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Follow the links below to find material targeted to the unit's elements, performance criteria, required skills and knowledge

Elements and Performance Criteria

1. Elements define the essential outcomes
2. Establish risk or threats to team safety
   • Source and analyse information on current and potential work requirements in terms of risk profile and existing procedures
   • Consider internal and external factors that impact on risks for workers
   • Liaise with team to identify the likelihood and effects of potential and actual risks associated with child protection work in different contexts
   • Document and report identified risks according to organisation policy and procedures
3. Analyse risks
   • Use the expertise, experience and knowledge of team members to collaboratively analyse risks
   • Assess the likelihood of risks occurring based on critical analysis of case information and other internal and external factors
   • Determine the scope and nature of impact or consequences if risks occur in order to inform strategy development and its priority
4. Develop strategies to manage risks
   • Determine collaboratively actions required to address identified risks and develop documented action plans with clear allocation of responsibilities
   • Access and use best practice evidence in strategy development
   • Integrate established workplace health and safety procedures and risk management frameworks for critical incidents in child protection risk planning
   • Discuss and agree on strategies that support and promote the resilience of team members
   • Include ongoing collaboration, health and safety meetings and use of supervisory framework
   • Plan and document contingency responses in relation to unexpected risks
5. Implement and monitor strategies
   • Implement agreed strategies according to organisation procedures
   • Gather and assess proactively information from ongoing collaboration with team and address the need for changed approaches
   • Recognise issues or concerns and assess the need for referral to internal or external support networks
   • Address complaints or breaches of legal or ethical requirements according to organisation policy
   • Use critical incident debriefing processes and reflective learning to inform change to policy and procedures within scope of own role

Performance Evidence

The candidate must show evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage tasks and manage contingencies in the context of the job role. There must be evidence that the candidate has:

performed the activities outlined in the performance criteria of this unit in the workplace

collaboratively analysed risks with a team across at least 10 different case situations

developed strategies to address common work health and safety (WHS) issues for child protection workers, including:

vicarious trauma

compassion fatigue

stress

developed strategies that include documented approaches to all of the following work contexts:

home visits

after hours work

child risk assessments

engagement with high risk clients

supervised contacts

critical incident occurrences

debriefing requirements

addressed a diverse range of challenges associated with risk to workers in a child protection context according to organisation procedures, including all of the following:

breaches of legal and ethical requirements

complaints

critical incidents.

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Knowledge Evidence

The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage tasks and manage contingencies in the context of the work role. This includes knowledge of:

legal and ethical considerations for safety planning in child protection work, and how these are applied in organisations and individual practice:

codes of conduct

duty of care

records management

rights and responsibilities of workers, employers and clients

work role boundaries – responsibilities and limitations

WHS, including:

procedures when working away from the immediate workplace

WHS requirements and responsibilities

processes for risk management in child protection, including:

critical analysis processes and other methods for analysing risk

responding to complexity

use of organisation supervisory framework

links between risk management and work health and safety

theoretical frameworks and best practice evidence that support risk management planning

types of risks that apply to workers in the child protection context, the likelihood of those risks and the effects of the following:

vicarious trauma

fatigue/burn-out

stress

strategies that support team member resilience and minimise risks, including:

employee assistance programs

team activities, both formal and informal

supervision

documentation and organisation information systems and tools to be used for safety assessment in child protection teams

critical incident reporting procedures.

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