Inherent Requirements

Inherent requirement statements

1. Counselling is a profession guided by the codes, guidelines and policies of the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia, whereby Counsellors are deemed accountable and responsible for ensuring their professional behaviour in all contexts. Counsellors practising in NSW and South Australia are subject to a statutory Code of Conduct for health practitioners and there are plans to introduce a National Code of Conduct. Counsellors must adhere to these codes and should demonstrate knowledge of and engage in ethical behaviour in practice.
   Coaching is a growing industry and although it is currently not a regulated industry it is expected that students in the Bachelor of Counselling (Coaching) abide by the Code of Ethics as stipulated by the International Coach Federation (ICF) which can be found at this link https://www.coachfederation.org/ethics/.
2. Student demonstrates knowledge of, and engages in, ethical behaviour in practice.
3. Why is ethical behaviour an inherent requirement?
   Compliance with the codes, guidelines and policies 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.
4. Adjustments offered by ACAP to assist students to meet the ethical behaviour requirement must not compromise the codes, guidelines and policies of PACFA or the ICF, or result in unethical behaviour.
5. Examples of ways in which ethical behaviour applies to these courses
   Complying with ethical conduct is required to complete course requirements in preparation for professional registration as a counsellor.
   Understanding and practising appropriate professional boundaries, including confidentiality and duty of care in work with clients on supervised field placement.
   Appropriately acknowledging sources in the preparation of written assignments.

Inherent requirement statements

1. Behavioural stability is required to function and adapt effectively and sensitively in this program of study in counselling in both academic and supervised field placement settings.
2. Student demonstrates behavioural stability to work constructively in a diverse and changing academic and field placement environment, which may at times be challenging and unpredictable.
3. Why is behavioural stability an inherent requirement?
   Behavioural stability is required for working individually and in teams in diverse and changing environments. Students will be exposed to situations which are challenging and unpredictable in supervised field placement settings, and will be required to have the behavioural stability to manage these objectively and professionally.
4. Adjustments offered by ACAP to assist students to meet the behavioural stability requirement must support stable, effective and professional behaviour in both academic and clinical settings.
5. Examples of ways in which behavioural stability applies to these courses
   Demonstrating the capacity to manage emotions and behaviour appropriately, including when feeling under stress.
   Being receptive and responding appropriately to constructive and / or critical feedback.
   Understanding and managing own emotional state in order to be able to develop and maintain an appropriate relationship with a diverse range of clients, professional colleagues and supervisors, academic staff, and peers.

Inherent requirement statements

1. Counselling practice is governed by legislation covering health professions that are not subject to state registration, to enable the safe delivery of care. Counsellors are also subject to laws governing child protection, mandatory notification of children and young people at risk, and criminal activity.
2. Student demonstrates knowledge and compliance with relevant laws and professional regulations.
3. Why is legal compliance an inherent requirement?
   Knowledge, understanding and compliance with legislative and regulatory requirements are necessary pre-requisites to supervised field placements in order to reduce the risk of harm to self and others.
   Compliance with these regulations and the law ensures that students are both responsible and accountable for their practice.
4. Adjustments offered by ACAP to assist students to meet the legal compliance requirement must be consistent with legal and regulatory requirements.
5. Examples of ways in which legal compliance applies to these courses
   Capacity to recognise when there is the need to seek further support on legal matters.
   Demonstrating capacity to research, understand and apply regulatory requirements specific to safe practice in the class setting and on supervised field placement.
   Complying with legal requirements regarding all aspects of practice.

Verbal

Inherent requirement statements

1. Effective verbal communication, in English, is an essential requirement to provide safe and effective delivery of counselling and coaching services, and needs to be respectful, clear, attentive, empathic, honest and non-judgemental.
2. Student demonstrates:
   Sensitivity to individual and/or cultural differences.
   The ability to listen, understand and respond to verbal communication accurately, appropriately, empathically and in a timely manner.
   Consistent and appropriate awareness of own verbal communication style.
   The ability to provide clear instructions and guidelines in the context of the situation.
   Timely clear feedback and reporting.
3. Why should verbal communication be included as an inherent requirement?
   Communicating in a way that displays respect and empathy to others, facilitating the development of trusting relationships.
   Speed and accuracy of communication may be critical for individual safety or therapeutic intervention.
   Accurate and effective delivery of verbal instructions is critical to individual safety, support and management.
4. Adjustments offered by ACAP to assist students to meet the verbal communication requirement must address effectiveness, timeliness, clarity, and accuracy issues to ensure safety and appropriate support.
5. Examples of ways in which verbal communication applies to these courses
   Participating and engaging in class and clinical discussions.
   Demonstrate effective communication with a diverse range of clients, field placement colleagues, and supervisors.

Non-verbal

Inherent requirement statements

1. Effective non-verbal communication is fundamental to clinical counselling and coaching services, and needs to be respectful, clear, attentive, empathic, and non-judgemental.
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.
3. Why is non-verbal communication an inherent requirement?
   The ability to 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 facial expressions, eye contact, being mindful of space, time boundaries and 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.
   The ability to understand non-verbal cues is essential for safe and effective observation of clients’ symptoms and reactions as part of their assessment and treatment.
4. Adjustments offered by ACAP to assist students to meet the non-verbal communication requirement must enable the recognition, interpretation and appropriate response to non-verbal cues as well as initiation of effective non-verbal communication in a timely and appropriate manner.
5. Examples of ways in which non-verbal communication applies to these courses
   Recognising and responding to non-verbal cues indicating a change in the emotional state of a client during supervised field placements.
   Recognising and responding to non-verbal cues in classroom situations.
   Demonstrating an awareness of personal non-verbal behaviours and their impact on peers, academic teachers, field placement colleagues and clients.

Written

Inherent requirement statements

1. Effective written communication, in English, is a fundamental counselling and coaching responsibility with professional and legal ramifications.
2. Student demonstrates capacity to construct coherent written communication appropriate to the circumstances.
3. Why is written communication an 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.
   Accurate written communication for a range of purposes and audiences is vital to provide consistent and safe client care.
4. Adjustments offered by ACAP to assist students to meet the written communication requirement must not compromise the necessary standards of clarity, accuracy and accessibility to ensure effective recording and transmission of information in both academic and clinical settings.
5. Examples of ways in which written communication applies to these courses
   Constructing written assignments to required academic standards including appropriate referencing of sources.
   Preparing client records and reports which are appropriate to the purpose and audience, and completed in a timely manner.

These courses require knowledge of theory and the skills of cognition and literacy.

Knowledge and cognitive skills

Inherent requirement statements

1. Consistent knowledge and effective cognitive skills must be demonstrated to undertake safe and competent counselling, and coaching practice.
2. Student demonstrates:
   The capacity to locate appropriate and relevant information.
   The ability to process information relevant to practice.
   The ability to integrate and implement knowledge in practice.
3. Why are knowledge and cognitive skills inherent requirements?
   Safe and effective counselling and coaching practice is based on identifying and accurately extracting, plus understanding, information from a range of sources and applying this appropriately.
4. Adjustments offered by ACAP to assist students to meet the knowledge and cognitive skills requirements must not compromise or impede their ability to demonstrate the minimum acceptable level of knowledge and cognitive skill required to practise safely.
5. Examples of ways in which knowledge and cognitive skills applies to these courses
   Ability to conceptualise and use appropriate knowledge in supervised field placement settings.
   Ability to develop and implement individual and group treatment plans based on the research and practice literature.

Literacy (language)

Inherent requirement statements

1. Competent literacy skills are essential to provide safe and effective counselling and coaching practice.
2. Student demonstrates:
   The ability to acquire information and accurately convey appropriate, effective messages.
   The ability to read and comprehend a range of literature and information.
   The capacity to understand and implement academic conventions to construct written text in a scholarly manner including making explicit links between practice and theory.
3. Why is literacy (language) an inherent requirement?
   The ability to acquire information and to accurately convey messages is fundamental to ensure safe and effective assessment, treatment and delivery of counselling and coaching practice.
   The ability to read, decode, interpret and comprehend multiple sources of information is fundamental for safe and effective delivery of counselling and coaching practice.
4. Adjustments offered by ACAP to assist students to meet the literacy (language) requirement must not compromise the student’s ability to demonstrate the minimum acceptable capacity to effectively acquire, comprehend, apply and communicate accurate information and engage in written reflection.
5. Examples of ways in which literacy (language) applies to these courses
   Conveying a spoken message accurately and effectively during supervised field placements.
   Paraphrasing, summarising and referencing in accordance with appropriate academic conventions, including avoidance of plagiarism.
   Understanding class and assessment instructions and producing appropriate written responses.
   Producing accurate, concise and clear documentation, which meets legal and professional requirements, while on supervised field placement.

Inherent requirement statements

1. Counselling and coaching practice requires the ability to use highly developed interpersonal skills and establish and maintain strong relationships with people.
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 coaching, counselling and group work.
   The ability to engage and relate appropriately in individual and group clinical supervision and experiential learning groups.
3. Why are relational skills inherent requirements?
   Highly developed relational skills are a cornerstone of effective therapeutic relationships that permit effective engagement, assessment, intervention and closure.
   Highly developed relational skills are necessary to engage effectively in individual and group supervision of client work and experiential training activities that support the establishment and maintenance of an effective and appropriate therapeutic relationship with clients.
4. Adjustments offered by ACAP to assist students to meet the relational skills requirements must permit students to demonstrate effective relational skills.
5. Examples of ways in which relational skills applies to these courses
   Building and maintaining rapport with a client in order to engage them in effective counselling or coaching while on supervised field placement.
   Effectively using relational and interpersonal skills to manage the therapeutic relationship with clients.
   Relating effectively, openly and sensitively to academic staff, supervisors and peers to facilitate an effective learning environment and manage one’s own academic progress.

Inherent requirement statements

1. Counselling and coaching practice requires self-awareness and a capacity for reflection 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 counselling and coaching performance.
   The ability to accept feedback on their counselling and coaching practice and respond constructively.
3. Why are reflective skills inherent requirements?
   Participation in supervision is a key teaching strategy in counselling and coaching training which requires well developed understanding of oneself in order to appropriately engage in this activity.
   Working with clients while on supervised field placement and understanding and responding to them requires a well-developed understanding of oneself and the ability to effectively manage one’s reactions to situations that may arise.
4. Adjustments offered by ACAP to assist students to meet the reflective skills requirements must not compromise the student’s ability to demonstrate an acceptable minimum level of capacity in this area.
5. Examples of ways in which reflective skills applies to these courses
   Identifying when a clinical issue is outside one’s scope or expertise, or when one’s practice may be negatively affected by personal experience and/or reactions.
   Identifying how one’s own ability to relate to others may impede or enhance work with particular clients on supervised field placement.
   Identifying how one’s ability to relate to others may impede or enhance work with peers and academic teachers in classroom practice settings.
   Identifying and bringing difficult areas of one’s clinical practice to supervision in order to improve therapeutic work with clients on supervised field placement.

Inherent requirement statements

1. Counselling and coaching practice requires both physical and mental performance at a consistent and sustained level to meet individual and group needs.
2. Student demonstrates:
   Consistent and sustained level of physical energy to meet attendance requirements and complete specific tasks in a timely manner and over time.
   The ability to perform repetitive activities with a level of concentration that ensures a capacity to focus on the to completion.
   The capacity to maintain consistency and quality of performance throughout the designated period of time.
3. Why is sustainable performance an inherent requirement?
   Sufficient physical and mental endurance is an essential requirement needed to perform multiple tasks in an assigned period to provide safe and effective support.
4. Adjustments offered by ACAP to assist students to meet the sustainable performance requirement must ensure that performance is consistent and sustained over a required period.
5. Examples of ways in which sustainable performance applies to these courses
   Actively engaging in the classroom and / or online learning environment as scheduled and for the required duration, and in fulfilment of any specified attendance requirements.
   Attending and actively participating in supervised field placement activities as agreed with the host agency over a negotiated time frame.