criminal Record Check (CRC) to obtain a National Police Certificate, either through a state or territory police service or through the Australian Federal Police.

Anyone whose Police Certificate shows that they have been convicted of murder or sexual assault, or convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for any other form of assault, is not permitted to work within an aged care service if they are reasonably likely to have access to care recipients. For all other types of convictions and work roles, it is up to approved providers to determine whether the individual is suitable to be hired or to continue in their current roles.

Students will only be exempt from undertaking a CRC if they are under the age of 16 or full-time students under the age of 18 years.

Please note that these requirements may take several months to complete and you will be required to pay for your Criminal Record Check screening and any necessary immunisations.

For more information visit the Department of Health and Ageing website at: http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/Home

COMMUNITY AND CHILDREN'S SERVICES WORK PLACEMENT REQUIREMENTS AND ADVICE

Volunteer/Student Declaration

Before commencing each work placement where you will come into contact with children, you will be required to sign and provide a NSW Commission for Children and Young People Volunteer/Student Declaration. This form declares that you are not prohibited from working with children and young people.

NSW Working with Children Check

Depending on the organisation's work placement policy and procedures, you may also be required to complete a NSW Working with Children Check.

For more information visit the NSW Commission for Children and Young People website at: http://www.kids.nsw.gov.au/

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES IN WORK PLACEMENT

To help you understand your responsibilities in the workplace, you will be given a Student Code of Conduct which indicates expected standards of behaviour in the workplace. Students who have committed a breach of discipline or who are assessed as presenting a significant risk to themselves or others during work placement may be prevented from undertaking or continuing work placement. This may mean they will not complete the course. If you require any further information talk to your teacher.

STUDENT READINESS FOR WORK PLACEMENT

Generally, work placements will only occur after there has been a reasonable amount of student/teacher contact. Wherever possible, an assessment event will be undertaken by students to determine work placement readiness. Based on the evidence provided, the teacher will form a judgement as to the student's readiness to benefit from workplace learning and perform workplace duties with:

the required level of expertise

due regard to ethical conduct

avoidance of behaviour posing an unacceptable level of risk to themselves, workplace employer/employees or clients/customers, including those in vulnerable circumstances.

If you require any further information about any work placement requirements, talk to your teacher.

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES IN WORK PLACEMENT

In many TAFE NSW courses, some of the learning and assessment occurs in the workplace or a simulated workplace. A simulated workplace is very similar to a real workplace and may have clients, but is usually within a TAFE NSW campus.

TAFE NSW has a responsibility to protect members of the public (and the students themselves) from being harmed by students taking part in workplace or simulated workplace learning. If there is evidence that your skills or behaviour could present a risk to yourself or other people in the workplace, you may not be allowed to participate in a work placement, at least for a period of time.

To help you understand your responsibilities in the workplace, you will be given a code of practice which indicates expected standards of behaviour. Your teacher will explain to you and your workplace supervisor the range of duties for which you have the skills and knowledge. You must not carry out duties other than those indicated by your teacher.

You need to take particular care if workplace clients are people who may be in vulnerable circumstances - for example, people who are frail, children, young people, people with a disability or people who are receiving a type of service which may put them in vulnerable circumstances (for example, massage therapy or nursing care).

A NSW Commission for Children and Young People Volunteer/Student Declaration must be signed by students in courses where contact will be made with children and young people. This form declares that the student is not prohibited from working with children and young people. In some circumstances students may be required to undertake a criminal records check or a Working with Children Check. Your teacher will give you more information about this.

Students who have committed a breach of discipline or who are assessed as presenting a significant risk to themselves or others during work placement may be prevented from undertaking or continuing further work placement. This may mean they will not complete the course.

Your teacher or an enrolling officer can provide you with more information about this policy. If you are unsure about whether it may prevent you from completing a course you could discuss the matter with a staff member of TAFE NSW Counselling and Career Services.

course structure

The course structure below shows what you must do to complete this course. Units/modules are arranged in groups and sometimes also in subgroups.

You must complete each group as specified as well as following the course completion instructions. If a course contains optional groups there will be a statement at the top of the course indicating how many you must do. At the top of any group containing optional subgroups there will be a statement saying how many you must do.

Course contents

Online Study Option

A total of 14 units must be completed - 10 core units plus 4 elective units.

CORE UNITS

All 10 module/units must be completed

Modules/Units	Name
CHCAC317A	Support older people to maintain their independence
CHCAC318B	Work effectively with older people
CHCAC319A	Provide support to people living with dementia
CHCCS411B	Work effectively in the community sector
CHCICS301A	Provide support to meet personal care needs
CHCICS302A	Participate in the implementation of individualised plans
CHCICS303A	Support individual health and emotional well being
CHCOHS312B	Follow safety procedures for direct care work
CHCPA301B	Deliver care services using a palliative approach
HLTAP301B	Recognise healthy body systems in a health care context

ELECTIVES UNITS

Please note: Students will need to have undertaken or arrange to undertake the elective module/unit HLTFA301C - Applied First Aid  through a registered training organisation or training program, as only recognition of prior learning can/will be offered for this unit for online study.

All 4 module/units must be completed

Modules/Units	Name
HLTFA301C	Apply first aid
HLTHIR403C	Work effectively with culturally diverse clients and co-workers
CHCAC316C	Provide food services
CHCMH301B	Work effectively in mental health

Career Opportunities

Accommodation support worker, Assistant in nursing, Care assistant, Care service employees, Care worker, Community care worker, Community house worker, Community support worker, Home care assistant, Nursing assistant, Personal care assistant, Personal care giver, Personal care worker and Support worker.

Entry Requirements

NSW School Certificate or equivalent, OR relevant life and work experience may also be considered.

Articulation

When you finish this course you can apply for advanced standing in CHC08 Certificate III, Certificate IV and Diploma courses in Community Services, Community Welfare Work, Youth Work, Mental Health, Disabilities and Alcohol and Other Drug Work. You may also be eligible for more advanced study outside TAFE NSW.

Sub courses
Work effectively in the community sector	CHCCS411A
Work effectively with culturally diverse clients and co-workers	HLTHIR403B
Support older people to maintain their independence	CHCAC317A
Work effectively with older people	CHCAC318A
Provide support to people living with dementia	CHCAC319A
Provide support to meet personal care needs	CHCICS301A
Participate in the implementation of individualised plans	CHCICS302A
Support individual health and emotional well being	CHCICS303A
Follow safety procedures for direct care work	CHCOHS312A
Deliver care services using a palliative approach	CHCPA301B
Recognise healthy body systems in a health care context	HLTAP301A
Apply first aid	HLTFA301B
Provide food services	CHCAC316C
Work effectively in mental health	CHCMH301B