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.
Topic 4: Protecting the rights and interests of clients
Many people are not aware that they have the same rights as other Australians. This may be because they have a disability, speak a language other than English, are ageing, live in an isolated community or simply lack the knowledge to make sure that their rights are being upheld. One of your fundamental roles as a support worker is to make sure that the people you are working with know what their rights are and know how to get their needs met. This topic introduces the concept of client rights and explores how workers in the community services industry (CSI) can ensure that client rights are upheld and that clients are supported to speak up and complain if they are not happy with the service they are receiving.
There are seven (7) activities to complete in this topic.
4.1 Rights of all Australians
4.2 The United Nations Declaration of Human Rights
4.3 Where do rights come from?
4.4 Client rights and responsibilities
4.5 Helping clients to complain
4.6 Following organisational policy and protocols when managing a complaint
