ANZSCO: 272112 Drug and Alcohol Counsellor
Skill Level: 1 | Assessing Authority: VETASSESS (Group: A)
Group A : Skills Assessment Criteria:
Qualification(s) assessed at Australian Bachelor degree or higher degree with a highly relevant field of study and at least one year of post qualification
highly relevant employment at an appropriate skill level in the last five years.
Requirements for Skills Assessment
This occupation requires a qualification assessed as comparable to the education level of an Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) Bachelor Degree or higher degree and in a field highly relevant to the nominated occupation.
In addition to the above, it is essential for applicants to meet the following employment criteria:
- at least one year of post-qualification employment at an appropriate skill level,
- undertaken in the last five years,
- working 20 hours or more per week, and
- highly relevant to the nominated occupation.
Please note in order to achieve a successful Skills Assessment Outcome, a positive assessment for both qualifications and employment is required.
A Drug and Alcohol Counsellor provides support and treatment for people with drug and alcohol dependency problems, develops strategies which
assist them to set goals and affect and maintain change, and provides community education (ANZSCO).
A highly relevant field of study would be Counselling, which is the study of the practice and skills required to provide guidance on personal, social and
psychological problems (ASCED). Qualifications in Psychology without studies and supervised practical training in counselling will not usually be
assessed positively.
Qualification
AQF Bachelor degree or higher*
Highly relevant major fields of study include:
- Counselling
- Psychotherapy
Fields of study usually deemed not highly relevant:
- Psychology
- Psychiatry
- Social Work
- Mental Health Nursing
- Special Education
*This includes qualifications assessed at AQF Bachelor, Master and Doctoral level.
Employment
Drug and Alcohol Counsellors provide support and treatment for people with drug and alcohol dependency problems, develop strategies which assist them to set goals and affect and maintain change, and provide community education. May work in a call centre.
Highly relevant tasks include, but are not limited to:
- assessing client needs in relation to treatment for drug and alcohol abuse
- conducting counselling interviews with individuals, couples and family groups
- presenting alternative approaches and discussing potential for attitude and behaviour change
Additional tasks may include:
- maintaining accurate and confidential client records
- referring clients to other practitioners and service providers where appropriate
In Australia, there are currently no legal requirements for licensing or registration
for the occupation of Drug and Alcohol Counsellor. Membership of a professional body such as the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia may be required by employers.
Reference: vetassess.com.au
Skill Assessment Assistance