Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) inherent requirements

1. Behavioural stability is required to function and adapt effectively and sensitively in this role.

2. Student demonstrates behavioural stability to work constructively in a diverse and changing academic and field placement environment.

3. Justification of inherent requirement:

Behavioural stability is required to work individually and in teams in changing and unpredictable environments. Social work students will be exposed to highly complex human situations and will be required to have behavioural stability to manage these events objectively and professionally.

4. Adjustments must support stable, effective and professional behaviour in both academic and field placement settings. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Support Equity Officer.

5. Exemplars:

• Being reflexive practitioners who can respond appropriately to constructive feedback.
• Coping with own emotions and behaviour effectively when dealing with individuals or unfamiliar situations in the professional setting.

1. Consistent knowledge and effective cognitive skills must be demonstrated to provide professional and competent social work practice.

2. Student demonstrates:

• Capacity to locate appropriate and relevant information.
• Ability to process information relevant to practice.
• Ability to engage in critical inquiry, integrate and implement knowledge in practice.
• Capacity to solve ethical problems and think laterally.

3. Justification of inherent requirement:

• Safe and effective social work practice is based on knowledge that must be sourced, understood and applied appropriately
• A demonstrated defined range of knowledge and cognitive skills is a requirement for course accreditation, field placements and professional registration by the AASW

4. Adjustments must ensure that a clear demonstration of knowledge and cognitive skills is not compromised or impeded. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Support Equity Officer.

5. Exemplars:

• Ability to conceptualise and use appropriate knowledge in response to academic assessment items
• Appropriately applying knowledge of theory, practice skills, policy and procedures in the field placement setting.

1. Competent literacy skills are essential to provide safe and effective professional support and effective systemic change.

2. Student demonstrates:

• Ability to acquire information and accurately convey appropriate, effective messages
• Ability to read and comprehend a range of literature and information
• Capacity to understand and implement academic and practice conventions to construct written text in an appropriate manner for the intended audience

3. Justification of inherent requirement:

• The ability to acquire information and to accurately convey messages is fundamental to ensure safe and effective assessment, treatment and professional support.
• The ability to read, decode, interpret and comprehend multiple sources of information is fundamental for safe and effective professional support and advocacy of systemic change in the field placement context.

4. Adjustments must demonstrate a capacity to effectively acquire, comprehend, apply and communicate accurate information. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Support Equity Officer.

5. Exemplars:

• Conveying a spoken message accurately and effectively in a field placement setting.
• Paraphrasing, summarising and referencing in accordance with appropriate academic and/or professional practice conventions.
• Producing accurate, concise and clear case notes which meets legal and professional practice requirements.

1. Effective non-verbal communication is fundamental to social work and needs to be respectful, clear, attentive, empathetic and non-judgmental.

2. Student demonstrates:

• The capacity to recognise, interpret and respond appropriately to behavioural cues
• Consistent and appropriate awareness of own behaviours
• Sensitivity to individual and/or cultural differences and ability to contribute to client or community experiencing cultural safety

3. Justification of inherent requirement:

• The ability to observe and understand non-verbal cues assists with building rapport with people and gaining their trust and respect in academic and professional relationships.
• Displaying consistent and appropriate awareness of behaviours and gestures (e.g., facial expressions, eye contact, being mindful of space, time boundaries, body movements and gestures) promotes trust in academic and professional relationships.
• Being sensitive to individual and, or cultural differences displays respect and empathy to others and develops trusting relationships that are essential for effective professional support.
• The ability to observe and understand non-verbal cues is essential for effective observation of client reactions to facilitate assessment and to provide professional support.

4. Adjustments must enable the recognition, assessment, initiation of or appropriate response to effective non-verbal communication in a timely and appropriate manner. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Support Equity Officer.

5. Exemplars:

• Recognising and responding appropriately to non-verbal cues in classroom situations during residential schools and via online interactive learning spaces.
• Recognising and responding appropriately to cues in the field placement environments.

1. Effective verbal communication, in English, is an essential requirement to provide safe delivery of intervention and support.

2. English Language Proficiency requirements for Category 4. Applicants are advised to also address the following: Assumed knowledge expectations: English.

3. Student demonstrates:

• Sensitivity to individual and/or cultural differences that contributes to the person or community experiencing cultural safety
• Ability to understand and respond to verbal communication accurately, appropriately and in a timely manner
• Ability to provide clear instructions in the context of the situation
• Timely clear feedback and reporting

4. Justification of inherent requirement:

• Communicating in a way that displays respect and empathy to others and develops trusting relationships
• Communication may be restricted to verbal because of limitations of the individual (e.g. injury, disease or congenital conditions)
• Speed and interactivity of communication may be critical for individual safety and or assessment
• Timely, accurate and effective delivery of instructions is necessary to provide safe professional support

5. Adjustments must address effectiveness, timeliness, clarity and accuracy issues to ensure appropriate intervention and support can be demonstrated. If students do not meet the English language requirements, they may apply to study a university-approved English language program. On successful completion of the English language program, students may be admitted to an award program. Other adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Support Equity Officer.

6. Exemplars:

• Being able to meet course objectives through the delivery of oral assessments as pertains to course requirements.
• Responding appropriately in an interview in the field placement setting.

1. Effective written communication, in English, is a fundamental social work student responsibility with professional and legal ramifications.

2. Student demonstrates capacity to construct coherent written communication appropriate to the circumstances.

3. Justification of inherent requirement:

• Construction of written text-based assessment tasks to reflect the required academic standards are necessary to convey knowledge and understanding of relevant subject matter for professional practice standards
• Accurate written communication, including record keeping, client instructions and case notes is vital to provide consistent and accurate assessments and professional support in the field placement context
• Coherent written communication is vital to be effective in meeting the mandates of the profession, including being able to advocate for social justice as pertains to individuals, communities and groups.

4. Adjustments must allow the student to meet necessary standards of clarity, accuracy and accessibility to ensure effective recording and transmission of information in both academic and field placement settings. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Support Equity Officer.

5. Exemplars:

• Constructing an essay to academic standards
• Constructing a social worker's report in a timely manner that meets legal and professional standards.

1. Students undertaking social work studies must comply with ethical behaviour that complies with the AASW Code of Ethics (2020), AASW Practice Standards (2013), and other guidance and policy documents. Students are both accountable and responsible for ensuring professional behaviour in all contexts.

2. Student demonstrates knowledge of and engages in ethical behaviour in practice.

3. Justification of inherent requirement:

• Compliance with the AASW Code of Ethics (2020), guidelines, and policy documents facilitates safe, competent interactions and relationships for students and, or the people with whom they engage. This supports the physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual wellbeing of all.
• Knowledge of, and compliance with the AASW Code of Ethics (2020) is a requirement of course accreditation and graduate standards as mandated in the AASW Australian Social Work Education and Accreditation Standards (ASWEAS, 202O).

4. Adjustments must not compromise the AASW Code of Ethics (2020, standards, guidance and policy documents or result in unethical behaviour. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Support Equity Officer.

5. Exemplars:

• Demonstrating behaviour that is respectful, this includes being respectful of difference and diversity when interacting with peers and academics during study and placement.
• Demonstrate ability to reflect on ethical issues and dilemmas and take responsibility for ensuring awareness of individual ethical conduct.

1. Social work is mandated by legislation and professional regulations to enable the delivery of safe and appropriate professional practice.

2. Student demonstrates knowledge and compliance with Australian Law, professional regulations and scope of practice.

3. Justification of inherent requirement:

• Knowledge, understanding, and compliance with legislative and regulatory requirements are necessary prerequisites to field placements in order to reduce the risk of harm to self and others
• Compliance with these professional regulations and the Australian Law in the field placement setting ensures that students are both responsible and accountable for their practice

4. Adjustments must be consistent with legislative and regulatory requirements. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Support Equity Officer.

5. Exemplars:

• Complying with relevant domestic and family violence, child protection and safety legislation as concerns information sharing and reporting any notifiable concerns to your field placement supervisor.

1. Social work practice requires self-awareness and a capacity for reflectivity in order to consider the effect of one's own issues, actions, values and behaviours on practice.

2. Student demonstrates:

• The ability to accurately reflect on their professional performance.
• The ability to accept feedback on their professional practice and respond constructively.

3. Justification of inherent requirement:

• Participation in supervision is a key teaching strategy in social work education which requires well developed understanding of oneself in order to appropriately engage in this activity.
• Working with clients while on placement and understanding and responding to them requires well developed understanding of oneself, how oneself might be influencing an interaction and the ability to effectively manage one's reactions to situations that may arise.

4. Adjustments must not compromise the student's ability to demonstrate an acceptable minimum level of capacity in this area. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Support Equity Officer.

5. Exemplars:

• Identifying when a practice issue is outside one's scope or expertise or when one's practice may be negatively affected by personal experience and/or reactions.

1. Social work practice requires the ability to make and maintain strong relationships with a wide range of individuals, groups and communities.

2. Student demonstrates:

• The ability to establish and maintain rapport with clients, academic staff, supervisors and peers.
• The ability to engage in effective and empathic micro skills.
• Ability to engage and relate appropriately in individual and group clinical supervision and experiential learning groups.

3. Justification of inherent requirement:

• Highly developed relational skills are a cornerstone of effective relationships that permit effective assessment and intervention in professional practice.

4. Adjustments must not compromise the student's ability to demonstrate an acceptable level of effective relational skills. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Support Equity Officer.

5. Exemplars:

• Rapidly building rapport with a client in order to engage them in an assessment while on placement.
• Effectively using relational and interpersonal skills to manage relationships with clients while on placement.

1. Social work practice in the field placement context requires both physical and cognitive performance at a consistent and sustained level.

2. Student demonstrates:

• Consistent and sustained level of physical energy to complete a specific task in a timely manner and over time
• The capacity to maintain consistency and quality of performance throughout the designated period of time

3. Justification of inherent requirement:

• Sufficient physical and cognitive resilience is an essential requirement needed to perform tasks in an assigned period to provide effective, safe and professional support in the field placement context

4. Adjustments must ensure that performance is consistent and sustained over a given period. Adjustments specific to the individual can be discussed with the Campus Disability Advisor.

5. Exemplars:

• Participating in tutorials, seminars, residential schools and online activities.
• Providing consistent field placement practice over a negotiated time frame.