Summary
- Working in the community services sector has important ethical and legal obligations which enable workers to respond fairly and professionally to the needs of the people accessing services.
- Each state and territory has different laws that govern privacy and confidentiality, and workers should be familiar with the legislation that applies to them.
- It is important for workers to always obtain information in a way that complies with the ethical and legal requirements of their workplace.
- Workers should adhere to the 13 national privacy principles that apply to the collection, use and storage of people’s information.
- Community service organisations and workers have a responsibility to provide a duty of care to ensure the safety and wellbeing of people accessing their service.
- Informed consent is the act of obtaining permission from a person, whereby the permission is given with full knowledge of the possible consequences, outcomes and alternate options related to that decision.
- In the community services environment translation often encompasses both the interpretation and conversion of one language to another, and not just anyone can ethically and legally be used as a translator.
- Discrimination occurs when an individual is treated less favourably than others because they belong to or identify with a particular group, or are perceived to have certain traits or attitudes.
- Workers have a legal obligation to report suspected or actual child abuse even when the child is not accessing a service.
- Workers need to be able to identify signs of abuse and neglect, and incidents where an adult has disclosed an occasion of abuse or neglect.
- It is important for workers to have clearly defined work boundaries and to understand the responsibilities and limitations of their role so that they don’t place themselves and others at unnecessary risk of harm.
- It is important that workers not only comply with the standard procedures in their workplace but also report any breach, non-adherences or adverse events to the appropriate person.
- Workers need to have a clear understanding of their rights and responsibilities in the workplace and also understand what issues can impact upon them achieving those rights and responsibilities.
- It is important for workers to recognise when their attempts to resolve conflict are not working and to refer the situation to their supervisor.
