CHCCCS017 Assessor Marking Guide

CHCCCS017
PROVIDE LOSS AND GRIEF SUPPORT

assessor marking guide
First published 2021
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developed for the Community Services Industry.
Contents
Introduction 4
Assessment Task 1: Knowledge questions 6
Assessment Task 1: Checklist 22
Assessment Task 2: Portfolio 24
Assessment Task 2: Checklist 31
Final results record 36
Introduction
Welcome to the Assessor Marking Guide for CHCCCS017 Provide loss and grief support. This
Marking Guide provides you with assessment tasks, checklists and marking guidance. It also
provides advice on delivering the assessment for this unit.
This document is one of a suite of resources which has been developed by RTO Works to support
you in delivering assessment for units of competency from the Community Services Training
Package.
Please ensure that you read this guide in conjunction with the Community Services Works
Assessor User Guide.
Supporting documents
A number of documents have been provided with this Marking Guide to support assessors and
students.
For the assessor

 Community Services Works Assessor User Guide: The Assessor User Guide provides
important information for assessors relating to the delivery of quality assessment.
 Assessment Mapping: A mapping guide is included as a separate document to show how

each assessment task maps to the unit of competency. You will find the assessment mapping
in the CHCCCS017 Mapping folder.
 Supporting resources: Supporting resources include templates and checklists which can be
used when preparing for and marking assessment tasks. You will find the supporting
resources in the CHCCCS017 Assessor Resources folder. For this unit, the supporting
assessor resources comprise:
o Portfolio Assessor (Assessment Task 2).
For the student

 Community Services Works Student User Guide: The Student User Guide provides important
information for students relating to completing training, work placements and assessment.
 Student Assessment Tasks: The Student Assessment Tasks include the tasks as well as
guidance about how to complete each assessment. Submission information and relevant
forms are also included. The Student Assessment Tasks for this unit can be found in the
CHCCCS017 Assessment folder.
 Supporting resources: Supporting resources include templates, journals, workbooks and

portfolios which can be used by the student to support them in providing evidence of their
competence. You will find supporting resources in the CHCCCS017 Student Resources folder.
CHCCCS017 Provide loss and grief support | 4

Please ensure that students receive these documents before they begin their assessment
tasks. For this unit, the supporting resources for students comprise:
o Portfolio (Assessment Task 2).
Assessing this unit

CHCCCS017 Provide loss and grief support describes the skills and knowledge required to
recognise and respond to the needs of people who are experiencing loss, grief and bereavement.
This unit applies to workers in a range of community services and health contexts.
For students to be assessed as competent, they must successfully complete two assessment
tasks:
 Assessment Task 1: Knowledge questions – Students must answer all questions correctly.
 Assessment Task 2: Portfolio – Students must complete their portfolio document to

demonstrate that they responded to three different situations of loss, grief, bereavement or
trauma.
Work placement required

Students will require a work placement to complete Assessment Task 2. You will find
more information about the requirements for work placements in the Community
Services Works Assessor User Guide.

Assessment Task 1: Knowledge questions
Information for assessors

Knowledge questions are designed to help the student demonstrate the knowledge which they
have acquired during the unit. Ensure that you:
 review the advice to assessors regarding administering knowledge questions in the

Community Services Works Assessor User Guide
 provide students with a due date for assessment
 provide submission guidelines to students
 follow your organisation’s policies and procedures
 refer to your organisation’s Training and Assessment Strategy
 provide written feedback to each student
 provide resubmission guidance to students (including a timeline) who do not complete the task
satisfactorily
 complete the Assessment Task 1 Checklist which can be found at the end of this task.
 complete the Final Results Record which can be found at the end of this Assessment Marking
Guide.
i Assessment delivery information

Assessment delivery information which has been contextualised to your RTO’s student
cohort can be found in Appendix A of the Community Services Works Assessor User
Guide. Use this information to advise students of:
 where this task should be completed
 the maximum time allowed for completing this assessment task
 whether or not this task is open-book.
Note: Students should complete and submit an assessment cover sheet with their
work. A template is provided in Appendix C of the Assessor User Guide.

Information for students
Knowledge questions are designed to help you demonstrate the knowledge which you have
acquired during the learning phase of this unit. Ensure that you:
 review the advice to students regarding answering knowledge questions in the Community
Services Works Student User Guide
 comply with the due date for assessment which your assessor will provide
 adhere with your RTO’s submission guidelines
 answer all questions completely and correctly
 submit work which is original and, where necessary, properly referenced
 submit a completed cover sheet with your work
 avoid sharing your answers with other students.
i Assessment information
Information about how you should complete this assessment can be found in Appendix
A of the Community Services Works Student User Guide. Refer to the appendix for
information on:
Note: You must complete and submit an assessment cover sheet with your work. A
template is provided in Appendix C of the Student User Guide. However, if your RTO
has provided you with an assessment cover sheet, please ensure that you use that.

Questions
Provide answers to all of the questions below:
1. Explain the following spectrum of loss situations. When providing your answer, remember that
loss is not always just about death.
The student’s answer must demonstrate their knowledge of primary, secondary, cumulative
bereavement and trauma impact on the person, the family, and the community. Ensure the
student’s answer includes references to different types of loss and does not solely focus on
death.
a. Primary loss Key points:

Primary loss is the ‘main loss’. This may be a person (such as
through death, separation/divorce etc), loss of a job or a loss
related to one’s health, loss of home and family due to the impact
of domestic violence, etc.
b. Secondary loss Key points:

Secondary loss occurs due to the primary loss. For example, the
death of a partner may involve the loss of finances, their home, a
significant part of their social circle, love and companionship etc.
Losing a job leads to loss of income, the daily interaction with
work colleagues, independence, esteem and so on. Health issues
can lead to a loss of independence, esteem, mobility and social
interactivity. Situations of domestic violence can lead to isolation
and loss of connection with family, friends and society.
c. Cumulative loss Key points:

This relates to the impact on a person of increasing/additional
loss. Other losses may occur within a short time period from the
original loss or they may continue over a period of time. The
person experiencing these losses may not have had time to deal
with their original loss, or may not have adequately dealt with the
original loss (where other losses occur later in time). Losses do
not have to be simply related to death, and could be those such
as losing a job, moving home, losing friendship groups etc.
d. Integration of loss Key points:

This is the stage where the person is able to start moving forward
with their life, and they are no longer as consumed by the loss as
they once were. They have not forgotten about the loss (for
example, they have not stopped caring about the person who
died, or forgotten about their health issues) but they have been
able to take the steps to continue with their life, such as making
new friends, new relationships etc. The loss will still be felt, but
this may be at times when they are feeling emotional or at specific

key points (birthdays, holidays, celebrations etc).
2. The impacts of grief, bereavement and trauma can affect different components of our lives.
Provide three examples of how each of the groups below can be affected by grief,
bereavement and trauma.
The student’s answer must demonstrate their knowledge of how grief, bereavement and
trauma impact on the person, the family, and the community. Ensure that the student’s answer
includes references to trauma and does not solely focus on grief and bereavement.
Individual Examples include:
 Withdrawal from existing social networks
 Exacerbation of existing mental health conditions
 Development of mental health conditions (such as

depression, anxiety etc)
 Reduction in self-care (such as not eating well, not sleeping,

lack of personal hygiene, weight loss/gain, etc)
 Increased in illness where poor health leads to a weaker

immune system
 Risk of suicide or self-harm
 Risky behaviours
 Emotional outbursts
 Alcohol or drug abuse (illicit or prescription drugs)
 Unwilling to seek support
 Exacerbation of co-existing issues (such as drug and alcohol

issues.
Family Examples include:
 Family provides support to the person who is affected most

by the loss rather than supporting everyone (for example, a
matriarch of the family is given overwhelming support after
the death of her husband, with children and others in the
family not attending to their own needs)
 Conflict, which can occur for a variety of reasons (for

example, expectations on how to grieve and for how long,
funeral arrangements, division of property, accusations of
lack of support, etc)
 Different expressions of grief
 Lack of support from family members in regards to dealing

with trauma, or family not believing that a person has

experienced trauma
 Difficulty adapting to life without a key person
 Difficulty surviving the emotional impacts of a traumatic

experience
 Distancing from each other rather than coming together
 Revisiting family issues from the past (that is, ‘opening old
wounds’)
 Blaming each other for the loss or trauma
Community level Examples include:
 Impact on the person’s social circle (for example, the social

group may change/evolve either negatively or positively)
 Increased demand for services at a community level (such as

trauma and counselling services)
 Different ways of grieving and dealing with loss, bereavement

and trauma (for example, cultures and community groups
may respond differently)
 Tension or conflict within the community, especially

depending on the situation of loss or trauma
 Change within the community (either positive, such as the

community coming together to support those affected, share
their grief and campaign for change etc; or negative, such as
engaging in destructive or unhelpful activities, discrimination
against specific community groups, etc).
3. Identify three ways in which grief, bereavement and trauma can affect a person’s social health
and wellbeing.
The student’s answer must demonstrate their knowledge of the ways in which grief,
bereavement and trauma can impact a person’s ability to maintain a healthy social life. The
student must provide four responses. Examples may include:
 A feeling that others may not understand their grief or the trauma they have experienced
 The stress associated with their feelings may make it difficult for them to interact with
others
 The person may not be able to cope with the change to routines, the disappearance of
people once common in their life (for example, their partner dies and their partner’s
friends disengage over time)
 The person may have trouble relating to others
 The person may not want to seek support or companionship from others

 Should the person have substance abuse issues, they may spend more time with new
people and thus isolate from those in their usual social circle
 The thought of interacting with others may lead to feelings of fear and uncertainty
 The person may find it hard to regulate their emotions, and they may have mood swings
and emotional outbursts
 Complicated grief can impact their ability to maintain relationships, their career etc
 Others may be dismissive of the person and their feelings, or think that they have grieved
for long enough, or their trauma ‘isn’t really that bad’ (see disenfranchised grief)
 Others may have difficulty being around the person due to the way in which they are
responding to their grief, bereavement or trauma (for example, where risky behaviours
are demonstrated, frequent outbursts of anger or other strong emotions occur, etc)
 Others may not feel they are capable of supporting the person, or they may also be trying
to heal from the same event.
Note: not all impacts may be negative. Sometimes, the person may find that their experiences
and feelings draw them to support groups, help them to make new friends who have a level of
understanding of what they are going through, may help them move on from social circles that
were not healthy for them, or even encourage them to eventually volunteer or have a career
that can help people who are going through what they have experienced.
4. Identify three ways in which grief, bereavement and trauma can affect a person’s emotional
health and wellbeing.
The student’s answer must demonstrate their knowledge of the ways in which grief,
bereavement and trauma can impact a person’s ability to maintain their emotional health and
wellbeing. The student must provide four responses. Examples may include:
 The strong emotions felt due to grief, bereavement and trauma can leave a person
drained
 Any pre-existing mental health conditions may be exacerbated
 The person may not be take action to help themselves, such as seeking support, talking
to friends or family, etc
 They may feel they have no control over themselves or life anymore
 Changes to the person’s degree of care about themselves
 Changes in diet, sleeping routines etc can affect their emotional health (ie, be more
emotional or irrational that usual, have less interest in themselves and what is going on
around them – disengagement – and so on)
 Difficulty in maintaining close relationships due to focusing on the loss or trauma (for
example, they may not be considering how a traumatic situation has affected their friends
or family, who were directly impacted)
 Beahviour and judgment can be impacted, leading to risky behaviour and not caring
about how other people may be feeling

 The person may have experiences where they believe they have seen the person, heard
their voice, smelled an aroma common to the person etc
 They may periodically flash back to traumatic experiences.
5. Describe each of the types of grief below. In your answer, refer to the features and
expressions of such grief.
The student’s answer must demonstrate their knowledge of complex (complicated) grief and
disenfranchised (hidden) grief and how they differ in terms of expressions of grief.
Type of grief Definition
Complex grief Key points include:

(complicated grief)
This is the type of grief that involve such strong emotions and
reactions that a person can end up unable to move forward with
life (that is, moving towards integrated grief) and remain
debilitated. Their grief is so potent that they cannot return to daily
activities of living, social circles, maintaining a family, their job and
so on. The grief and the impacts of such is prolonged. Co-existing
issues, such as mental health, physical health and drug and
alcohol issues, may also be present in a person who is
experiencing complicated grief. A person with complicated grief
essentially becomes a prisoner of grief.
Expressions of complicated grief may include obsessing over, or
being preoccupied by, the loss for long periods of time (always
talking about it, surrounding themselves with reminders, etc), a
refusal to accept the loss and take the steps to move forward,
withdrawal from their normal life (prior to loss), inability to maintain
their job or relationships, exacerbation of existing conditions, risky
behaviours, suicide ideation or suicide attempts.
Disenfranchised grief Key points include:

(hidden grief)
This is when a person’s loss is insignificant in the eyes of their
culture, society or support group and the person has been
deprived the right to grieve or their grief is not acknowledged.
They may feel like they cannot share the grief or their emotion and
feelings with others. Their grief may be seen as unacceptable,
wrong or unworthy. The person can therefore feel unsupported in
their grief and thus they may have difficulty recovering from it. In
some cases, disenfranchised grief may occur because of the type
of death that occurred (for example, stigmas surrounding deaths
related to suicide, overdoses, specific health conditions,
relationships that are considered not socially or culturally
acceptable, etc).
Those experiencing this type of grief may not readily show their
emotions. They may not cry or show signs of sadness and despair
that are often shown by those grieving, especially where they may

be in situations where they cannot openly discuss their loss or feel
they will be ridiculed if they do. Their emotions may come out in
different ways, such as anger and frustration due to not being able
to express their grief. They may also not seek support because
they have been made to feel that their grief is not important,
relevant or ‘appropriate’, and thus feel that any health professional
would make the same assumption.
6. Not everyone who experiences grief will deal with disenfranchised grief or complicated grief.
There are many who are able to go through the stages of grief and move forward with their
life. Identify six common expressions of grief.
The student’s answer must demonstrate their knowledge of expressions of grief. People
express grief in different ways, therefore responses may vary. Some ‘common’ expressions of
grief are listed below.
Examples include sadness, anger, yearning, anxiety, denial, confusion, fear, depression,
anxiety, guilt, regret, relief, shock, disbelief, numbness, isolation, irritation. Other expressions
(specifically related to death) can relate to the types of clothing worn, routines that are
demonstrated, presentation or display of items related to the person who has died, etc.
7. As you will have seen in your studies, not everyone is able to cope with grief. It is important to
be aware of the signs that indicate a person experiencing grief and/or trauma may be
considering suicide.
Identify six warning signs/reactions of a suicidal person.
The student’s answer must demonstrate their knowledge of the different types of signs/
reactions a suicidal person may demonstrate. Students must list six. Examples include:
 Self-harm
 Suicide ideation
 Direct threats to suicide
 Preoccupation with the concept of suicide (may draw about it, talk about it, etc)
 Alcohol or drug abuse, or increased abuse if this is already a pre-existing condition
 Social isolation
 Withdrawing from family, including those they may live with
 Quitting their job
 Giving away personal items, particularly those of importance/emotional attachment
 Organising own affairs (ie to avoid leaving debt to others, to ensure people are taken care
of once they are gone, etc)
 Uncharacteristic mood changes and swings and emotional outbursts
 Reckless/risky behaviours

 Behaviour that is out of the ordinary for that person (change in attitude, eating habits,
sleeping habits, avoiding interaction and communication, personal hygiene changes, etc)
 Not making plans, or long-term plans (ie not looking to the future)
 Expressing feelings of hopelessness, unworthiness or anger.
8. Identify four appropriate responses that could be used to provide support to a person at risk of
suicide.
The student’s answer must demonstrate their knowledge of how to respond to a suicidal
person. The student must list four responses that are not only appropriate, but would be
expected within the role of a community services worker. Examples include:
 Use a range of communication strategies to talk to the person and listen to how they are
feeling.
 Avoid judgment. Validate feelings.
 Use a person-centred approach – put the person’s preferences, values, needs at the
heart of care, etc
 Apply a strengths-based approach – what are the person’s skills, interests, their family
connections, friendship groups, career,
 Focus on hope – the feelings of grief will lessen over time, and there strategies that can
be applied to help them cope.
 Consider the person’s cultural and religious/spiritual backgrounds – how do they perceive
grief and loss, as well as suicide.
 Ensure the person is not able to access, at that specific time, objects that could be used
to harm themselves.
 Take them, and their experiences, seriously.
 Assess their level of distress.
 Consider co-existing conditions and whether these increase risk of suicide.
 Make a referral to professional support.
 Be aware of workplace procedures regarding disclosure – you may need to report that
your client is at risk of suicide.
 Provide the person with details of services they can contact when they feel they need
support (for example Lifeline, beyond blue, etc).
9. A person’s life, experiences and routines are important to consider in relation to how they
respond to loss. The context of their life and their life circumstances can be severely impacted
once they experience loss.
Discuss the statement above, considering loss in not just the context of death.
The student’s answer must demonstrate their knowledge of how the experience of loss can
change the life a person had before. Key points that may be discussed include:

 A person may cease the role of a carer and feel directionless and helpless; they may
struggle with how to move on and find purpose in their life again
 A person may not be able to do the same things they did before a physical loss (for
example, the loss of mobility, the loss of a limb, a loss in intellectual or physical
functioning, etc)
 A person may lose a key person who was their connection to a specific social group or
experience, thus their social interactions become limited (for example, they do not drive
and the person who died was the one who took them out and about)
 The person may have not been in charge of finances, or had limited understanding of
finances, but they now need to learn how to maintain financial security
 The person’s cultural or religious/spiritual beliefs may be tested by the type of loss they
have experienced (for example, have they been impacted by suicide)
 The person’s cultural or religious/spiritual beliefs may provide them with support and be a
source of healing
 The person may have been dependent on another, thus they need to develop new life
skills
 The person may feel a sense of freedom but in turn this leads to feelings of guilt (ie they
were a long-time carer, or tried to support a person with drug and alcohol issues, etc).
10. Identify strategies that can be used in cases where a person requires formal or informal grief
and bereavement support. List two strategies for each type of support.
The student’s answer must demonstrate their knowledge of how specific strategies and
communication techniques can support a person experiencing grief and bereavement. The
student must identify two for each type of support.
Type of support Strategies x 2
Formal support Examples may include:
 Counsellors
 Psychologists
 General practitioners
 Adjusting mental health plans
 Bereavement support groups
 Financial support services
 Health services
 Specialised support groups (such as road trauma, palliative

care, suicide)
Informal support  Identifying those in the person’s life (friends, family, neighbours
etc) who they can turn to for support and comfort, including who

would be the best people/person as main supports
 Identifying activities the person can do to help alleviate feelings

of stress and anxiety
 Identifying cultural and/or religious/spiritual connections the

person may have and determining how these can be of help
when the person feels they need support
 Identifying what things friends and family can do aside from

providing comfort (ie practical things to reduce the stress on the
person, such as helping with mundane tasks)
 Identifying community supports, such as local support groups
 Self-care strategies such as meditation, exercise etc
 Resources such as books, articles, videos, podcasts etc.
11. The communication techniques used when providing formal or informal grief and bereavement
support can make all the difference to the person who has experienced loss. Provide four
examples of positive and effective communication techniques that can be used for each type
of support.
The student’s answer must demonstrate their knowledge of the impact of communication
techniques on a person who has experienced loss. The student must provide four examples
for each type of support. The answers may be the same in some cases across both support
types (for example, empathy and sensitivity would be expected answers for each), however
the formal support responses should be more specialised.
Type of support Communication techniques x 4
Formal Examples may include:
 Empathy
 Sensitivity
 Encouraging the person to talk about their loss
 Non-judgmental approach
 Application of active listening techniques
 Motivational interviewing techniques (that is, encouraging the

person to find the motivation to move forward and make positive
decisions)
 Promotion of hope and resilience
 Respectful
 Providing feedback
 Application of normalising statements

Type of support Communication techniques x 4
 Application of a strength-based approach
Informal Examples may include:
 Empathy
 Sensitivity
 Listening
 Keep in regular contact with the person
 Respect the person’s wishes (for example, if they do not want to

talk about the loss and would in fact prefer to talk about
something else)
 Ask the person if they need specific help rather than assuming
they do
 Avoiding judgmental statements or comments that diminish the

type of loss and its impact
12. Identify four types of grief and bereavement care services. As part of your answer, provide
links to at least three types of information sources that could be useful for a person
experiencing grief and bereavement (such as videos, articles, fact sheets etc).
The student’s answer must demonstrate their knowledge of the different types of grief and
bereavement services available. Their answer must also include links to information sources
(three sources). Examples may include:
 Counselling and support groups
 Psychologists
 Beyond Blue
 Lifeline
 Grieflink
 MyGrief
 Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement.
Sources of information may include:
 https://www.lifeline.org.au/get-help/topics/loss-grief
 https://www.lifeline.org.au/get-help/topics/suicide-bereavement
 https://grieflink.org.au/coping-with-grief/
 https://palliativecare.org.au/youre-not-alone-tips-managing-grief-holidays
 https://palliativecare.org.au/understanding-grief

 https://www.grief.org.au/ACGB/ACGB_Publications/Resources_for_the_Bereaved/
Grief_Information_Sheets.aspx

13. As a worker in the community services sector, the importance of self-care should never be
overlooked. Identify four types of self-care strategies you could implement as someone who
works with people experiencing loss and grief. In your answer, also include two types of
professional support services you could engage with.
The student’s answer must demonstrate their knowledge of different self-care strategies and
the types of professional support services they could contact. The question is aimed at the
community services worker, not at the person experiencing loss and grief.
The student must provide four self-care strategies. Examples may include:
 Making sure they have a hobby or interest to keep them engaged outside of work
 Exercise
 Good nutrition
 Mindfulness
 Plenty of sleep
 Having a good support system of friends and family
 Putting in place a self-care plan.
The student must provide two professional support services. Examples may include:
 Counsellors
 Psychologists
 General practitioners
 Employee assistance programs
 Support groups.
14. Explain the stress vulnerability model. In your answer, include reference to how it is applied to
loss and grief support.
The student’s answer must demonstrate their knowledge of the stress vulnerability model and
its application to loss and grief support. Key points include:
 People have vulnerabilities in regards to dealing with stress and stressful events.
 People have strengths in regards to dealing with stress and stressful events.
 These strengths and vulnerabilities can determine how well a person may respond to loss
and grief.
 Co-occurring disorders can increase vulnerability.
 A person with a history of mental illness will tend to be more vulnerable to symptoms and
relapses due to the stress experienced of loss and grief.
 Influences of alcohol and drug abuse, coping mechanisms and social support can also
impact the level of stress that a person may experience.

15. Assume you are working with a person who has recently experienced the sudden and
unexpected loss of their life partner. You have been observing their health carefully and have
noted that they are not eating well. They have pre-existing conditions that could worsen with
ongoing poor nutrition.
Explain how you would apply your duty of care to this scenario.
The student’s answer must demonstrate their knowledge of how duty of care applies to this
particular type of scenario. Key points should include reference to taking active steps to
prioritise and ensure the person’s health and wellbeing (for example, talking to them about
their lack of nutrition and its impact on their pre-existing conditions), recording information in
the person’s care plan, discussing the situation with their supervisor and applying the
workplace’s procedures in relation to referrals should the person consent to obtaining help.
16. Assume the same person above tells you that they want to die and they know exactly how
they will do it. This is not the first time this person has threatened to suicide and their history
shows there was a suicide attempt many years ago. They try to make you promise to not tell
anyone.
Explain how laws regarding disclosure and confidentiality apply in this situation.
The student’s answer must demonstrate their knowledge of disclosure requirements. In this
case, the person has made a clear threat to suicide (as opposed to the scenario at
question 15 where there is a suspicion of suicidal risk). In this case it is a legal requirement for
the worker to report the situation immediately as the person must be protected from harming
themselves. The worker cannot maintain confidentiality (ie agree to promise not to say
anything) due the imminent risk.
17. Assume you are working with a person who is new to your workplace and dealing with trauma
that stems from a recent car accident in which they were the only survivor, but also in which
they sustained injuries that have reduced mobility on one side of their body. Your observations
indicate that the person has recently started abusing alcohol.
During a discussion with this person, in which they admit their alcohol use is starting to get out
of control, you talk about a number of services that could help them and how the referral
process works.
Identify what needs to happen in this situation so you are meeting the legal requirements
related to disclosure.
The student must identify that the person needs to provide consent for their information to be
provided to another health service provider.
18. Using the scenarios above, provide two examples of how you could (intentionally or
unintentionally) breach each person’s confidentiality.
The student’s answer must demonstrate their knowledge of how confidentiality applies to the
above scenario. The student must provide two examples as part of their response. Examples
of confidentiality breaches may include:

 discussing the situation with staff who are not authorised to know about client information
(for example, talking to cleaning staff, administrative staff who do not access client files,
staff who work at other locations of the same facility, etc)
 discussing the situation with family members who are not authorised to receive
information about the person
 talking about the situation with own family or friends
 leaving documentation related to the person (such as case notes or care plans) in an
unsecure location
 disclosing information to other services without the person’s consent (for example,
organising a referral to another service).
Note: answers from the student that include ‘telling their supervisor’ about the person who is
threatening suicide (question 16) should be marked as incorrect as the worker is legally
obligated to report.
19. Explain the concept of ‘work role/professional boundaries’ in the context of working with
people experiencing loss, grief, bereavement or trauma. In your answer, discuss your
responsibilities and limitations in regards to those you work with. Provide two examples of how
the lines can be blurred.
The student’s answer must demonstrate their knowledge of work role/professional boundaries.
The answer must be in the context of working with people experiencing loss, grief,
bereavement or trauma as these situations are emotional, the people involved are vulnerable
and have the potential for lines to be crossed. Key points should include reference to
boundaries:
 being the limits of a worker’s job role and the rules applicable to their job role/duties
 ensuring consistent delivery of care across all workers in the organisation
 providing workers with clear ‘lines’ across which they should not cross
 ensuring that quality provision of service is being provided to clients.
The student must provide two examples of how boundaries can be crossed. Examples may
include:
 being asked to do things for clients that they are not able to do (ie they feel they should
do them out of a feeling of duty or compassion, but they would be breaching their legal
and ethical obligations)
 providing advice or assistance that they are not qualified to do, or that is beyond their job
description
 obtaining personal information from clients that is not relevant to the worker’s job role and
is not relevant to the information required to be held by the organisation
 providing clients with personal information about themselves
 building personal relationships/friendships with clients
 accepting gifts or money from clients (some organisations may, however, have
procedures that accept receipt of gifts but only to a certain dollar amount).

20. This question will require you to provide a detailed response. Read the statement below:
Responses to loss, grief and bereavement can vary between social, cultural and ethnic
groups. They can also vary due to spiritual and religious beliefs.
As part of your answer to this question you will need to:
 consider your own responses regarding loss, grief and bereavement
 consider how society generally addresses/deals with loss, grief and bereavement
(avoiding any reference to cultural and religious/spiritual beliefs)
 consider how a culture that is different to your own response to grief and bereavement
 consider at least two different religious and/or spiritual beliefs and their response to grief
and bereavement (you may like to discuss your own religious or spiritual beliefs, but you
are also free to keep these private if you prefer).
You can create table with a row for each of the bullet points above or write it in a report-type
format. It doesn’t matter how you present your response, just make sure all points are
addressed!
The responses to this question will vary between students depending on the cultures and
religious/spiritual groups they choose, and their own beliefs and attitudes regarding loss, grief
and bereavement. Key points may include:
 Cultural customs, which may include rituals, dress, periods of mourning, gatherings and
celebrations of the person’s life, funeral customs, family support etc.
 The way in which death is viewed by the specific cultures and religions.
 Religious/spiritual beliefs about what happens to the person who has died.
 Expressions of grief, which may be kept private/internal or may be outwardly expressed.
 Expectations of behaviour during periods of mourning.
 Changes in family roles and duties.
 Inclusion of the community in mourning and rituals.
 Naming protocols (can the deceased person’s name be spoken aloud)
 Display/presentation of images of the deceased person.
 Common societal expectations around loss and grief (for example, people are expected
to ‘get over it’, whether support is provided in workplaces, availability of support services
in the community, whether loss and grief is not spoken about, whether the local
community is engaged and supportive etc)
 Religious/spiritual beliefs give a wider meaning to the deceased person’s purpose in life.
 Religious and spiritual beliefs can give those left behind comfort in that the deceased
person is resting peacefully, that they will be reunited one day, etc.
 Religious and spiritual beliefs can give comfort through the support and care of others
who practise their beliefs.
 How the culture or religion addresses deaths such as suicide.
 Religious and spiritual beliefs can lead to greater faith, or alternatively a lack of trust or
belief in what the religion offers.

Assessment Task 1: Checklist
Student’s name:
Did the student provide a Completed

sufficient and clear answer successfully? Comments
that addresses the
suggested answer for the Yes No
following?
Question 1
Question 2
Question 3
Question 4
Question 5
Question 6
Question 7
Question 8
Question 9
Question 10
Question 11
Question 12
Question 13
Question 14
Question 15
Question 16
Question 17
Question 18
Question 19

Question 20
Task outcome:  Satisfactory  Not satisfactory
Assessor signature:
Assessor name:
Date:

Assessment Task 2: Portfolio
Information for assessors

In this task, students are required to demonstrate their skills and knowledge by responding to three
different situations of loss, grief, bereavement or trauma. They will complete and submit a Portfolio
which incorporates templates, a reflective journal and, in some cases, third-party supervisor
reports.
You will also observe students in the workplace.
Students will need access to:
 a suitable work placement
 their Student Assessment Tasks
 their learning resources and other information for reference
 Portfolio template.
Ensure that you:
 review the advice to assessors regarding administering practical assessment in the

Community Services Works Assessor User Guide
 provide students with a due date for assessment
 follow your organisation’s policies and procedures
 refer to your RTO’s Training and Assessment Strategy
 provide written feedback to each student
 provide resubmission guidance to students (including a timeline) who do not complete the task
satisfactorily
 complete the Assessment Task 2 Checklist which can be found at the end of this task
 complete the Final Results Record which can be found at the end of this Assessment Marking
Guide.

Assessment delivery information
i
Assessment delivery information which has been contextualised to your RTO’s student
cohort can be found in Appendix A of the Community Services Works Assessor User
Guide. Use this information to advise students of:
Note: Students should complete and submit an assessment cover sheet with their
work. A template is provided in Appendix C of the Assessor User Guide but you should
refer to your organisation’s policies and procedures.
 Students must submit:
o a completed Portfolio.

Information for students
In this task, you are required to demonstrate your skills and knowledge by responding to three
different situations of loss, grief, bereavement or trauma. You will complete and submit a Portfolio
which incorporates templates, a reflective journal and, in some cases, third-party supervisor
reports.
Your assessor will also observe you in the workplace.
You will need access to:
 a suitable work placement
 your learning resources and other information for reference
 Portfolio template.
Ensure that you:
 review the advice to students regarding responding to written tasks in the Community
Services Works Student User Guide
 comply with the due date for assessment which your assessor will provide
 adhere with your RTO’s submission guidelines
 answer all questions completely and correctly
 submit work which is original and, where necessary, properly referenced
 submit a completed cover sheet with your work
 avoid sharing your answers with other students.
i Assessment information
Information about how you should complete this assessment can be found in
Appendix A of the Community Services Works Student User Guide. Refer to the
appendix for information on:
Note: You must complete and submit an assessment cover sheet with your work. A
template is provided in Appendix C of the Student User Guide. However, if your RTO
has provided you with an assessment cover sheet, please ensure that you use that.

Complete the following activities:
1. Carefully read the following information.
Successful completion of this assessment task requires you to demonstrate your

skills and knowledge by responding to three different situations of loss, grief,
bereavement or trauma.
It is important that you provide evidence that you have completed this requirement
and we have provided you with a Portfolio Template to work into. You must:
 recognise reactions to loss and grief
 engage empathically with those experiencing loss and grief
 offer support and information to those experiencing loss and grief
 apply self-care
 review the support provided to those experiencing loss and grief.
Wherever possible, as much of this assessment should be completed in your work

placement with real people, but understandably, there are limitations of what you
will be able to do in the work placement, and the circumstances of the individuals
you come across during your work placement will be varied.
You will collect most of your evidence and complete portfolio documentation during
the work placement phase of your course. You may also complete some of your
portfolio in the classroom. The rest can be completed in the classroom after your
work placement is finished.
Your assessor will visit you in the workplace to observe certain aspects of this
assessment and your workplace supervisor will also provide feedback.
Before you begin this task, meet with your workplace supervisor to discuss the
requirements of this task. It’s important to remember that people can experience
loss and grief for things other than death, therefore you should think carefully about
the people at your work placement and their circumstances. Your workplace
supervisor will help you to identify appropriate situations if required.
Note: this unit requires that you respond to three diverse situations. This does not
necessarily mean three different people, you may in fact be dealing with more than
three people who are experiencing loss, grief, bereavement and trauma, such as
the person (ie the client) as well as their family members.
You will also require access to all the necessary facilities, equipment and resources
to complete this task. This includes access to the individualised plans for each
person and to your workplace’s policies and procedures.
Remember, it is important to keep the privacy and confidentiality of the individuals
you work with as high priority. Therefore, you must deidentify the people who you
work with according to your organisation’s policies and procedures. If you are
unsure about how to do this, speak to your assessor or workplace supervisor.

Tips for completing your portfolio
 Read through this assessment and your Portfolio Template before you get
started and make sure you understand what you need to do. If you are unsure,
speak to your assessor and/or workplace supervisor.
 Stay up to date! Complete your portfolio entries as you go and ask your
supervisor to do the same. Providing organised, complete evidence forms part
of your assessment.
 Stay in touch with your assessor. Ask questions, raise issues, check in,
communicate.
Most importantly, ask for help if you are having trouble!
Important note: Throughout your portfolio, you are asked to provide documents as
evidence of the work that you have done. If you have permission to make copies of
the documents described in the portfolio template, include these as part of your
evidence by attaching them at the end of the portfolio. If you are not allowed to
remove any workplace documentation from your workplace, then your assessor will
be required to look at these documents during a workplace visit.
Documentation you will need to submit in your portfolio as evidence includes:
 relevant sections of each person’s individual support plan
 workplace policies and procedures related to:
o privacy, confidentiality and disclosure
o self-care
o communication
o dealing with situations of risk, including those that may indicate a risk of
suicide.
If you are unsure – ask your supervisor!
2. Complete your portfolio.
Use the Portfolio Template to collect evidence for this assessment during your work
placement period.
There are six sections of your Portfolio that need to be completed:
 Section 1 – Recognising reactions to loss and grief
In Section 1 you will describe the three different situations of loss, grief,
bereavement or trauma that you have encountered.
Note: the following two requirements may not be things you encounter during

your work placement (particularly PC1.4):
 PC1.3 Identify situations where there may be risk to the health and/or
safety of the person or other people and make appropriate referrals
 PC1.4 Identify and assess an individual’s suicide risk and where

necessary refer to appropriate services.
If this is the case, your assessor will talk to you about these requirements
during their workplace visit and ask you a number of questions. See Section 5
for further information. You must complete this section of the portfolio for each
of the situations you encounter.
Assessor: see Section 1 of Portfolio Assessor for marking guidance.
 Section 2 – Communication
In Section 2 of the Portfolio you will describe the variety of effective

communication strategies you used to engage with the person.
You are required to answer every question in Section 2 and have your
workplace supervisor endorse your evidence.
You must complete this section of the portfolio for each of the situations you
encounter.
 Section 3 – Providing, monitoring and reviewing support
In Section 3 of the Portfolio you will describe the activities you undertook to
provide support and information/resources to those experiencing loss, grief,
bereavement or trauma. You will also discuss how you monitored the support
you provided in each case and the outcomes.
You are required to answer every question in Section 3 and have your
workplace supervisor endorse your evidence.
You must complete this section of the portfolio for each of the situations you
encounter.
 Section 4 – Supervisor report
In Section 4, your workplace supervisor will complete a report summarising

your performance during the three situations you encountered. Ask them to
complete the report only after you have completed Sections 1–3.
Time can be provided during class dedicated to assessment to complete the
reflective sections of the portfolio – the student will need to get the supervisor's
endorsement though after they have completed all of their entries.

 Section 5 – Assessor observation
Assessor: you are required to make a workplace visit to the student as part of
this activity step. Ensure the student has either included the above-mentioned
documents in their portfolio, or you have reviewed them onsite at your
workplace visit.
In Section 5, your assessor will visit you in the workplace and complete this
section of your portfolio. Take a look at what the assessor will be looking for
prior to the observation.
Note: the following two requirements may be difficult for your assessor to
observe, therefore they will ask you questions about how you would identify
and deal with these situations as per workplace procedures:

necessary refer to appropriate services.
Assessor: You may not have the opportunity to observe the following
performance criteria:

necessary refer to appropriate services
The student may also not be able to provide information in their portfolio about
how they have dealt with these types of scenarios (particularly PC1.4).
Therefore, during your workplace visit, ask the student the questions provided
at Section 5 of the Portfolio. This will also involve you sighting the workplace’s
relevant procedures. Guidance for these points are provided in the Assessor
Checklist.
See Section 5 of Portfolio Assessor for marking guidance.
 Section 6 – Personal reflection and self-care
In Section 6, you will reflect on your work placement in regards to responding

effectively to situations of loss, grief, bereavement or trauma and discuss the
strategies that you used to monitor your own stress levels. You will also reflect
on your work and what you would do different next time.
Assessor: See Section 6 of Portfolio Assessor for marking guidance.

Assessment Task 2: Checklist
Student’s name:
Completed
successfully? Comments
Did the student: Yes No
Responded effectively to at least three

diverse situations of loss, grief,
bereavement or trauma?
As evidenced by their completed
portfolio fulfilling the requirements of
Portfolio Assessor and by fulfilling the
requirements as set out in the Assessor
Observation Checklist.
Identify reactions to loss and grief?

Demonstrate awareness and respect of

how social, cultural, ethnic and spiritual
differences can impact reactions to loss
and grief?
Demonstrate understanding of the

required responses to situations where a
person’s health and/or safety may be at
risk?
Portfolio Assessor (and verbal

questioning where required).

referral processes in place for the
person who needs to be referred to other
health professionals?

required responses to situations where a
person may be at risk of suicide?

referral processes in place for the
person who is at risk of suicide?
Work with people experiencing loss,

grief, bereavement or trauma by:
 showing empathy
 respecting social, cultural, ethnic

and spiritual differences
 applying sensitive practice
 being courteous to their needs and

preferences?
Apply a range of verbal communication

techniques to validate/acknowledge
emotional needs?

Apply a range of verbal communication

techniques to validate/acknowledge
emotional needs?
Demonstrate professional practice at all

times?
Provide those who are experiencing

complicated grief with access to
information about other services that
may help them?
Portfolio Assessor.
Provide information and resources in a

sensitive manner to those dealing with
loss and grief?
Discuss the different types of formal and

informal support options that may be
available?
Portfolio Assessor.

Confirm that information and options
communicated have been understood?
Portfolio Assessor.
Follow the workplace’s procedures

related to privacy, confidentiality and
disclosure?
Portfolio Assessor.
Monitor and review support provision,

determining whether there is a need for
further support?
Portfolio Assessor.
Keep check on own stress levels?

Portfolio Assessor.
Take action to maintain self-care and

reduce risks to self?
Portfolio Assessor.
Identify and respond to need for

debriefing and supervision?
Portfolio Assessor.
Reflect on outcomes and determine

areas for improvement in own practice?
Portfolio Assessor.

Task outcome:  Satisfactory  Not satisfactory
Assessor signature:
Assessor name:
Date:

Final results record
Student name:
Assessor name:
Date
Final assessment results
Result
Task Type Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Did not submit
Assessment Task 1 Knowledge questions S U DNS
Assessment Task 2 Portfolio S U DNS
Overall unit results C NYC
Feedback
 My performance in this unit has been discussed and explained to me.

 I would like to appeal this assessment decision.
Student signature: _________________________________________ Date: _________________
 I hereby certify that this student has been assessed by me and that the assessment has been
carried out according to the required assessment procedures.
Assessor signature: _______________________________________ Date: _________________

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CHCCCS017

PROVIDE LOSS AND GRIEF SUPPORT

© 2021 RTO Works

For the assessor

 Assessment Mapping: A mapping guide is included as a separate document to show how

For the student

 Supporting resources: Supporting resources include templates, journals, workbooks and

CHCCCS017 Provide loss and grief support | 4

Assessing this unit

 Assessment Task 2: Portfolio – Students must complete their portfolio document to

Work placement required

CHCCCS017 Provide loss and grief support | 5

Information for assessors

 review the advice to assessors regarding administering knowledge questions in the

 provide students with a due date for assessment

 provide submission guidelines to students

 follow your organisation’s policies and procedures

 refer to your organisation’s Training and Assessment Strategy

 provide written feedback to each student

i Assessment delivery information

 where this task should be completed

 the maximum time allowed for completing this assessment task

 whether or not this task is open-book.

CHCCCS017 Provide loss and grief support | 6

 adhere with your RTO’s submission guidelines

 answer all questions completely and correctly

 submit work which is original and, where necessary, properly referenced

 submit a completed cover sheet with your work

 avoid sharing your answers with other students.

 where this task should be completed

 the maximum time allowed for completing this assessment task

 whether or not this task is open-book.

CHCCCS017 Provide loss and grief support | 7

a. Primary loss Key points:

b. Secondary loss Key points:

c. Cumulative loss Key points:

d. Integration of loss Key points:

CHCCCS017 Provide loss and grief support | 8

Individual Examples include:

 Withdrawal from existing social networks

 Exacerbation of existing mental health conditions

 Development of mental health conditions (such as

 Reduction in self-care (such as not eating well, not sleeping,

 Increased in illness where poor health leads to a weaker

 Risk of suicide or self-harm

 Alcohol or drug abuse (illicit or prescription drugs)

 Unwilling to seek support

 Exacerbation of co-existing issues (such as drug and alcohol

Family Examples include:

 Family provides support to the person who is affected most

 Conflict, which can occur for a variety of reasons (for

 Different expressions of grief

 Lack of support from family members in regards to dealing

CHCCCS017 Provide loss and grief support | 9

 Difficulty adapting to life without a key person

 Difficulty surviving the emotional impacts of a traumatic

 Distancing from each other rather than coming together

 Blaming each other for the loss or trauma

Community level Examples include:

 Impact on the person’s social circle (for example, the social

 Increased demand for services at a community level (such as

 Different ways of grieving and dealing with loss, bereavement

 Tension or conflict within the community, especially

 Change within the community (either positive, such as the