Policies and Standards

The policies and standards required for an ACAP student placement are as follows:

• Appropriate Placements and Supervision Requirements
• Recognition of Prior Learning (students with previous experience in the industry)
• Recognition of Prior Learning for Counselling Placement and Supervision Units 1 and 2 (BASSIX Counselling students only)
• Current Workplace for Placement (students currently working in the industry)
• MASS - Using your current workplace or volunteering for placement
• College Placement Policies: Satisfactory Completion of Placement Requirements
• Incomplete Placements
• ACAP Student Placement Code of Conduct
• Supervision and Client Contact Requirements for Counselling Students
• Supervisor Qualifications and Experience

 Appropriate Placements and Supervision Requirements

The definition of an appropriate placement organisation will depend upon the course you are enrolled in. Please consult the relevant course below for the Placement Standards of your course.

 Students may be currently employed or volunteering in occupations in which they deliver or provide services to clients that meet the placement requirements of their course. Students who believe their current workplace meets the placement standards of their program and would like to undertake their placement at their current workplace must consult the Current Workplace for Placementinformation.

Students who have previously worked in the industry and already have significant skills and experience may be eligible to apply for Recognition of Prior Learning

Please note that RPL applications are industry specific and apply to the specialisation you are enrolled into when you apply. Should you decide to change specialisation at a later date, your RPL for placement hours may be void and you may need to complete another 400 hours of placement in the new specialisation. For example. a BASSIX student is enrolled into the management specialisation and granted RPL for SP 150 for their significant experience in corporate business. Should they then choose to change to the counselling specialisation, the RPL would be void and the student will need to complete 400  hours in counselling placements.

Students not already employed in the industry or whose workplaces do not meet the criteria must secure a placement that is able to support the outcomes of their program. All placements undertaken must be a minimum of 70 hours.

Placements and Supervisors must meet the Placements and Supervisor Standards below:

• Appropriate supervision and support
• Appropriate duties and tasks
• Examples of appropriate placement organisations

All counselling students are required to read the document Supervision Requirements to ensure they understand the different levels of supervision and supervisor requirements for your various placements.

• Graduate Certificate in Counselling Skills
• Bachelor of Applied Social Science (Counselling)
• Bachelor of Applied Social Science (Management)
• Bachelor of Applied Social Science (Sport and Performance)
• Bachelor of Applied Social Science (No Specialisation)
• Bachelor of Applied Social Science (Coaching)
• Graduate Diploma of Counselling (12) AND Graduate Diploma of Counselling (16)
• Associate Degree of Applied Social Science

 College Placement Policies: Satisfactory Completion of Placement Requirements

Student placements are deemed to be satisfactorily completed once a student has achieved all of the following.

The student:

• Is assessed in writing by the Supervisor and the Placement Department on whether they demonstrate satisfactory competency levels on significant areas relevant to the placement, as outlined in the Student Learning and Supervision Contract - the specific criteria for this assessment are clearly indicated in the Supervisors Report
• Is assessed by the Supervisor and/or Placement Department on whether they exhibit professional and appropriate behaviour while on placement
• Completes their placement within one year of the commencement date, or one year and one term for students enrolled in the Diploma of Community Services (Case Management)
• Submits all required paperwork (as outlined in the Student Placement Guide) to the Placement Department within four weeks of the completion of the placement
• Satisfactorily addresses all the requirements of the written documentation handed in to the Placement Department

The Placement Department, in consultation with the Supervisor and Educator (if applicable), assesses the completion of a student's placement requirements (outlined above) as either satisfactory or unsatisfactory. If a student chooses to appeal the decision of the Placement Department they may do so by following the guidelines outlined in the Student Handbook.
Students who do not satisfactorily complete their placement will need to complete an additional placement in order to meet their course requirements. Students who are marked unsatisfactory on three or more placements will not be allowed to undertake an additional placement.

 Incomplete Placements

Students who cannot complete a placement due to unforeseen circumstances must immediately contact their Supervisor and the Placement Department. The Placement Department will then assess the situation and determine whether any hours will be credited towards the placement requirements. Generally, students who do not complete a placement will not be eligible to credit hours towards their placement requirements.

Exceptions may be granted in cases if the student:

• Has suffered genuine hardship/distress (evidence is required)
• Is unable to submit the Supervisors Report in cases where the Supervisor is no longer associated with their placement organisation. Exceptions are assessed on a case-by-case basis by the Placement Department

Students who have a placement cancelled will need to meet with the Placement Manager or Coordinator to discuss the issues raised by the Supervisor and will then be informed any requirments they will need to meet prior to undertaking another placement.

 Graduation

Students cannot graduate without completing all of their placement requirements.  All required paperwork needs to be finalised prior to Graduation, which is generally held in early May each year.

Counselling students will need to ensure that in addition to meeting the hours of placement requirement of their course, that they also meet the minimum requirement of 40 hours of direct client contact and 10 hours of clinical supervision.

 ACAP Student Placement Code of Conduct

ACAP provides a secure and supportive environment for teaching and learning in which students are stimulated to reach a high level of achievement. ACAP is committed to high standards of professional and ethical conduct in all activities, and holds its commitment and responsibilities to its students as being of paramount importance. Likewise, it holds expectations about the responsibilities students have as they pursue their placement.

The following code of conduct sets out the responsibilities of ACAP students while they are preparing, undertaking or finalising a student placement for working with the Placement Department, clients and supervisors, and wider members of the ACAP community or the organisation they are placed with. 

ACAP students are expected at all times to:

• Meet all placement organisation requirements regarding attendance, promptness, punctuality, dress and work hours
• Treat Placement Department staff and colleagues with respect, courtesy and fairness, and afford the same professional courtesy to other professionals in all interactions and across all forms of communication
• Maintain a cooperative and collaborative approach to interpersonal relationships with members of the ACAP community, fellow colleagues and staff at the placement organisation
• Bring any concerns or difficulties to the immediate attention of the Placement Department which can then support, mediate, liaise and mentor as appropriate
• Act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights and privileges of other members of the ACAP community, fellow colleagues and staff at the placement organisation, and show commitment to the ideals and reputation of ACAP.
• Demonstrate initiative, monitor their own progress within the placement learning environment and be familiar with placement requirements - if students are unclear of expectations or requirements they are to be proactive in clarifying expectations before undertaking their placement or progressing with activities
• Act at all times in an ethical, professional and appropriate manner - all activities of the student are expected to be carried out honestly, fairly and accurately, so as to maintain good relations with the chosen placement organisation
• Foster and maintain an attitude of equity and self-discipline towards others
• Foster and maintain an open attitude toward others, and not to display or engage in discriminatory behaviour or values, harassment, bullying, or other behaviour deemed unprofessional
• Display objectivity and integrity, and maintain the highest standards of duty of care in the service offered to the clients of the chosen placement organisation - this duty includes the protection of clients' confidentiality
• Not establish any financial or other arrangement with clients or family members involved with the placement organisation during the course of the placement or after its conclusion
• Refrain from undertaking a placement where a dual relationship exists (e.g. with a supervisor, colleague or potential client) - such dual relationships may inhibit the effectiveness of the placement and jeopardise the student, client or supervisor
• Accurately and reliably maintain all written and electronic records as required by their placement - falsification of any placement documentation will result in immediate placement termination and the placement being deemed unsatisfactory

Counselling students are also expected to abide by PACFA Ethical Guidelines available at http://www.pacfa.org.au/aboutus/cid/13/t/aboutus.

Any misconduct, which constitutes unsafe practice, will result in the student receiving an unsatisfactory placement for which no hours will be counted.  Misconduct may also result in the removal of the student from ACAP, or counselling students from the counselling specialisation.