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Title / Describe effects of brain injury on behaviour, and implement safeguards to support a person after brain injury
Level / 4 / Credits / 10
Purpose / People credited with this unit standard are able to: describe the effects of brain injury on behaviour;identify and describe risks and/or vulnerability arising from brain injury and safeguards associated with behavioural changes in a person after brain injury; and document changes in behaviour and implement safeguarding strategies to support a person whose behaviour has changed after brain injury.
Classification / Health, Disability, and Aged Support > Brain Injury Support
Available grade / Achieved
Explanatory notes
1Codes and standards relevant to this unit standard include:
Health and Disability Commissioner (The Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers' Rights) Regulations 1996;
NZS 8158:2003 Home and Community Support Sector Standard.
2References include:
Accident Compensation Corporation. (2006). Traumatic brain injury: Diagnosis, acute management and rehabilitation. Wellington: New Zealand Guidelines Group for ACC, available at (search for ACC2404);
Centre for Neuro Skills Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) available at and
3Support should aim to: maintain, improve, or restore a consumer's independence and/or interdependence; utilise the consumer’s existing strengths; and where possible, utilise the resources of the local community.
4Definitions
Others refer to support workers, family/whānau, people in the community, peers, and colleagues.
Service plan is a generic term that covers the individual or group plans (which may also be referred to by other names) that are developed by service providers for people receiving support (and may include their family/whānau as appropriate).
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Describe the effects of brain injury on behaviour.
Evidence requirements
1.1Circumstances that can affect the behaviour of a person after brain injury are described.
Rangecircumstances must include but are not limited to – triggers, environmental factors, life history, personal style, culture.
1.2Types of behaviour that may be exhibited by a person after brain injury are described.
Rangetypes of behaviour include but are not limited to – aggression, passivity, sexually inappropriate behaviour, disinhibition, impulsivity;
evidence is required for four types of behaviour.
1.3The impact of behavioural changes on a person after brain injury is described in terms of social interactions, and developing and maintaining relationships.
Rangeinteractions and relationships may include but are not limited to – family/whānau, friends, support workers, colleagues, social contacts (school, recreation);
evidence is required for two interactions or relationships.
Outcome 2
Identify and describe risks and/or vulnerability arising from brain injury, and safeguards associated with behavioural changes in a person after brain injury.
Evidence requirements
2.1Risks and/or vulnerability arising from behavioural changes in a person after brain injury are identified in terms of the safety of the person and others.
2.2Safeguarding strategies to minimise risks and/or vulnerability for a person whose behaviour has changed after brain injury are described in relation to the safety of the person and others.
Rangeevidence is required for a minimum of four safeguarding strategies.
2.3Safeguarding strategies to support a person to manage and/or change behaviour after brain injury are described in terms of the person’s service plan.
Rangesafeguarding strategies may include but are not limited to – environmental management, positive reinforcement, withdrawing from a situation, removal of others, distraction, cueing, feedback, routines, managing fatigue, consistency in routines, safe decisions;
evidence is required for a minimum of four safeguarding strategies.
Outcome 3
Document changes in behaviour and implement safeguarding strategies to support a person whose behaviour has changed after brain injury.
Evidence requirements
3.1Changes in behaviour are documented in accordance with the person's service plan.
3.2Safeguarding strategies are implemented to support a person whose behaviour has changed after brain injury, and to manage and/or change the person’s behaviour in accordance with his or her service plan.
Rangesafeguarding strategies may include but are not limited to – environmental management, positive reinforcement, withdrawing from a situation, removal of others, distraction, cueing, feedback, routines, managing fatigue, consistency in routines, safe decisions;
evidence is required for a minimum of four safeguarding strategies.
Planned review date / 31 December 2016Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process / Version / Date / Last Date for AssessmentRegistration / 1 / 19 November 2010 / N/A
Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP) reference / 0024
This AMAP can be accessed at
Please note
Providers must be granted consent to assess against standards (accredited) by NZQA, or an inter-institutional body with delegated authority for quality assurance, before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses of study leading to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be granted consent to assess against standards by NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.
Providers and Industry Training Organisations, which have been granted consent and which are assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that applies to those standards.
Consent requirements and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this standard are outlined in the Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP). The AMAP also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations wishing to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors and assessors, and special resource requirements.
Comments on this unit standard
Please contact the Community Support Services ITO if you wish to suggest changes to the content of this unit standard.
Community Support Services ITO LimitedSSB Code 101814 / New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2018