Application
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to use counselling and facilitation skills to explore client issues and identify possible options by providing a safe and supportive environment. It includes encouraging clients to be actively involved in seeking their own solutions.
This unit applies to individuals whose job role involves working with clients on personal and psychological issues associated with domestic and family violence within established policies, procedures and guidelines.
The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State/Territory legislation, Australian/New Zealand Standards and industry codes of practice.
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
Elements define the essential outcomes | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. |
1. Establish confidence | 1.1 Review existing case information as the basis for work 1.2 Use interpersonal skills to establish a professional relationship with clients based on confidence and support 1.3 Conduct interviews and interactions with clients in a 1.4 Show sensitivity to cultural, family and individual differences and any specific needs 1.5 Explain and promote rights and responsibilities of client, 1.6 Mutually determine appropriate structures, timeframes and protocols 1.7 Apply organisation standards and procedures and comply with legislative and statutory requirements |
2. Explore issues | 2.1 Use appropriate questioning to encourage clients to explore and acknowledge their fears, concerns and personal capabilities 2.2 Encourage those who use violence to take personal responsibility for their actions 2.3 Use facilitation skills to encourage exploration of emotions and experiences that will assist in reflection of issues 2.4 Analyse and respond to any indications of risk or threats to safety according to the degree and nature of the risk to client, their family and/or worker 2.5 Explore services and resources 2.6 Provide accurate and relevant information designed to develop awareness and understanding of domestic violence 2.7 Encourage client self- determination by using opportunities which assist clients to identify issues, set personal goals and make informed choices to enhance the safety of the client and their family 2.8 Encourage clients to recognise decisions and changes needed to assist them to achieve their goals 2.9 Acknowledge progress and encourage and support self-management of issues |
3. Identify future directions | 3.1 Identify and document future services and support required by the client and plan their delivery in consultation with client, their family and other appropriate people 3.2 Jointly identify client information needs and agree and implement actions to satisfy these as appropriate 3.3 Provide opportunities for client and their family to obtain information and develop skills 3.4 Use questioning and reflection to assist the client to make positive choices and changes as necessary 3.5 Maintain records of participation and progress according to organisation standards and procedures |
4. Evaluate own communication | 4.1 Reflect on and evaluate own communication with clients 4.2 Recognise the effect of own values and beliefs on communication with clients 4.3 Identify and respond to the need for development of own skills and knowledge |
Evidence of Performance
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:
counselled and collaboratively developed and documented support plans with at least 3 clients affected by domestic and family violence, using the following interpersonal communication and counselling techniques:
attending behaviours – active listening
reflection of content, summarising
questioning skills – open, closed, simple and compound questions
client observation skills
noting and reflecting skills
providing client feedback
completed a structured process of self-reflection and evaluation of own communication used during the 3 interactions.
Evidence of Knowledge
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 (national and state/territory) for workers interacting with clients affected by domestic and family violence, and how these are applied in organisations and individual practice:
codes of conduct
discrimination
duty of care
human rights
mandatory reporting
privacy, confidentiality and disclosure and its limitations in domestic and family violence work
records management
rights and responsibilities of:
workers and employers
individuals, families, the community and society to minimise or prevent domestic violence
work role boundaries – responsibilities and limitations
work health and safety
domestic violence and its context, including:
social, historical, political and economic context of domestic violence, including types and nature of domestic violence, power and gender issues, child abuse and associated criminal issues
prevalence of myths, unhelpful beliefs, attitudes and practices in the broader society regarding domestic violence and their effects on individuals’ rights to safety and autonomy
domestic violence indicators and procedures for undertaking assessment of needs of client and client’s family
counselling techniques that will explore client issues and encourage client’s self determination to enhance client and client’s family’s safety
respectful strategies that will assist in client self-determination which enhances client and their family’s safety
organisation procedures, practices and standards for:
client assessment
allocation of services
case management
interviewing
use of resources
programmed intervention
referral
groups represented within the local community (e.g. cultural, religious, language, sexual identity, age and disability) and an understanding of the issues that arise when working with those groups
referral sources and associated protocols
self-evaluation practices, including:
how to recognise own biases
impact of own values on the counselling relationship.
Assessment Conditions
Skills must have been demonstrated in the workplace or in a simulated environment that reflects workplace conditions. The following conditions must be met for this unit:
use of suitable facilities, equipment and resources, including:
client information
organisation policies and procedures
modelling of industry operating conditions, including:
scenarios that involve complex interactions and problem solving with other people.
Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015/AQTF mandatory competency requirements for assessors.
Foundation Skills
The Foundation Skills describe those required skills (language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills) that are essential to performance.
Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.