CHCDIS001 Learner Guide V2.0 Page 1 of 52

CHCDIS001
Contribute to ongoing skills

development using a strengths-based
approach
Learner Guide

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Table of contents

Table of contents ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 2

ABOUT THIS RESOURCE ………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 4

ABOUT ASSESSMENT ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 4

KNOWLEDGE EVIDENCE ………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 7

PERFORMANCE EVIDENCE …………………………………………………………………………………………………… 8

Observe the person’s skills and competencies in a manner that respects the rights of the person 12

Skills assessments …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 13

Sense of independence and empowerment …………………………………………………………………………. 14

Support the engagement of family and/or carers and/or relevant other in the skills assessment . 17

Record all observations accurately and objectively in consultation with supervisor and using terms

that can be clearly understood ……………………………………………………………………………………… 19

Provide feedback to supervisor about any changes in the person’s demonstration of skills in

different environments and any changes in the person’s status likely to impact on skills

development …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 21

Encourage the person with disability to engage as actively as possible in all activities and provide

them with information, skills and support to do so …………………………………………………………… 23

Interpret and follow skills development strategies identified in the individual plan ………………… 25

Active engagement …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 25

Encourage and assist the person to identify personal strengths and personal goals for ongoing skill

development …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 27

Provide support for the person to identify resources to complement strengths ……………………… 29

Provide positive support to mobilise strengths and to encourage ongoing development and

application of skills for personal development …………………………………………………………………. 30

Support networks …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 32

Provide constructive feedback to the person in an appropriate and respectful way ………………… 34

Discuss any difficulties experienced in implementing skills development activities with the person

or relevant others ………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 37

Monitor strategies to determine effectiveness and level of engagement in activities in consultation

with supervisor ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 39

Provide encouragement in real-life situations that can act as potential informal or incidental

learning opportunities ………………………………………………………………………………………………… 41

Use positive approaches and strategies to promote enjoyment and maximise engagement ……… 44

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Withdraw support to an appropriate level to encourage experiential learning in consultation with

supervisor …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 46

Comply with the organisation’s reporting requirements and Maintain documentation according to

organisation’s requirements …………………………………………………………………………………………. 48

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This resource covers the unit CHCDIS001 – Contribute to ongoing skills development using a
strengths-based approach.

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to assist with supporting the ongoing
skill development of a person with disability. It involves following and contributing to an
established individual plan and using a positive, strengths-based approach.

This unit applies to individuals who work with people with disability in a range of community
services and health contexts. Work performed requires some discretion and judgement and
may be carried out under regular direct or indirect supervision.

The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and
State/Territory legislation, Australian/New Zealand standards and industry codes of
practice.

ABOUT THIS RESOURCE
This resource brings together information to develop your knowledge about this unit. The
information is designed to reflect the requirements of the unit and uses headings to makes
it easier to follow.

Read through this resource to develop your knowledge in preparation for your assessment.
You will be required to complete the assessment tools that are included in your program.
At the back of the resource are a list of references you may find useful to review.

As a student it is important to extend your learning and to search out text books, internet
sites, talk to people at work and read newspaper articles and journals which can provide
additional learning material.

Your trainer may include additional information and provide activities. Slide presentations
and assessments in class to support your learning.

ABOUT ASSESSMENT
Throughout your training we are committed to your learning by providing a training and
assessment framework that ensures the knowledge gained through training is translated
into practical on the job improvements.

You are going to be assessed for:

• Your skills and knowledge using written and observation activities that apply to

your workplace.

• Your ability to apply your learning.

UNIT Introduction

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• Your ability to recognise common principles and actively use these on the job.

You will receive an overall result of Competent or Not Yet Competent for the assessment of
this unit. The assessment is a competency based assessment, which has no pass or fail. You
are either competent or not yet competent. Not Yet Competent means that you still are in
the process of understanding and acquiring the skills and knowledge required to be marked
competent. The assessment process is made up of a number of assessment methods. You
are required to achieve a satisfactory result in each of these to be deemed competent
overall.

All of your assessment and training is provided as a positive learning tool. Your assessor will
guide your learning and provide feedback on your responses to the assessment. For valid
and reliable assessment of this unit, a range of assessment methods will be used to assess
practical skills and knowledge.

Your assessment may be conducted through a combination of the following methods:

• Written Activity

• Case Study

• Observation

• Questions

• Third Party Report

The assessment tool for this unit should be completed within the specified time period
following the delivery of the unit. If you feel you are not yet ready for assessment, discuss
this with your trainer and assessor.

To be successful in this unit you will need to relate your learning to your workplace. You
may be required to demonstrate your skills and be observed by your assessor in your
workplace environment. Some units provide for a simulated work environment and your
trainer and assessor will outline the requirements in these instances.

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1. Contribute to skills
assessment

1.1 Observe the person’s skills and competencies in a manner
that respects the rights of the person
1.2 Support the engagement of family and/or carers and/or
relevant other in the skills assessment
1.3 Record all observations accurately and objectively in
consultation with supervisor and using terms that can be
clearly understood
1.4 Provide feedback to supervisor about any changes in the
person’s demonstration of skills in different environments
and any changes in the person’s status likely to impact on
skills development

2. Assist with ongoing skills
development according to
individualised plan

2.1 Encourage the person with disability to engage as actively
as possible in all activities and provide them with
information, skills and support to do so
2.2 Interpret and follow skills development strategies
identified in the individual plan
2.3 Encourage and assist the person to identify personal
strengths and personal goals for ongoing skill development
2.4 Provide support for the person to identify resources to
complement strengths
2.5 Provide positive support to mobilise strengths and to
encourage ongoing development and application of skills for
personal development
2.6 Provide constructive feedback to the person in an
appropriate and respectful way
2.7 Discuss any difficulties experienced in implementing skills
development activities with the person or relevant others
2.8 Monitor strategies to determine effectiveness and level
of engagement in activities in consultation with supervisor

3. Support incidental learning
opportunities to enhance
skills development

3.1 Provide encouragement in real-life situations that can act
as potential informal or incidental learning opportunities
3.2 Use positive approaches and strategies to promote
enjoyment and maximise engagement
3.3 Withdraw support to an appropriate level to encourage
experiential learning in consultation with supervisor

4.Complete documentation 4.1 Comply with the organisation’s reporting requirements
4.2 Maintain documentation according to organisation’s
requirements

Elements and Performance Criteria

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This describes the essential requirements and their level required for this unit.

KNOWLEDGE EVIDENCE
The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively
complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage tasks and
manage contingencies in the context of the work role. This includes knowledge of:

• Current practices, philosophies and theories, including:

o the social model of disability

o the impact of social devaluation on an individual’s quality of life

o competency and image enhancement as a means of addressing

devaluation

o practices which focus on the individual person

o strengths-based practice

o active support

o person-centred practice

o community education and capacity building

• Concepts of vulnerability, power, independence and interdependence

• Assessment processes relating to ongoing skills development

• Assessments processes and protocols used by the organisation or service

• Communication needs, strategies and resources

• Principles of access and equity

• Legal and ethical considerations for working with people with disability:

o duty of care

o dignity of risk

o human rights, including the United nations convention on the rights of

persons with disabilities (UNCRPD)

o privacy, confidentiality and disclosure

• Tools, equipment and other resources used in the learning process

• Various teaching and learning strategies

• Strategies for identifying and maximising informal learning opportunities

EVIDENCE REQUIREMENTS

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• Services and resources available to people with special needs

• Prompting, principles of prompting and fading prompting

• Strategies to create independence

• Reinforcing techniques and when and how to use them

• Motivators, de-motivators and blocks to learning

• Incidental learning and the importance of recognising opportunities for learning

PERFORMANCE EVIDENCE
The candidate must show evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and
performance criteria of this unit, manage tasks and manage contingencies in the context of
the job role. There must be evidence that the candidate has:

• Contributed to ongoing skills development, using a strengths-based approach, for

at least 3 people with disability

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Skills must have been demonstrated in the workplace or in a simulated environment that
reflects workplace conditions. The following conditions must be met for this unit:

• Use of suitable facilities, equipment and resources, including:

o individualised plans and any relevant equipment outlined in the plans

o information/documentation associated with individualised plans

• Modelling of industry operating conditions, including access to people with

disability

Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015
/AQTF mandatory competency requirements for assessors.

This unit must be assessed after the following pre-requisite unit:
There are no pre-requisites for this unit.

ASSESSMENT CONDITIONS

Pre-Requisites

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Over the last 100 years, thoughts, attitudes, behaviours and government policy towards
people with a disability has changed remarkably.

Even up to the 1980’s, many people with a disability were housed in institutions. The focus
was often ‘out of mind, out of sight’, with many people with disabilities leading unhappy,
neglected and even abused lives. There was little to no focus on their learning, development
or increase in capability. Most, if not all of their lives were heavily regulated with little scope
for individuality.

Thankfully, approaches to people with disabilities have changed in the last thirty years.
Many people with disabilities live in residential group homes, community facilities or even in
the community. Many people with disabilities are engaged in their personal development,
development with vocational skills and interpersonal skills.

Currently, the approach to skill development and maintenance is focused on developing
existing strengths, preparing or develop, preparing the individual for community living,
providing active support to the individual in a person-centric manner.

The role of skill development isn’t to fit ‘square pegs in round holes’. Each individual has
their own set of skills, capability, history, and most importantly, future. There will be
capabilities and skill sets that are important for them to learn personally, skill sets that may
be useful for them to learn and capabilities that, in some situations, be unsuitable for
learning. A person-centric and strength based approach to development involves identifying
what the client is already proficient at, what skills they want or need to learn and putting in
place an appropriate plan or strategy to assist them in reaching their development goals.

A client may need varying degrees of support, depending on the capability to be learned
and the current skills the client may have. An example of this may be a young client wanting
to learn how to put their shoes on, and tying up their shoelaces. The client as a moderate
degree of physical aptitude and can complete other tasks, such as drying dishes, brushing
their teeth and buttoning / unbuttoning buttons on clothing. The support that the client
may require could involve the following:

• Finding shoes firstly that the client can put on by themselves with Velcro laces, to

first initiate the client with putting shoes on by themselves. The Velcro will allow

for them to firstly focus on putting their shoes on by themselves, without

requiring them to learn the additional skill of learning tying up laces.

• Once the client has mastered putting on non-laced shoes, ‘graduating’ to laced

shoes

• Demonstrating with the client how to tie laces. This may take some time,

depending on the clients capability

Topic 1 – Contribute to skills assessment

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• Letting go, encouraging the client to experiment with tying their laces

• Understanding that you may need to resume taking a more active role in assisting

the client, if they are struggling to develop the capability

A client focus approach ensures that the capability development is tailored to the client,
their current life stage and their learning style. You may find novel ways of providing
capability development, depending on the clients capability.

Active support of the client involves being a partner in your clients skill development.
People with disabilities will often not learn in a traditional or classroom setting. Hands-on
learning with the client will often be required whenever learning a new skill or capability.

Assisting a disabled client develop a new skill or capability can be a very rewarding task. It
takes considerable effort, patience and a willingness to try new things, however, the
rewards of seeing a skill mastered can fill you with feelings of joy and a sense of completion.
Every client will learn at her or his different level – no two clients will be exactly the same. It
is your role to find what works best with your clients and to provide them with the
opportunities to develop those skills in a supportive, caring environment.

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Observe the person’s skills and
competencies in a manner that

respects the rights of the person
Working in disability services is a ‘life calling’, not just a vocation. It will have many rewards,
challenges, excitements and disappointments. Interacting with people with a disability isn’t
simply a method of communication – it is an attitude of caring, supporting, encouraging and
guiding an individual to support them to achieve their full potential.

There are certainly many communication skills that are essential to be learned and
developed for working with people with a disability, however, true empathy and
encouragement are skills that cannot be ‘faked’.

Developing person-centred skills revolves around seeing a person with a disability as a real
person. It involves seeing them in the context of their ability, rather than their disability. It
involves not putting a set of standards, preconceived ideas or negative connotations on a
person with a disability.

To develop these skills, a worker needs to start with the foundation of treating everyone as
an individual. This involves making a true effort to get to know their clients as an individual,
not as a collective with a shared disability or set of shared character traits. Using
appropriate communication skills, the worker should endeavour to learn about their clients
as people – their hopes, aspirations, likes, dislikes, hobbies. This sets a foundation for
building a professional working relationship and fosters trust between the worker and the
client. This may involve a level of appropriate self-disclosure. Person-centred
communication is a two-way street. You cannot expect a client to be comfortable with you if
you are not willing to engage the client with your life. Through conversation, you may find a
shared interest, hobby or activity.

Building on a foundation of trust will help foster genuine empathy and encouragement.
Have you ever had some ‘encouragement’ from a stranger? It can be hard to take seriously,
and you may not fully believe the message, as there is no pre-existing relationship between
you and the stranger. This is the same between a worker and a client. If there is no genuine
professional relationship, any efforts you put in to encourage or empower the client will not
be as effective. It is integral to remember that for many clients, and indeed in past times,
people with a disability did not have a ‘voice’, with many of their actions being controlled or
limited. Your clients may not have had a worker who has demonstrated a caring,
professional relationship, and may find it hard to adapt to a worker that is simply there to
manage practicalities of their lives.

Respecting your client involves respecting their thoughts, beliefs, practices and preferences.
Just because your client has a disability, it does not preclude them from engaging in all
manner of activities, a faith or religious belief, from cultural activities, even personal likes or
dislikes. You may have differing opinions on a range of the clients thoughts or beliefs.
However, this must not prevent you from undertaking the client relationship with respect

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and dignity. You must never criticize a client’s belief system, preference or opinions – these
will destroy a professional-client relationship, disempower them and disengage them from
any program or strategy that you try to implement.

Your professional working relationship with your client must be built on supportive
communication, true empathy and an ethos of encouragement and engagement.

Skills assessments
What are the first reactions people usually have when they are about to have their skills,
capability or knowledge tested? Many people experience stress, uncertainty, anxiety, self-
doubt and worry. People with disabilities are often very similar in this regard.

As discussed in an earlier module, your skills assessment should be as naturalistic and
unobtrusive as possible. It is essential to always remember why skills testing is undertaken –
to review the client’s competency and skill, to modify a plan or strategy that is not working
and to ensure that the skill being learned is appropriate for the client’s development, life
goals and plans.

Skills assessments are usually conducted:

• Prior to a plan being put in place (to see what skills or capabilities need

developing)

• During a plan or strategy (to measure any initial changes and tune the plan)

• On completion of the plan (to measure if a skill or capability has been established,

or there need to be further refinements to the plan

You will know ahead of time what the skill or capability is that you will be assessing. One of
the best ways to perform a naturalistic and unobtrusive assessment is to simply observe the
client in action, performing a task or demonstrating a capability. Rather than setting up a
formal test, you may simply ask the client to perform a task that they would usually
perform. An example may be the client unpacking a dishwasher. You may have already
identified that the client wants development in this area. You have put a plan in place – the
client manages the cutlery first, once mastered, moves onto glasses, then finally, plates and
bowls. You have demonstrated to the client how to retrieve the cutlery from the dishwasher
and dry them if required. You have demonstrated to the client what draw in the kitchen the
cutlery goes into and how to close the dishwasher once the task has completed. In this
instance, you can simply ask the client to put away the cutlery.

You can review the client in a naturalistic setting, observing if they check if the cutlery is
clean, drying the cutlery is put away and reviewing if the cutlery has been placed in the
correct draw. On completion of these observations, you can encourage the client on what
they did correctly and quietly suggest any areas they may need improvement on. Once this
has been done, you can then document, using your organisations template, your skills
assessment.

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It is integral that when completing skills assessments, regardless if it is ‘clandestine’ or
overt, that you do it in a manner upholding the client’s dignity and rights. Berating, talking
down or criticizing the client when they have not fulfilled a competency is completely
inappropriate, unprofessional and may lead to sanctions against you. Any feedback you
provide to your client MUST:

• Praise the client where they have demonstrated a capability, or recognised where

they need to improve

• Encouraging to the client when they have not met a competency, confirming that

while they are learning it is a new competency, it is normal to make many

mistakes

• Knowing when to stop an assessment. There may be situations where a client

simply does not manage or cope with the skills or capability that they are learning,

and they are reacting negatively to the capability development. In these

situations, it is integral to cease the activity and ensure the safety, security and

wellbeing of your client are maintained. Remember, your role is to help increase

the client’s capability, not diminish their dignity, respect or right to cease an

activity.

• Document any observations, increases/ stagnation or decreases in capability,

feedback provided and opportunities for improvement.

Skills assessment should always be focused on the client, their goals and plans. It is not
simply ‘ticking the boxes’ to ensure you have done everything right – it is a document that is
specifically designed to support your client.

Sense of independence and empowerment
You may work with clients in a range of settings – within their home, or family home; in a
residential group home, within the community, or within a group or project type
environment. In each of these settings, you will be tasked with developing a specific
capability in the client. These may be practical skills, vocational skills or skills for personal
development or empowerment.

Each new skill the client develops is a step (even if it seems like a small step) in enhancing
their independence and empowerment. It is integral never to underestimate the power of
learning small skills – these skills build on the client’s capabilities and confidence, assisting
them in developing new capabilities and independence.

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An example of this may be teaching a client how to tie their own shoelaces, a seemingly
easy task. This skill, however, is a foundational skill for a range of other competencies and
develops a new scope for independence. The skill of tying their shoelaces can open a range
of other doors for the client, such as being able to collect the mail from the mailbox,
participate in exercise, go for a walk, put on shoes to go to work or complete vocational
activities, prepare themselves for a social activity or outing. The individual skill may seem
unimportant, however, seen in the context of the clients life-stage, a seemingly easy skill
can open up the doors for a lifetime of learning, self-fulfillment and independence.

Personal development skills, such as grooming, personal hygiene and completing domestic
duties, such as putting away clothes are all skills that foster a sense of empowerment and
independence in your clients. If your interaction with your clients is in a residential,
community or living situation, these personal development skills can assist with the clients
own wellbeing, as well as the running of the house. An example of this is simply a client
putting away their clothes, once they have been laundered. Whilst this task again is
relatively simple, empowering your clients to do this task themselves prepares them for
other tasks of increasing independence. It fosters a sense that they have control over doing
a task, of understanding their actions have a direct consequence and allows you to focus on
the clients other caring needs and capability development.

In a community or vocational setting, the skills your clients will be empowered with are
usually:

• Social

• Educational

• Personal development

• Vocational development

Your client’s lives will not usually be spent in a facility, such as a group home (although
there are situations where this may occur). Most people with disabilities undertake a range
of activities. These could be simple social activities – a visit to a café or shopping centre;
cultural activities such as visiting a library, museum or art gallery; physical, such as a health
or physical development activity or a vocational activity, such as work placement or work
experience.

These activities are all designed to support the client’s individual needs and develop specific
capabilities. An example of this could be a health activity, such as swimming or aqua-
aerobics. You may have the specific task of facilitating or assisting a client with disabilities
through a water-based activity, designed to assist the client with their physical health
(which also has mental health benefits), mobility, coordination, social interaction and
overall wellbeing. In learning water-based activities, it would be inappropriate to start off
with 50-metre freestyle sprints! The client is developed in water confidence, which may be
as simple as starting to get their feet wet, and developing the capability. It is integral,
whatever skill is being imparted that you work with the clients existing strengths,
understandings and capabilities. If you are not the clients usual carer (i.e. your task is to do a
specific activity, such as water exercises), you may need to liaise with your client’s usual

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helper or carer to develop a strategy that suits the clients existing strengths, capabilities and
preferences.

The focus of developing skills should always be client focused. It should be developed
towards individual independence and assisting with their self-worth and self-esteem.
Developing capabilities and skills should never be a coercive or aggressive process – it is
always a process where you partner with your client to develop capability, not push them in
a direction that is unsuited to their needs or desires.

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Support the engagement of family
and/or carers and/or relevant other in

the skills assessment
Working in disability services is never a role that you complete on your own. You and your
client will have a range of other support mechanisms to support developing and assisting
your client.

These support people may be located within your organisation, or external to it.

Within your organisation, you may have access to:

• Allied health professionals, such as physiotherapists

• Diversional therapists

• Occupational therapists

• Community outreach workers

Outside your organisation, you, or your client may have a range of other support
mechanisms. These may include:

• The client’s friends or family

• Any treating medical practitioners, such as their treating GP

• Any vocational workers

• Any disability support workers in the community

Each support person or group will often have a specific responsibility and be able to offer
specific assistance or support. An example of this may be the client’s treating GP, who is
responsible for the client’s overall health, medicinal and pharmaceutical needs and ongoing
health monitoring. They would not take an active role, however, in the client’s plans for
social engagement or involvement. Alternatively, the client may be involved with vocational
activities, such as craft or pottery. The vocational support workers will not be involved with
prescribing medication or specifically supporting the clients social plans. They will, however,
be involved supporting the client in managing any vocational activities they undertake.

Working with your client, you may need to both support, and seek support from these
various support partners. These support partners will provide a wealth of information
(considering any privacy requirements or restrictions) in assisting you with completing an
assessment. An example of this is where your client undertakes hydrotherapy, as part of
their health plans. Your organisation has a partnership with a hydrotherapy provider, and
the client attends this service once a week.

Prior to the client commencing the hydrotherapy, you will need to liaise with, and engage
the provider. This is done for the following reasons:

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• Explain why the client has been referred for hydrotherapy

• Discuss how hydrotherapy fits in with the client’s overall health and wellbeing

plan

• Explain the reporting requirements that are required of the provider

As part of the formal assessment process, the hydrotherapist is required to report on how
the hydrotherapy is going for the client. This may include any health or wellbeing outcomes,
the client’s engagement in the program and their opinion on any modifications to this
program.

You will need to establish appropriate working relationships with this external provider to
gain this information. The external providers’ information should be utilised in the context
of the client’s overall health and wellbeing action plan. This will be used to evaluate the
effectiveness of the overall plan, the effectiveness of the hydrotherapy and any
recommendations, improvements or suggestions to modify the client’s health and wellbeing
action plan.

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Record all observations accurately
and objectively in consultation with
supervisor and using terms that can

be clearly understood
A skills assessment can be used in a range of scenarios, for a range of reasons. Essentially, a
skills assessment is utilised to understand what skills and capabilities a client has, what they
demonstrate possible skills or capabilities in and what they may need development on.

Skills assessments are used to understand a client’s capability with:

• Personal tasks, such as cleaning, brushing teeth, personal hygiene

• Interpersonal skills, such as communication, listening, verbal articulation and

comprehension

• Emotional assessments, including the ability to demonstrate empathy, building

and maintaining relationships

• Educational skills, such as reading, writing and math

• Vocational skills, such as computer skills, manual skills

• Personal development / personal fulfilment skills, including the identification of

what personally interests a client, their hobbies and interests.

A skills assessment is completed to understand how to best support a client fulfil a range of
goals. It is certainly not a ‘test’ where a client passes or fails – it is a tool utilised to plan for
their development and capability. From time to time, you will be required to complete a
skills assessment and report on these, to assist in the development of a development plan.

Whilst you may have a strong knowledge of your client, it is essential to keep accurate and
up to date documents of any skills assessments you complete. Usually, these assessments
will be standardised tests, issued by your organisation. They will need to be completed in
the most ‘naturalistic’ setting possible – usually you observing your client undertake a range
of specific tasks in the course of their day. By keeping records and documenting, you can
support your client by ensuring when you are required to participate in planning meetings,
you are prepared to give an up to date account of their skills and capabilities. This will
ensure the organisational resources allocated to the client to suit their requirements for
capability development. It assist in targeted support, assisting their development.

As discussed above, you will be required to keep a range of skills assessments for each of
your clients, depending on the requirements you have to support your client. By keeping
accurate and up to date documents, you save yourself and your organisation time and
resources.

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You will need to make sure that these skills assessments are documented accurately and
objectively with the assistance of your supervisor. You may also complete skills assessment
yourself and have your supervisor check it to ensure you have completed it correctly.

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Provide feedback to supervisor
about any changes in the person’s
demonstration of skills in different
environments and any changes in

the person’s status likely to impact
on skills development

There will generally be two types of feedback that you will need to give your supervisor,
about your clients skills and development – formal and informal feedback.

Informal feedback is usually given (or provided to you) to your supervisor where you need
to talk through an idea, a plan or strategy before it is implemented, or for ad-hoc advice on
how to manage a client situation. An example of this may include where you have identified
that a client responds negatively when vocational activities are organised in the morning,
and you see if there are alternative options to morning activities. In this example, you are
exploring possibilities, rather than making changes to a client activity plan or strategy.

There may also be situations where you seek feedback or input from your supervisor on
how to manage an emerging issue with a client that does not require a change to a plan or
strategy. You may be seeking ideas on how to communicate in a more effective way with a
client, as you feel your approach may not be suited to the client’s communication style. No
changes are required to the plan or strategy – you are simply seeking a ‘second opinion’ or
advice on how to manage a situation or client in the most effective manner possible.

Formal feedback is usually conducted in pre-planned and regular meetings. During formal
feedback, you will be required to bring a copy of any skills assessments, including any key
findings, concerns and strategy improvements for all your clients. It is an opportunity to
discuss with your supervisor on how the client plans are going, including what you have
found effective, what may require work and areas you can suggest to improve, to increase
positive outcomes for the client.

During formal feedback, you will be able to discuss any changes that the client has
displayed, or you have observed. These changes may not necessarily be in response to a
plan, strategy or activity you have for the client, but are still impacting on the client. An
example of this may be where you have observed an aging client is not responding overall to
her usual activities. You have noticed a change in the client’s behaviour when two new
younger, higher-needs clients entered the group home where your client resides. Your
client’s current strategies, for the most part, is to maintain independence, continue regular
vocational activities and maintain a regular exercise plan. Since the new arrivals in the group
home, you have observed your client being less engaged in exercise and her vocational
activities. This formal feedback should be noted, along with any new plans, strategies and
referrals that need to be made for the client.

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Formal feedback is an essential component of working with people with disabilities. It
allows for:

• Understanding where clients are at with their individual growth and development

• Identify trends with groups of clients

• Identify any development, feedback or changes in you, the worker.

Working in disability services can be a richly rewarding career, with many people enjoying
working with their clients and seeing them develop as people. There are times, however,
when working in disability services can seem like a struggle, especially if you have difficult or
non-responsive clients. Formalised feedback can help you discuss, in an appropriate and
private forum, any struggles you are having with your clients. It is an opportunity for your
supervisor to ‘check in’ with you and gauge your resilience. Your supervisor may be able to
suggest ways to assist your own resilience, wellbeing and health.

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Encourage the person with disability
to engage as actively as possible in
all activities and provide them with

information, skills and support to do
so

One of the goals of disability support is to engage a client into all aspects of daily life and
living. Whilst there may be specific focuses (such as vocational engagement), it is always
important to focus on the client’s whole person, engaging them in all manner of everyday
activities.

On a practical level, this may include things like eating in an appropriate manner, personal
hygiene and grooming, dressing appropriately for each different occasion and domestic
chores, such as cooking and cleaning.

Further from this are a compliment of other skills which should be fostered. These include
developing appropriate communication skills, relationship building, recreational activities
and supporting intimate relationships, where appropriate.

Your clients may have a range of living arrangements, such as living with family, living in a
group home, in the community or in a residential facility. These living arrangements will
often depend on the client’s age, their level of capability and ability and their familial /
informal support network. Your client will have ample opportunity to participate in activities
to support themselves, as well as the residential community they find themselves in.
Primarily, your client should be encouraged, supported and given the opportunity to assist
themselves. The most visible ways this can be done is personal grooming, hygiene, dressing
and ensuring their personal possessions are organised in a way that they prefer.

Secondarily, but equally as important, is supporting your client to engage in the community
they live in, specifically in their residential living arrangements. There may be situations
where this is physically impossible, for example if your client has a profound impairment or
disability.
Where the client has both the capability and skill to be involved in domestic duties, this
should be supported. Your clients may show interest in a range of domestic activities, such
as gardening, preparing food, cleaning and assisting with shopping.

Topic 2 – Assist with ongoing skills
development according to individualised
plan

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Looking more widely, your client should be encouraged to engage in activities that will
enrich them socially, emotionally and mentally. This can be done in a number of ways:

• If your client lives in a residential or community living facility, encouraging the

client to spend time in communal areas with other residents, being involved in

community activities

• If the client lives at home (with family), being involved in family activities, outings

and spending time

• If the client lives in the community, encouraging the client to be involved in

community activities, sports or groups to help foster their well-being

It is always integral to remember that you can encourage your clients, but never coerce,
trick or force them to undertake an activity. Your client simply may prefer their own
company or the company of a few select individual. Your client may show interest in
exploring other social activities, in which you can encourage them. You must not put your
client in a situation where they feel exposed, uncomfortable or venerable. This will be
neglecting your duty of care, your clients wishes and violate your professional working
relationship with your client. Just because you think an activity or experience may be fun or
exciting, your client may not share the same view. Their wishes must be considered in every
decision you make.

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Interpret and follow skills
development strategies identified in

the individual plan
Every person you work with will have, in place an individualised plan. This plan is specifically
designed to suit their needs, skill level and choices.

Contained within this plan there will be skills development strategies that will have been
developed in order to further develop the skills of the person in your care.

These strategies will need to be followed very closely and should not be missed or skipped
over at any time without reporting to your supervisor.

Active engagement
Active engagement is vital for people with disabilities if they are not engaging they will not
practice their skills or learn anything new. You will need to observe them during their skills
development sessions to ensure they are engaging in the activity correctly.

Most research describes active engagement as individuals working on a specific task, in a
timely manner such as:

• Attending to learning tasks

• Staying on task for a predetermined period of time

• Self-monitoring on-task behaviours

• Taking turns without prompts

• Following direction

• Physical approach-calm body, eye contact, hands down

If a person is in a heightened state, active engagement will be minimal or absent In these
situations you will need to use Positive Behaviour Support to support the individual to calm
down.

If a person is engaging actively in the activity he or she has chosen, there will be observable
evidence such as:

• Answering questions/asking questions.

• Responding to direction

• Showing happiness towards the task

• Making choices towards the task

• Beginning to complete the task in their own way

• Physically completing the task

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• Verbalising how to complete the task

• Demonstration to others on how to complete the task

These steps should be evident in all skills development activities that are practiced, and if
they are not displaying these actions, then there may need to be a revision on the strategies
that has been put in place.

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Encourage and assist the person to
identify personal strengths and
personal goals for ongoing skill

development
Capability development and skills training should always focus on your clients strengths.
These strengths may not initially be known to you. However, your client may have a much
greater insight into their capabilities and skills then you initially will.

There are a number of ways your client can identify skills. With many things sometimes skills
simply emerge by ‘doing’. Other times, they may identify skills by practice or purposeful
identification.

Your role in working with your clients is to help them identify their own skills, bring out any
dormant skills and encourage them to find new strengths and skills.

Whilst many of us are born with a set of skills or traits that make it easier for us to do some
things, for the most part, to develop a skill or strength, something needs to be exercised.

Ideally, your client may self-identify a skill, interest or hobby that allows for the easy
identification of strengths. The strengths and associated skills may need careful
discernment, however. Consider this example: You are a Disability Support Worker in a
residential facility, looking after six women with various levels of ability. Your client is
naturally quiet and feels that this is a sign of a lack of social skills. Your client may think they
lack social skills or strengths, but display a great aptitude for reading a novel, and identifying
key issues and emotions displayed by the characters in the novel.

You can encourage your client not to focus on their perceived lack of social skills, instead, to
focus on listening to those around them. Listening, like reading, is a social skill and a great
strength to have, as many people simply want someone to listen to. A perceived weakness
can be encouraged out of the client, turning it into a strength.

There are some instances where a client may identify they require a strength or a skill and,
therefore, have the motivation to stretch themselves into developing a strength. As a
worker, you will have the opportunity to encourage your client to develop a skill or strength.
An example of this could be you are a group worker, engaging a group of clients of mixed
ability in developing gross motor skills. One of the skills may be catching and kicking a ball,
in which you have one particular client is displaying considerable difficulty, but significant
resolve to complete the task. You can encourage your client by giving them extra coaching,
development and support to master these skills and develop this strength.

Sometimes, you will need to expose your clients to a range of stimuli, experiences or
activities to uncover a possible strength or interest. You may have clients who have had
considerable setbacks, or a lack of encouragement in the past. Some may have developed a
mindset of non-ability, rather than trying new activities or skills. An example may be you are

CHCDIS001 Learner Guide V2.0 Page 28 of 52

a community support worker, looking after a client who lives in a large residential facility.
The client has been significantly withdrawn, not participating in any of the activities offered
by the residential facility. Your task is to engage the client in developing an interest or
strength in something to assist their wellbeing and health. After meeting with the client,
they display a significant level of apathy towards engaging you and does not articulate any
desire to develop any skills. They do, however, agree to try a new activity every week
(social, creative, physical or environmental) to investigate possible areas of strength and
interest. The client shows a complete lack of interest in any activity, until week seven where
you visit a local animal shelter, for abandoned animals. The client seems to show a level of
interest in the abandoned animals, listening to the animal carers about the animal’s stories,
taking the dogs for a walk and assisting in cleaning out the cages. From here, the client has
requested to visit the animal shelter on an ongoing basis, developing his understanding of
the animals, the care and rehabilitation of them.

Each client will show differing levels of skill, strength and capability. You can not ‘make’ a
client develop a skill, however, you can help create an environment that encourages and
fosters skill development.

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Provide support for the person to
identify resources to complement

strengths
There is a range of resources that can be utilised to support your client’s skill and capability
development. Working in disability services, you will often find that resources will not be
unlimited, and you will have strict controls on what can be allocated to what clients.

Resources are not limited to ‘things’. There will be many instances where you will be
required to identify resources that may not be traditionally thought of, to compliment your
client’s strengths.

Resources that you may have access to include:

• Formal courses, such as vocational or educational courses

• Resources, such as craft materials or funding for outings and activities

• Internet resources, such as online learning courses or online tutorials

• People. People can often be your most valuable learning resource when

complimenting your client’s strengths. You may need to develop a wide network

of people who have the skills, capability and desire to assist people with various

levels of ability.

• Experiences. Some clients may require ‘hands on’ activities to complement their

skills. These experiences could be vocational, educational or even for their self-

fulfillment.

Your client’s individual plan will include what their goals, including their goals for skill and
capability development, are – these should already have been identified. With this, you can
put strategies in place to complement existing strengths and develop new ones.

Your client’s engagement in their learning is of paramount importance, and resources
should be allocated, where possible, to best fit this.

An example may be that you are a training coordinator, facilitating vocational training
primarily for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with a disability. You have a client,
Margaret, who identifies as Aboriginal. Margaret is 17 years old, who has only had limited
educational experiences. She has had damage to her left arm and hand, due to an accident
when she was young. Her case worker has engaged your organisation as she has a strong
desire to complete her education and gain a qualification in office or business
administration, which your organisation specialises in.

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You have an initial meeting with Margaret and her case worker, in which you chat about
how Margaret envisages her training and development to work. She explains that she would
like to have ‘hands on’ experience, but she is afraid the damage to her left hand will hinder
her. She also is worried about her lack of educational experience, as she has trouble both
reading and writing.

You have access to an educational consultant from the local Aboriginal community, who is
skilled in assisting people from an Aboriginal and Torres Strait background develop literacy
and numeracy skills. Together with Margaret, you are able to develop an educational
package that will support Margaret’s learning style and support her desire to be educated
with someone who will support her Aboriginal background.

Margaret has shown significant capability in utilising various office technologies, including
the printer, fax machine and phone systems. Utilising a Rehabilitation Consultant, you are
able to source a keyboard that will support Margaret, so her left arm is not a hindrance.

Whilst the educational program and ‘hands on’ experience has been invaluable for
Margaret, she has found the best resource that has supported her has been the Aboriginal
educational consultant. She has been able to support Margaret in her learning, in her
Aboriginal heritage and culture, and has been able to suggest to you alternative methods of
learning for Margaret that support her strengths.

Regardless of the role you are completing, you will often find it is the people you have
around you that support you and your clients are your most important resource. You will
find by developing a wide network of individuals that can support you and your clients will
be an invaluable asset.

Provide positive support to mobilise
strengths and to encourage ongoing
development and application of skills

for personal development
One of the goals working in disability services is to see a client take the initiative to learn a
new skill, capability or develop a novel way to complete a task or activity. Our clients should
be empowered to take the initiative in their learning in a safe and supportive environment.

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Taking the initiative in a learning situation may not always mean getting it right the first
time. The client may be determined and demonstrate the ability to learn the capability, but
still not arrive at the desired outcome.

Regardless of the outcome of a client showing initiative in their own learning, they should
be offered encouragement and support. One of the most detrimental things that can be said
to anyone who has not met a capability or completed an activity is that they don’t have the
ability to do it. Attacking (however off-hand or harmless it may sound) a client for failing at
an activity is an absolutely inappropriate way to deliver feedback, develop capability and
encourage engagement.

There are a number of ways you can deliver encouragement to a client, both before, during
and after they have taken the initiative in a learning situation.

Prior to a client learning or developing a new skill, it is important to engage them and giving
them the permission to explore the new capability or skill. It is likely that your client has
traditionally taken a passive role in their learning, so to empower them to engage, ask
questions, practice and make mistakes can give them some extra motivation to take
initiative for their own learning.

During a learning activity or situation, there are many ways you can provide encouragement
to your clients. This can be as simple as using non-verbal communications – nodding when
they are experimenting with a new task or smiling at them as they learn. It could mean
asking them appropriate questions on what they are finding, any challenges they are finding
and what outcome they hope to receive. During a learning activity, it is integral to
encourage your client through any disappointment or setback. By reacting in a negative or
condescending manner when a client faces difficulty will create an environment where they
will not be engaged in their learning or development. By being solutions focused, praising
any positive points and encouraging their learning style, you will assist them taking the
initiative in their own learning.
Finally, once an activity, capability or skill has been learned (or in some cases, not learned),
it will be important to continue the client’s desire to be engaged in their ongoing learning.
An appropriate way to do this is to engage in conversation, asking;

• What went well

• What didn’t go well

• What support they may need to do the task better in the future

• What they enjoyed or didn’t enjoy

• If they would like to try a new task or capability

After completing an activity, regardless of the outcome, you can still foster an environment
where the client is engaged in their learning. Depending on the client, they may want
recognition or encouragement in other ways. This could mean public praise, a simple note
congratulating them, an appropriate reward. Your client may be able to articulate what

CHCDIS001 Learner Guide V2.0 Page 32 of 52

motivates them to be engaged in their own learning, and what support you can give to
encourage them in this.

Support networks
Working with clients of various abilities and capabilities is a richly rewarding career path,
regardless of the role you find yourself completing. As rewarding as it is, it would be naïve to
think that you can do it all, on your own.

Your client’s support network is an essential resource that should be called upon to help the
client mobilise their strengths and see them grow in skills and capability.

Your client’s support network will include:

• Their family and friends

• Other support workers

• Health professionals, including allied health professionals

• Community workers, including vocational, diversional and educational support

workers

• Community volunteers

You will find that many people working in disability services and with the disabled have both
professional / vocational abilities to support your clients, as well as a strong personal desire
to support them. Whilst they all have unique and important roles to fulfil, they, like yourself,
will take great pride in seeing their clients grow and develop their capability.

You can play a vital role in ‘supporting the supporters’ help your client. This can be done in a
number of ways.

Firstly, it will be important for you to develop appropriate and professional working
relationships with those supporting your client. This will allow, where organisational policy
and procedures permit, for you to discuss candidly with these support people on your
clients support needs, communication styles and personal preferences. An example may be
where you have a client who requires physiotherapy for rehabilitation. An ideal action to
take would be to contact the physiotherapist and discuss any key findings that will support
them. You may be able to tell the physiotherapist that a client prefers soft and guiding
conversations, and that they seem to be more comfortable when someone introduces
themselves with their first name (and not a title such as Mrs. or Doctor).

Secondly, you can support them by updating them on any improvements you have noticed
in the client since they have utilised their services. These improvements may be physical,
social, emotional, even recreationally or vocationally. In some instances, the client may not
be able to articulate with their support people the improvements that they have made, so
by encouraging the support people on the work they have done will strengthen both your
professional working relationship, and encourage them to keep supporting your client.

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Whilst not specific to a particular person or role, a client can often not have enough positive
engagement and support. Naturally, each client will be different; however you can call upon
the support of the client’s family, friends and volunteer community workers to be engaged
in the client as a person. Whilst most of the support people involved in the client will firstly
be on a professional level, it is always important to engage the client as a person. Different
clients will like different things, but some clients may simply lack (yet long for) people to be
simply interested in them. Depending on the client’s capabilities and skills, they may like
simply for someone to read to them, play a hand of cards or go for a walk through a park. It
is possible to support someone, whilst ‘forgetting’ them, only seeing them as a list of tasks
and performance criteria to tick off. You, and the clients informal support people can
support the client by being there for them, in a personal way that takes interest in them in a
caring way, rather than a professional manner.

The goal of this, whilst primarily relational, is for the client to feel supported in their
strengths and achievements. If a client feels supported, loved and cared for by their support
network, they will feel engaged in their learning and capability development. It’s like having
their own ‘fan club’, really supporting the client achieve their best, regardless of how easy
or hard it is.

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Provide constructive feedback to the
person in an appropriate and

respectful way
When developing a skill or capability in a client, you will be required to give appropriate
feedback to your clients. Despite much current thinking, feedback should never be focused
on negatives, nor should it leave the client feeling discouraged or belittled.

Feedback to your client should always be:

• Encouraging and supportive

• Focused on the client’s development

• Delivered in a timely manner

Constant positive feedback should be part of any disability workers vocabulary. As the old
Biblical proverb states, “Death and life is in the power of the tongue”. Regardless if your
client is learning a new skill or capability, you should seek to provide your client constant
positive feedback and thanks. This develops and fosters an environment of positive
communication, trust and openness between yourself and your client. Positive feedback
looks for the best in a situation, encouraging and supportive. It could be as simple as saying
“great effort” or “you’re really going great”. It does not say things like “it was stupid to
forget that step in the process” or “You idiot! You messed it up!”.

Positive feedback should always be encouraging and supportive. If it belittles, demeans or
attacks an individuals’ character or personality, it must be ceased immediately. Name calling
and using offensive language should never, ever be used to provide feedback.

Your feedback should always be geared towards the client’s development. There will be
times when your client does not complete a task in the correct manner and requires extra
assistance to develop a capability. When feedback is given, it needs to focus on what
aspects of the task or capability the client got right, what they need development in and
negotiating a plan to develop the capability. It needs to be focused on the task / capability,
not the client personally, or their inability to complete a task. Focusing on development
helps move the client forward, not hold them back in insecurity and shame.

Your feedback needs to be delivered in a timely manner. This will differ depending on the
type, nature and level of importance of the feedback. The feedback may be instant, it may
be delivered after an activity, or, in some cases, be able to be discussed at a regular meeting
with the client.
The timeliness of the feedback will be determined by three important factors:

• The safety or the client, yourself or others it at risk if a behaviour or action is not

rectified immediately. Whilst every activity your client performs will have a certain

level of risk, some activities will have a higher level of risk. This may include

CHCDIS001 Learner Guide V2.0 Page 35 of 52

undertaking activities in a kitchen, using electrical appliances, community

activities or vocational placements. If a client is undertaking an activity that risks

the safety of themselves, you or someone in the vicinity, feedback needs to be

quick and appropriate. Your client may be learning how to move a pot from a gas

stove, and drapes a tea towel or oven mitt over the flame, causing it to ignite. You

will need to take immediate action to mitigate the risk, protect the safety of

yourself and your client, then provide immediate feedback on how this can be

avoided in the future. Compare this to a client who’s activity it was to set the table

and has the knife and fork mixed around. There is no immediate danger; it is

unlikely to put themselves or anyone else in immediate risk, and the matter can

be simply rectified. The feedback for this does not need to be immediate – it may

simply involve a quick chat before dinner to educate the client on how to avoid

this in the future.

• The feedback is in relation to an observed behaviour. For example, your client

may have a vocational placement, where you are not present. After the vocational

activity, one of the workplace supervisors calls you and advises that your client

had made some sexually inappropriate comments towards some of the other

workers. The supervisor advised that they simply told the client to cease the

behaviour, but they were concerned that it would occur again, and the behaviour

made a number of the other workers feel uncomfortable. In this instance, there is

still not an immediate safety impact. However, the impacts of the observed

behaviour can have wide-ranging impacts. This feedback should be provided at

the first appropriate opportunity, where the appropriate amount of time can be

provided to discussing the issues.

• The feedback is not an urgent or important matter but stems from small but

noticeable incidents. Anyone can develop habits – good, bad, healthy or

unhealthy. A client may exhibit behaviour once, then never again. This could be

simply forgetting to wash their hands after using the bathroom facilities. When

you notice a behaviour that continues over a period of time, and that behaviour is

not within agreed standards of behaviour, you will need to document these

CHCDIS001 Learner Guide V2.0 Page 36 of 52

occurrences and discuss it with the client when you realise there may be a

negative habit forming.

With any type of feedback, it is essential that it is documented in the appropriate section in
the client’s file, at the first available opportunity. By documenting the actions or observed
behaviours of the client, the action you took to address the behaviour and any resultant
outcomes, you have a record that can be drawn on down the track, for any appropriate
reason.

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Discuss any difficulties experienced
in implementing skills development
activities with the person or relevant

others
Your client’s skill development plan will be developed in consultation and engagement with
your client. Ideally, it is them that drives the plan, but you that helps facilitate or support
the implementation of the skills development plan. There are a range of reasons why you
may be having difficulty in the implementation of a skills development plan.

These may include:

• Not understanding the original intent of the plan, especially if it was formulated

by another worker

• Not having the relevant support or resources to implement the plan

• The client having ‘outgrown’ the plan

• Not having a healthy or engaged relationship with the client.

You should have regular meetings with your supervisor to discuss how you are going, and to
review your clients and their progress. Should you find a trend emerging where you are
experiencing difficulty in implementing a skills development plan, you have a responsibility
to discuss this with your supervisor.

Your supervisor or a senior or experienced worker may be able to suggest a range of options
to understand and assist you in completing your role. Your supervisor may:

• Be able to shed light on the intent of the original skills development program and

assist you in re-aligning your understanding to the client’s original intentions and

expectations

• ‘Shadow’ you for a day. Your supervisor will be able to observe you in your role,

observe how you interact with your clients and look to see any areas where your

own communication or engagement style may need assistance or recalibration.

Sometimes, a third party (like a supervisor) can pick up a few clues or triggers that

you are displaying, that are having a negative response with the client. Through

open and honest dialogue with your supervisor, they should be able to coach you

in alternative methods of communication and help re-engage the client, to

develop a healthy and professional working relationship

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• Your supervisor may identify a genuine skills gap, or identify that you need

development in understanding a particular client’s disability. They may be able to

coach you or send you for further professional development to better understand

the client’s disability, and help educate you on how best to engage the client

• Suggest undertaking a new skills development plan, especially if you are new to a

client, or the existing skills development plan is outdated or not working. Your

client may be ready for new challenges, skills development and eager for new

things to learn.

There may be other factors that your supervisor could identify, such as your resilience has
been tested, or you are simply in need of a holiday or time away from work.

Your supervisor’s role is to assist you in doing the best you can, by making sure you are
engaged and capable of fulfilling your role and to ensure you are supporting your clients.
They have an active interest in assisting you in your role. Your supervisor is often an
excellent resource that you can ‘bounce ideas off’ for informal support, let off steam and
approach for formal development and assistance in your role.

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Monitor strategies to determine
effectiveness and level of

engagement in activities in
consultation with supervisor

It is normal for anyone’s interest, engagement and participation in an activity to increase
and wane over time. This phenomenon is not limited to a particular capability, skill or
motivation. You could probably think of times when you have not felt like undertaking one
of your favoured hobbies or spending time with close friends or family.

Your client will show differing levels of engagement, enthusiasm and participation in the
different activities they participate in. You will find your clients engagement will be at its
peak when the client’s level of interest and their capabilities are at similar levels. If a client
has a high level of interest, but low-level capability, they may quickly find themselves
disinterested and disengaged in an activity. An example of this may be a client that shows
considerable interest in photography, but finds it too cumbersome to utilise a camera. In
this situation, the client will find themselves disengaged and frustrated by their lack of
capability in the activity.

There may be other examples of this. A client with a high level of capability and a high level
of interest may find themselves disengaged if the activity becomes too easy. In this
situation, your client may want to further their skills or capability and seek new challenges
to remain engaged.

Monitoring levels of engagement isn’t simply a matter of looking for signs of
disengagement. Whilst important, you may find, even through trial and error, your client
being engaged in different, even novel activities. You may find that your client expresses an
interest in reading, so you organise a trip to the local library on public transport. You note
that the client seems excited, interested and inquisitive on the bus ride, even more than
finding a book to read.

Your client, from time to time, may show a particular or extra level of engagement in an
activity, even participating to an unusually high level. Whilst it is great having a capable,
engaged client, if you notice that a client seems ‘too’ engaged, it may be a sign that they are
trying to block out some type of negative or hurtful experience. It is not uncommon for
people to try to block out painful events, memories or feelings by filling their lives with
other activities (even good activities, such as hobbies or community activities), or to harmful
activities (such as alcohol or drug misuse). It is good to be aware that a high level of
engagement does not always indicate that ‘all is well’ with the client. It may be appropriate
to check in with the client on any other areas of their life that may have contributed to their
hyper-engagement on a particular task.
Sometimes your client’s engagement will change, not due to their interest or capabilities,
but external factors. This may be due to a change in medication, their living arrangements
or a disruption in their usual routine. Sometimes, these may ‘self-correct’. If you notice
sustained changes in engagement, it is integral that this be documented in your clients file.

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There may be other issues that are impacting on the client that require further investigation
– an unhappiness with another area of their life, an undiagnosed injury or a stress that is
impacting their ability to remain focused on the activity.

There are a number of ways in which you can investigate the reason behind a client’s
change in engagement. Firstly, you can discuss your observations with the client. It is
essential that you never accuse or presume that a client is disengaged or unhappy. By
discussing your observations, you allow your client permission to talk about what may, or
may not be going on. An example of an observational statement may be “I’ve noticed that
you don’t look as happy in your art classes. If there’s something you want to talk about, I’m
happy to listen”. This statement does not presume, and it opens the door for the client to
discuss what may be impacting their engagement.

Other sources of information may be a client’s friends or family members, especially if the
client still lives with family. As a cautionary note, a client’s family may not want to discuss
what is happening at home, especially if it may make them look uncaring, not in control or
not coping with a situation. To manage this, you can also use an ‘observational’ statement.
If you want to discuss an issue with the client’s parents, for example, you may want to lead
the conversation by saying “I’ve noticed (client) is not enjoying her usual activities. If you’ve
noticed any changes or want to discuss (client) with me, I’d love to help in any way I can”.
This isn’t a threatening or presuming question; it opens the door to the client’s family to
discuss any questions or concerns they may have in a non-judgemental forum.

You may also be able to source information about the client from a group home leader,
activities or community coordinator or other disability support workers.

It is important that you monitor the strategies to determine effectiveness and level of
engagement in activities, this must be done in consultation with the supervisor.

CHCDIS001 Learner Guide V2.0 Page 41 of 52

Provide encouragement in real-life
situations that can act as potential

informal or incidental learning
opportunities

Incidental learning, or informal learning as it is also known, is a process unintentional
learning.

Incidental learning can occur in a number of ways. It may occur through trial and error.
Sometimes it can occur by observation, such as seeing another complete an activity.
Occasionally, it occurs through reading an instructional manual or information, not with the
view to learn, but the view to complete.

We learn much of our social skills, reactions, beliefs and even our culture through informal
learning. It often occurs without us noticing. Informal learning, especially in a social or
relational setting, often is evident not in our actions, but our reactions. An individual may
have learned quite deliberately to be stoic and measured, however, reacts in a panicked
manner like his mother when faced with a spider.

Because informal learning often happens without realisation, it can often become ingrained
and very difficult to change. This is especially true of relational, social or emotional skills.
Individuals who have seen their parents or close family react in a violent, negative or
destructive way to stressful situations will often ‘learn’ to react in a similar way as they
grow, with this trait being difficult to break later in life.

Working in disability services, you will have a myriad of opportunities to demonstrate
healthy, safe and appropriate behaviours, skills and capabilities to your clients.

Informal learning can occur anywhere – in your client’s home or residential facility, during a
vocational placement, a community activity or social setting.

As a disability service officer, case worker or similar role, you will often be seen as the
‘leader’, and your clients (and sometimes peers) will informally learn many skills and
capabilities from you. In a residential setting, if your clients observe you doing domestic
duties, such as folding washing, unpacking a dishwasher or watering flowers, they will
probably learn these tasks simply by watching, then doing the same, given the opportunity.
To maximise your client’s learning in these situations, you can engage them in an unrelated

Topic 3 – Support incidental learning
opportunities to enhance skills
development

CHCDIS001 Learner Guide V2.0 Page 42 of 52

activity to get them involved with informal learning. An example of this may be encouraging
the client to come outside for a chat while you are watering the garden. The client will
observe you watering the garden, how long you spend on each plant. Given the opportunity,
the client will more than likely copy your style. You have not formally ‘taught’ the client this
skill – they have simply learned by watching.

There may be other situations where your client will learn by doing – experimental or
experiential learning. You may give your client a task to complete – checking the mail for
example. It isn’t a task that your client has completed before. You give them complete
autonomy over how they complete this task, knowing that they have the capability to
compete the task. The client should return with any mail they have collected from the
mailbox. This learning also is informal learning – they have learned simply by doing.

Ensuring you engage your clients in tasks will help facilitate informal learning. Appropriate
communication and proximity to you during the completion of tasks should help your
client’s engagement in informal learning. By having them appropriately close, discussing and
educating them on the tasks you are about to complete and giving them opportunities to
participate, even in routine activities will support informal learning.

As discussed above, many social, relational and emotional skills are learned informally.
Unless one has completed self-awareness training or is aware of their own reactions, often,
people will react in a manner that has been demonstrated to them.

Working in close proximity to people with a disability will put you in a unique position to
positively promote appropriate social, emotional and relational skills. For example, if your
clients see you constantly belittling other clients, using inappropriate language or being
disrespectful towards others, your clients will learn these as appropriate and acceptable
ways to react. Inversely, if your clients see you displaying appropriate conflict management
behaviours, using appropriate language and tone and interacting with others using respect
and empathy, they will learn that with you, these are the appropriate behaviours that
everyone demonstrates. It is essential to demonstrate appropriate behaviours to your role
and your organisation.

If you feel that you are not demonstrating these, or seeing negative behaviours or attitudes
in your clients, it is essential that you discuss your concerns with your supervisor or
manager. They may be able to give you an honest appraisal of your personal skills and
suggest measures for improvement, if they notice any areas that need development.

CHCDIS001 Learner Guide V2.0 Page 43 of 52

CHCDIS001 Learner Guide V2.0 Page 44 of 52

Use positive approaches and
strategies to promote enjoyment and

maximise engagement
Your clients will be engaged in an activity when the level of skill or capability is equal to their
level of interest in the activity. As discussed above, changes to this equilibrium can have
changes to the client’s engagement. A client undertaking an activity in which they are
interested in, but find too easy will quickly become bored. A client doing an activity in which
they have no capability and no interest will have little incentive to be engaged in the
activity. A client with a high level of interest and a high level of capability will usually be
engaged in an activity.

There are a number of strategies and opportunities to maximise engagement. It is important
to note that you can help create an environment where a client can participate in a way
suitable for them, however, it will ultimately be their decision to participate and be engaged
in an activity. You cannot force a client to enjoy, participate or be engaged in an activity.
Similarly, you cannot coerce a client into participating in an activity, especially if it is against
their wishes.

Finding an activity that is of interest to a client is the first step in maximising a client’s
engagement. Sometimes, the actual activity will hold little interest for the client, but the
results of the activity may. An example of this is where you believe a client is able to spread
a jam or breakfast spread on their toast in the morning. Your client has shown absolutely no
interest in putting spread on bread, but, they are interested in having peanut butter on their
toast in the morning. The interest for the client is having choice over what they put on their
toast, not the actual process of spreading peanut butter on their toast. With this, you can
engage the client’s interest in learning a new skill or capability, by demonstrating the
benefit to them in learning a new skill.

Matching the capability to the client’s current level of skill is the next point in maximising
the client’s engagement. Using the above example, you would start off by ensuring that you
have most things ready for the client to start off with a task that is particularly relevant and
has an easy skill level. You may start by already toasting the bread, having a plate and knife
out ready, have located the peanut butter from the pantry and opening the lid. You may
need to physically guide the client in undertaking spreading the peanut butter the first few
times, until he gets used to the quantity required, the spreading action and slicing the toast.
Once this capability has been mastered, you may consider moving onto harder capabilities,
such as finding the peanut butter in the pantry, operating the toaster and packing away the
items after use.

Once a client has mastered a skill and has a healthy level of interest in completing the
activity, you will need to keep an eye out for further challenges and capability development
for your client. This could be in any field – personal skills, vocational direction, grooming,
social skills – anything. Your goal is to assist and facilitate the client’s development. You will
need to discuss with your client what new skills they want to develop – this could be an

CHCDIS001 Learner Guide V2.0 Page 45 of 52

extension of their current skills, a new direction or a completely new skill set. Whatever it is,
it is essential that it is:

• Client lead

• Supportive of their personal goals and development

• Safe

• Within the limits of your organisations policies and procedures

A client may ask to develop their skills in a dangerous or inappropriate activity. Whilst the
client may make decisions contrary to your organisations policies and procedures, utilising
their own resources, you cannot support an activity that is not supported by your
organisation. If a client is suggesting an activity, where you are unsure of it’s
appropriateness, you should always document the discussion in the client file and discuss it
with your supervisor at the next available opportunity.

CHCDIS001 Learner Guide V2.0 Page 46 of 52

Withdraw support to an appropriate
level to encourage experiential
learning in consultation with

supervisor
One of the goals of working with people with disabilities is to foster an environment where
your client is empowered and encouraged to be as independent as possible.

By virtue of the client having a disability may mean that they will be limited in some ways in
participating in an activity. This does not preclude them, however, from developing skills
and capabilities in a wide range of areas.

Experiential learning will occur when a client:

• Feels empowered to try things for themselves

• Understands the risks involved in trying a new activity or learning a new capability

• Feels supported to try a range of activities

• Understands that to develop capability, they may need to practice the activity or

task, even if it means getting it wrong

Each client will have their own learning style. The main types of learning styles include:

• Practical learning, that is, learning my doing

• Aural learning, that is, learning by listening

• Visual learning, which is learning by seeing, or

• Educational learning, which is learning by reading

Your client’s will be learning a range of skills, many of which will require practical
application. Initially, this will mean you are in close proximity to the client teaching or
facilitating learning. Naturally, this will mean withdrawing from an intensive level of
facilitation to a supportive role, until the client develops a suitable level of independence in
the activity or capability.

To prepare your client for this, it is integral that you outline a plan for the development,
from any theory, to practical support, to withdrawing and finally, capability mastering. It
should be no surprise to a client that you will not be ‘by their side’ to complete the activity
for the remainder of your time with them. This should be discussed as a positive for the
client, to gain engagement, not as a threat.

Your method and timing of withdrawal will be gauged on your client’s level of competency
and emotional resilience. By discussing with your client before the training commences on
your withdrawal plan, as stated above, this should not be a surprise to them when you

CHCDIS001 Learner Guide V2.0 Page 47 of 52

encourage them to practice more tasks on their own (still supported by you), encouraging
them through their mistakes and providing appropriate reassurance to assist them to
resume their skills training.

To help withdrawal, it may be appropriate to engage the client to set their own goals for
reaching independence on a task. They may want to commit to their own timeline (within
appropriate time constraints) for you to disengage from active support. This may give them
a sense of ownership, control and assist with them taking ownership of their own
development, as they have set their own timeframes and goals to complete a task.

CHCDIS001 Learner Guide V2.0 Page 48 of 52

Comply with the organisation’s
reporting requirements and Maintain

documentation according to
organisation’s requirements

It is vitally important that you comply with all the organisational requirements when
compiling reports:

Reports may be in English or community languages as required by the organisation and/ or
service, these may include:

• Verbal or written

• Memos

• Letters

• Records

• Chart reports

• Notes

Report may be, and include:

• Verbal:

o Telephone

o Face-to-face

• Non-verbal (written):

o Progress reports

o Case notes

o Incident reports

In many industries and sectors, there is a phrase:

• “If it’s not documented, it didn’t happen”

Documentation is essential to record your observations of a situation, to document
emerging trends and to identify any issues, potential or actual.

Topic 4 – Complete documentation

CHCDIS001 Learner Guide V2.0 Page 49 of 52

Your organisation will have policies and procedures on what to document, and where. More
often than not, each of your clients will have their own file. This may be paper based, or an
electronic file. It will be essential for you to understand your organisations requirements for
documentation.

Through consistent and appropriate documentation, you should be able to identify trends in
your client’s engagement and be able to notice what impacts your client’s engagement. You
may note that an external influence has a strong impact on engagement – this may be
something as simple as the weather, or something more serious, such as possible bullying or
harassment towards the client from another source.

Once a trend has been identified, this should be utilised to possibly re-evaluate a plan,
strategy or implementation of an activity. In consultation with the client, you can discuss
your documented observations. This should open up a discussion with the client on what
their perceptions or thoughts are on what may be impacting on them, and allow for them to
generate possible solutions to improve or enhance engagement.

With the client, new strategies can be discussed, agreed upon and documented. From here,
the cycle of observation, documentation and review can continue.

Even if a plan is going well, it is still essential to document this. You may, from time to time,
have to justify the use of organisational resources on the client. If you can demonstrate,
through consistent documentation, that the resources, plan and strategy is having a positive
impact on the client, it should be easy to justify the continued use of organisational
resources to support the client.

CHCDIS001 Learner Guide V2.0 Page 50 of 52

Now that you have completed this unit, you should have the ability to contribute to ongoing
skills development using a strengths-based approach.

If you have any questions about this resource, please ask your trainer. They will be only
too happy to assist you when required.

summary

CHCDIS001 Learner Guide V2.0 Page 51 of 52

http://dsds.org.au/
http://edutechwiki.unige.ch/en/Incidental_learning
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strength-based_practice
http://illawarratafe.libguides.com/c.php?g=38066&p=242379
http://investigatedisability3199.blogspot.com.au/2010/11/skill-development-plan-
assessment-task.html
http://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/disabilities_developing_skills.html
http://www.bdcsa.org/cp_themes/default/page.asp?p=DOC-GKY-11-04-76
http://www.creativityandlanguages.com/2012/04/the-difference-between-incidental-
learning-and-deliberate-learning-and-why-it-matters-to-language-learners/
http://www.dhhs.tas.gov.au/service_information/service_delivery_points/disbility_assessm
ent_and_advisory_team
http://www.engines4ed.org/hyperbook/nodes/NODE-151-pg.html
http://www.familyconnect.org/info/browse-by-age/infants-and-toddlers/education-
iandt/incidental-learning/1235
http://www.tuhana.org.nz/index.php/strenghs-based-approaches
http://www.volunteer.vic.gov.au/manage-your-volunteers/encouraging-diversity/working-
with-people-who-have-a-disability
https://www.mindainc.com.au/my-options/my-day/services/skill-development
https://www.sa.gov.au/topics/community-support/disability/disability-types/intellectual-
disability

References

CHCDIS001 Learner Guide V2.0 Page 52 of 52