Learning Topic 4 Protecting the rights and interests of clients
This topic should provide you with the ability to recognise and report to an appropriate person any witnessed signs that are consistent with financial, physical, emotional or sexual abuse or neglect of the client. You will learn to:
implement work practices which support the protection of children and young people;
use relevant child protection procedures to report incidents or suspicions of harm; and
provide prompt and accurate reporting of relevant specific and general circumstances surrounding risk of harm.
Section 4.7 Role of advocates and advocacy services
Sometimes a concern or a complaint cannot be managed at the service level, and the client, family member or carer will need to be referred to an outside agency. The client may need some particular attention and maybe specialist advocacy advice.
For instance, a client may be involved in a complex domestic violence situation where they require an advocate with sound knowledge of domestic violence legislation and the options available to that client. Clients with disabilities may require an independent advocate due to difficulties in communication and conflicting wishes by a number of family members. Remember, clients may not always be aware of their rights in the first place.
Examples of advocacy services include:
The Intellectual Disabilities Rights Service—an agency set up to make sure that the rights and responsibilities of people with an intellectual disability are upheld located at 128 Chalmers Street, Surry Hills 2010, ph (02) 9318 0144;
Citizen Advocacy NSW—recruits and supports citizen advocates (volunteers) to support people with intellectual disabilities in need of advocacy located at Bondi Junction, ph (02) 9369 2411;
Domestic Violence Advocacy Service—a free and confidential advocacy service for women experiencing domestic violence; and
The Law Society of NSW—free legal advice about a wide range of legal advocacy issues ph (02) 93737300.
As an effective worker in the CSI, you need to network regularly with advocacy services that focus on the target group you work with. This ensures that you are aware of recent developments in the area, such as changes to legislation and can refer a client on if necessary.
For a wide range of specialist advocacy services across a broad range of target groups, access the Internet and type Advocacy Services NSW into the Google search engine.
When you make a referral of a client to an advocacy (or any other) service, you need to keep in mind the following.
Be clear about what service is offered by the agency you are referring to and who is eligible to receive the service.
Obtain written information on the service to give the client, including an outline of the services offered, contact details, the name of a worker and instructions on how to make contact with the service, eg. a telephone appointment or present at the desk, a map or information on transport to the service can be useful.
Obtain the client’s informed consent to refer them to another service; this means being very clear about what is involved in the referral, such as what personal information you will need to share and what will be expected of the client, providing written information about the service will help.
Ascertain how confident the client is in accessing a new service. Would they like you to phone and make an appointment for them? Does that mean the referral is more likely to happen?
Follow up any referrals made—a quick check as to its suitability not only shows your concern but also increases your knowledge of appropriate local services and how they deal with your referrals.
To make sure you are familiar with other services in your area, you should visit the services you make referrals to, make personal contact with the workers and invite them to visit you. Where time is tight, attending local gatherings of community workers, for example inter-agency meetings or training, is a quick way of keeping knowledge and contact current.
Activity 4.5
Choose the most appropriate response from the choices offered for each question.
Question 1: If you have a pamphlet rack, you have met the client’s referral needs.
Question 2: It is best to tell the client’s whole story to the service you are referring to so they won’t have to repeat it.
Question 3: I always try to give directions on a map to services I am referring people to and public transport details if possible.
Question 4: I never have time to phone up when making referrals. The clients have to stand on their own two feet and make their own decisions about whether they need a service or not.
Question 5: Your friend Teresa (your next door neighbour) is experiencing domestic violence. One day Teresa rings you at work and asks you if you know anyone who could talk to her about her legal rights. Do you: