Residential Care Skill Set

This Residential Care Skill Set is designed to equip practitioners with the mandatory advanced capabilities required for contemporary residential care/ Out of Home Care (OoHC) work.

The course contains the following units:

• CHCMHS007- Work effectively in trauma informed care
• CHCPRT034 - Work with children and young people with complex trauma and attachment issues and needs.
• CHCPRT033 - Provide support to children and youth in out-of-home care
• CHCCCS009 - Facilitate responsible behaviour

This 16-week online course responds to the Minimum Qualification Requirements for Residential Care Workers in Victoria and urgent sector needs for trauma-informed care, complex case management and behaviour support for children and young people within residential contexts. Developed with evidence-based best practice in mind and referencing the latest competency standards, it empowers the workforce to deliver safe, supportive, and effective interventions for those most at risk.

This course is delivered online and includes online facilitated workshops.
Applicants must be able to attend online workshops

This qualification reflects the role of community service workers who design and deliver person-centred services to individuals and/or groups. Workers may provide support, advocacy or interventions to individual clients, groups or communities across a range of services.

At this level, workers may be autonomous with limited responsibility within established parameters and may be required to supervise and lead other workers in projects or teams. Work may take place in a range of residential care and out of home care settings.

There are a range of job roles available, and this skill set supports the following roles:

• Case Support Worker
• Family Support Worker
• Therapeutic Support Worker
• Family Prevention Worker
• Youth Support Worker
• Child Welfare Officer
• Residential Care Worker
• Disability Support Worker
• Out of Home Care Worker

• CHC52025 Diploma of Community Services

Completion of these 4 units develops the capability to work safely, effectively and therapeutically with children and young people in residential and out-of-home care, particularly those impacted by trauma, attachment disruption and behaviours of concern.
Skills:
• Apply trauma-informed care principles in all interactions, promoting safety, trust, choice and empowerment while preventing re-traumatisation
• Recognise, assess and respond to behaviours of concern, including escalation and de-escalation, using safe and appropriate intervention strategies
• Identify indicators of trauma, attachment issues and developmental delay, and adjust responses to suit individual needs
• Provide consistent, structured and therapeutic day-to-day care that supports stability, wellbeing and development
• Support children and young people through transitions (into, within and exiting care placements)
• Gather, interpret and use information about a child or young person’s history, experiences and risks to inform care approaches
• Implement strategies that do not exacerbate trauma, including behaviour support approaches aligned to individual plans
• Respond appropriately to disclosures of trauma, abuse or distress, in line with trauma-informed and legal requirements
• Maintain safe environments and manage risks to children, young people, self and others
• Work collaboratively with carers, families and professionals to support holistic care
• Document, report and communicate information accurately, in accordance with organisational and legislative requirements
Knowledge:
• The impact of trauma, abuse and neglect on child development, behaviour and wellbeing
• Attachment theory and the effects of disrupted attachment on relationships and functioning
• Principles and practices of trauma-informed care, including safety, trust, collaboration, empowerment and cultural responsiveness
• Types, causes and triggers of behaviours of concern, and evidence-based behaviour support strategies
• Child and adolescent developmental stages, and how trauma affects development
• Risk factors, indicators and protective factors related to vulnerability, harm and complex needs
• Legal and ethical frameworks, including duty of care, mandatory reporting and child protection requirements
• Organisational policies and procedures for behaviour support, incident response and documentation
• Work health and safety responsibilities, including managing risk in potentially volatile or high-risk situations
• The importance of reflective practice and worker wellbeing, including managing vicarious trauma

• Working with children check
• Police check

Will this course/qualification or a constituent unit provide a pathway to an industry licence or regulated outcome: No