Child Clinical Placement 2A

Subject PSYC90075 (2011)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2011.

Credit Points: 18.75
Level: 9 (Graduate/Postgraduate)
Dates & Locations:

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2011:

Year Long, Parkville - Taught on campus.
Pre-teaching Period Start not applicable
Teaching Period not applicable
Assessment Period End not applicable
Last date to Self-Enrol not applicable
Census Date not applicable
Last date to Withdraw without fail not applicable


Timetable can be viewed here. For information about these dates, click here.
Time Commitment: Contact Hours: 50 placement days over the year. 1.5 hour conference per week for 24 weeks.
Total Time Commitment: Not available
Prerequisites:

Subject
Study Period Commencement:
Credit Points:
Corequisites:

None
Recommended Background Knowledge: Completion of APAC approved psychology studies to fourth-year (Honours) level.
Non Allowed Subjects: None
Core Participation Requirements:

For the purposes of considering requests for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.

The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements, Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

Coordinator

Dr Rowena Conroy

Contact

Sarah Drew

sarah@unimelb.edu.au

Subject Overview: A 50 day placement within the Psychology Department at the Royal Children’s Hospital and the University of Melbourne Psychology Clinic. Students are also required to participate in Clinical Case Conference while they are on placement. Clinical Case conference is held weekly during the teaching period (1) Psychology Clinic Placement. Students are required to complete 50 days placement in the Psychology Department at the Royal Children’s Hospital and the University of Melbourne Psychology Clinic at Blackwood Street, North Melbourne, of which 40 days (including 3 days of clinical training workshops) will be at the Royal Children’s Hospital and 10 days will be within the University of Melbourne Psychology Clinic seeing adult clients. The placement will combine patient contact, supervision and the optional delivery of training. Over the 50 days, students are required to accrue 120 hours of face-to-face contact with patients (assessment and treatment of children and adults: 100 hours within the Royal Children’s Hospital and 20 hours at the University of Melbourne Psychology Clinic. Assessment will comprise about 50-60 % of case hours with individual treatment comprising the remainder. There may also be scope for family or group treatment. Individual supervision may be augmented with group supervision.Supervisors for the field placement component will be registered as both psychologists and supervisors with the Psychologists Registration Board of Victoria. In most cases they will also be a member (or eligible for membership) of the College of Clinical Psychologists of the Australian Psychological Society. The field supervisors will be responsible for ensuring that students are adequately introduced to the field setting and for day-to-day supervision of the student’s placement. Field Supervisors will ensure that students are exposed to a range of clinical work, as far as possible allowing the student to function as a clinical psychologist within the facility. (2) Clinical Case Conference (Co-ordinators: Dr Lisa Phillips/ Dr Rowena Conroy). There are two major purposes for the clinical case conference. The first is to provide the opportunity (structure, feedback) for students to gain skills in presenting case material in an effective, professional manner, with emphases on the following:· Selection of material (clinical content and focus of presentation)• Organisation of the material (format; use of overheads, etc)• Personal presentation skills• Physical environment• Timing of presentations• Evaluation/feedbackThe second purpose for Clinical Case Conference is to provide the opportunity for students to discuss selected clinical issues in a large group format, with emphases on the following:• Focus/purpose for formal case presentations· Integration of clinical and research material within scientist-practitioner framework of professional practice.• Discussion of broad professional and ethical issues• Implementation of professional skillsChild specialisation students will alternate between a Clinical Case Conference taken with Clinical and Neuropsychology Students and a specialised Child Clinical Case Conference
Objectives:

The subject aims to provide the students with opportunities to experience a range of clinical presentations across the life span and to begin functioning as a clinical psychologist, under the supervision of a field supervisor. Students will receive experience in history taking, conducting assessments, arriving at a case formulation and making treatment plans. Under supervision, students will be given the opportunity to develop competency in the provision of psychological treatments to individual children, families, adults and (where appropriate) groups. In addition, the subject aims to give the student experience of professional psychology practice, including professional presentation, report writing and record keeping, managing a clinical caseload, and liaison with other professional practitioners.
Assessment:

1. A hurdle requirement of:

  • attendance at placement for 8 hours per day for at least two days per week over approximately 25 weeks.
  • Satisfactory attendance (greater than 80%) at clinical case conference.
  • Attendance at three one-day training workshops.

2. Completion of placement goals assessed on a pass/fail basis. The initial assessment is undertaken by the Placement Coordinator, in consultation with the supervising clinician, on the basis of satisfactory attainment of placement goals following APAC accreditation placement standards. Placement goals are as follows:

  • Experience in the administration and interpretation of a range of psychological assessment strategies and the writing of psychological reports;
  • understanding of typical courses and prognoses of disorders, and capacity to develop appropriate treatment and management plans;
  • experience with a variety of intervention strategies, which may include case management, individual therapy, family therapy and/or group interventions, and to be capable of evaluating those interventions;
  • experience in functioning as an independent clinical psychologist within the facility, although closely supervised by field supervisors.

If it becomes apparent during placement that the student’s performance is inadequate in some respect, then the supervisors will attempt to rectify deficiencies, if necessary by requiring the student to undergo further training. Students who do not receive a satisfactory report from their placement supervisor may be required to complete a further placement before being passed in this component. The final decision as to whether the student has successfully completed placement will be taken by the course convenor.

Prescribed Texts:

Mash, E.J., & Barkley, R.A. (2007). Assessment of childhoon disorders (4th Ed.). New York: Guilford.

Mash, E.J. & Barkley, R.A. (2006). Treatment of childhood disorders (3rd Ed.). New York: Guilford.
Breadth Options:

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.
Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Generic Skills: This placement subject is designed to promote an in-dept understanding of specialist practice, to expand the range of ways in which learning occurs; to develop a capacity to work collaboratively, to confront and manage unfamiliar problems, to value different cultures, and to develop a high regard for human rights, ethics and equity.

Download PDF version.