What Units Are in Certificate IV in Ageing Support?

Certificate IV in Ageing Support (CHC43015) is made up of eighteen units of competency: fifteen core units set by the national training package, plus three electives — HLTAID011 Provide First Aid, CHCCCS033 Identify and report abuse and HLTHPS006 Assist clients with medication in ALIT’s delivery — and at least 120 hours of work placement where those skills are assessed with real clients.

This guide lists every unit, code by code, as published on the national training register and as delivered at ALIT’s West Melbourne campus. The same units explained by the skills they build, rather than as a list, are covered in ALIT’s companion guide to what Cert IV in Ageing Support covers.

The packaging rules

On the national register, CHC43015 requires eighteen units: fifteen core units that every registered training organisation in Australia must deliver, and three electives. At least two electives must come from the qualification’s published elective list, and one may come from any current endorsed training package or accredited course, provided it contributes to a valid, industry-supported outcome. The practical consequence: the fifteen cores are identical wherever you study, and the real difference between providers is which three electives they package — so compare elective streams when you compare RTOs.

The fifteen core units

Every CHC43015 student completes these fifteen units, grouped here by the job skills they build:

Empowerment, rights and interests

• CHCAGE001 Facilitate the empowerment of older people — supporting older people to exercise real choice and control in their own lives.
• CHCADV001 Facilitate the interests and rights of clients — advocating within your role when a client’s interests need a voice.

Service planning and coordination

• CHCCCS006 Facilitate individual service planning and delivery — the signature Certificate IV skill: developing, delivering and reviewing a plan with the person, not just for them.
• CHCAGE003 Coordinate services for older people — pulling the moving parts of a client’s support together: family, GPs, other services.
• CHCAGE004 Implement interventions with older people at risk — recognising risk situations and acting on them within scope.
• CHCPRP001 Develop and maintain networks and collaborative partnerships — building the working relationships a coordinator depends on.

Specialised support skills

• CHCAGE005 Provide support to people living with dementia — communication, behaviour support and dignity for people with dementia.
• CHCPAL001 Deliver care services using a palliative approach — comfort-focused care delivered with the person and their family.
• CHCCCS011 Meet personal support needs — personal care delivered safely and respectfully.
• CHCCCS023 Support independence and wellbeing — building daily-living capability and quality of life.
• CHCCCS025 Support relationships with carer and family — treating carers and families as partners in support, not bystanders.

Legal, ethical and safe practice

• CHCLEG003 Manage legal and ethical compliance — managing compliance within your scope: the step up from the Cert III’s “work legally”.
• CHCDIV001 Work with diverse people — culturally safe support for every client.
• HLTAAP001 Recognise healthy body systems — noticing when a client’s health changes and reporting it through the right channels.
• HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care — manual handling, hazards and safe practice for worker and client alike.

The three electives in ALIT’s delivery

ALIT packages three electives chosen for the realities of senior aged-support roles:

• HLTAID011 Provide First Aid — the standard workplace first aid certificate. ALIT’s guide to what HLTAID011 Provide First Aid is covers the course in detail.
• CHCCCS033 Identify and report abuse — the safeguarding skill aged-services employers increasingly expect of senior staff.
• HLTHPS006 Assist clients with medication — assisting clients with medication within your scope. ALIT’s guide to what HLTHPS006 Assist Clients with Medication is explains the unit’s boundaries.

Work placement: at least 120 hours

The national register requires at least 120 hours of work as detailed in the assessment requirements of the units of competency. Placement is where the plan-facilitation, dementia-support and coordination skills are evidenced with real clients rather than in simulation, so treat it as a scheduled part of the course and plan for it when you enrol. How placement blocks are scheduled is also one of the biggest influences on how long the course takes in practice.

What the unit list assumes you already know

The national packaging rules for CHC43015 set no formal entry requirement, but the fifteen cores assume the baseline skills a Certificate III establishes — the qualification moves a worker from following an individualised plan to developing and reviewing one. ALIT’s delivery asks for CHC33021 Certificate III in Individual Support or equivalent before you enrol, alongside its standard checks and English requirements. The full detail is in ALIT’s guide to Cert IV in Ageing Support entry requirements.

Studying the units at ALIT

ALIT delivers the full eighteen-unit program at its West Melbourne campus over 36–52 weeks with monthly intakes, and international students can enrol under CRICOS course code 114247G. Current fees and intake dates are on the Certificate IV in Ageing Support course page. For how the duration breaks down — study load, placement scheduling and recognition of prior learning for experienced workers — read ALIT’s guide to how long Cert IV in Ageing Support takes.

FAQ

How many units are in Certificate IV in Ageing Support?

Eighteen in total: fifteen core units plus three electives. In ALIT’s delivery the electives are HLTAID011 Provide First Aid, CHCCCS033 Identify and report abuse and HLTHPS006 Assist clients with medication.

Do the electives change between providers?

Yes. The fifteen cores are fixed nationally; the three electives are the provider’s choice within the packaging rules. Compare elective streams when comparing courses.

Is medication assistance in the course?

At ALIT, yes — HLTHPS006 is one of the three electives. The unit covers assisting clients with medication within your scope; it does not qualify you to administer medication.

How are the units assessed?

Vocational qualifications are assessed competency-based: each unit is judged against the evidence requirements in its assessment conditions — workplace tasks, scenarios and placement evidence — rather than a single exam.