Foundation Skills (Level 2)

Please note that a previous version of the Foundation Skills brochure incorrectly stated the price of this qualification as $200 (Inc GST). The actual cost is $150 (Inc GST)

The National Qualification in Community Support Services (Foundations Skills) is designed to recognise the knowledge and skills required of support workers during their induction into work in a health or disability setting. Holders of this qualification are able to provide support for consumers in a health or disability setting.

Those awarded this entry-level qualification are able to understand infection control requirements, support a consumer’s quality of life, provide a safe and secure environment, understand their role, understand how to handle equipment and people, understand how to work safely, meet the requirements of the consumer’s service delivery plan, understand how to use pre-packaged medication and understand a consumer’s rights and responsibilities.

This Qualification comprises of 43 credits. Holders of this Qualification can gain 17 credits towards the level 3 National Certificate in Community Support (Core Competencies).

The cost of this Qualification is $150 (incl GST) per trainee.

For information on the Foundation Skills Qualification click here for the NZQA Website, or download the brochure below

Foundation Skills brochure (PDF 377KB)

Resources

Trainees undertaking this Qualification receive a Workbook and a Trainee Assessment Portfolio for each of the nine unit standards in the Qualification.

Workbooks are a learning aide for trainees. They are designed to be interesting and stimulating, and assist trainees to complete their Trainee Assessment Portfolio (TAP). A Trainee Assessment Portfolio is effectively an answer book for the trainee to complete for each unit standard.

Trainee Assessment Portfolios

Infection Control - 20826 (PDF 434KB)

Support a consumer's well-being and quality of life - 20829 (PDF 540KB)

Maintain a safe and secure environment - 20830 (PDF 150KB)

The role of the support worker -23451 (PDF 408KB)

Handling equipment and people safely - 23452 (PDF 125KB)

Desribe a safe and efficient working environment - 23453 (PDF 162KB)

Apply a service delivery plan - 23454 (PDF 402KB)

Pre-packaged medication - 23685 (PDF 100KB)

Consumer's rights and responsibilities - 23686 (PDF 111KB)

Please note there is no provision for online assessments to be undertaken in Careerforce unit standards.

Workplace Assessment Portfolios

For every Unit Standard, Workplace Assessment Portfolios provide assessors with model answers, evidence and judgements to ensure fair assessment practices.

If you are an assessor wishing to obtain Workplace Assessment Portfolios you must complete a Request for Assessor Portfolio Form

Updates

Please note the following updates to published assessment materials:

• There is an error in the Infection Control Answer Guide (page 33) for US 20826 relating Dengue Fever. Vaccines are in the development and testing phase for the disease but are not yet commercially available.  The answer guide was amended at the end of 2007 to reflect this.  The “Best Prevention” section of the table does not count towards competency. This applies to the Version of the Answer Guide used before the issue of the Workplace Assessment Portfolios only.
• The Trainee assessment portfolio for US 23685 v1 Pre-packaged medication, on page 4 question 2, asks for trainees to "Demonstrate or describe two advantages and two disadvantages for the consumer associated with pre-packaged medication (1.2)." However, the column for ticking when competent only asks for advantages. Pls change the bottom four boxes in this column to read Disadvantage 1, Disadvantage 2, etc. The updated version is available as a PDF below.
• The Trainee assessment portfolio for US 23453 v1 Looking after me, on page 4, asks for trainees to complete a diary for a week (1.1).However, after feedback from assessors and trainees, we now only expect this to be completed for three working days of a typical week. The associated Workplace Assessors Portfolio has also been updated and is availabe from Careerforce. The updated TAP is available as a PDF below.