Application
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to work with and engage users of violence to assist them to take responsibility for their violence, and to work towards changing their behaviour and enhancing the safety of their family.
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 and maintain professional relationship | 1.1 Review existing case information as the basis for work 1.2 Use interpersonal skills to develop an open, trusting and professional relationship and to allow accurate and relevant exchange of information 1.3 Establish and maintain contact with partner and/or family of users of violence to identify and analyse their needs 1.4 Explain and promote client and worker rights and responsibilities throughout client contact 1.5 Mutually agree and adhere to appropriate structures, timeframes and protocols 1.6 Comply with organisation standards and procedures and with legislative and statutory requirements |
2. Assess capacity for change | 2.1 Assess motivation and commitment of users of violence to change attitudes, beliefs and behaviour and encourage positive elements and aspects 2.2 Respectfully challenge and constructively address violent behaviour and attitudes condoning violence in an environment that promotes positive client participation 2.3 Identify and assess related issues and factors that impact directly on the user of violence, their partner and family members 2.4 Identify own limitations and strengths in addressing and assessing needs, and respond to them within a supervision framework |
3. Encourage personal responsibility | 3.1 Challenge users of violence and encourage them to identify their violence and its known and potential effect upon partner and family members 3.2 Encourage users of violence to take responsibility for their actions, to recognise their choices to develop skills and/or knowledge and to develop non-violent and respectful relationships 3.3 Assist users of violence to use personal exploration to identify and address opportunities and obstacles to change their attitudes, beliefs and behaviour 3.4 Assist users of violence to establish realistic goals and strategies to enhance the safety of their partner and family members 3.5 Identify and negotiate the need for specialised services or referral with users of violence and relevant people 3.6 Show respect and sensitivity to cultural and family issues and to any individual differences |
4. Monitor and review progress | 4.1 Monitor progress of the user of violence through self- reflection, partner and family member feedback and critical assessment by the worker and if appropriate, the criminal justice system 4.2 Identify and challenge lack of progress in taking responsibility and any re-use of violence, and develop modified strategies 4.3 Encourage users of violence to establish and maintain networks of support to assist in the development of responsible behaviour 4.4 Identify and allocate additional services and/or support needed according to availability and organisation standards and procedures 4.5 Complete and maintain documentation according to organisation standards and procedures and legislative and statutory requirements |
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:
worked with at least 3 users of violence and provided appropriate support to family members according to organisation, legal and ethical requirements
established, documented and monitored agreements with users of violence that include:
goals
strategies
outcomes
used the following interpersonal communication techniques appropriately with users of domestic violence:
questioning and active listening
paraphrasing
clarifying
summarising
relationship and rapport building
challenging and supportive feedback
conflict de-escalation/resolution.
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 users of 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
records management
rights and responsibilities of:
workers and employers
individuals, families, the community and society to minimise or prevent domestic violence
specific legislation that applies to domestic and family violence work
work role boundaries – responsibilities and limitations
work health and safety
social context of domestic violence, including power and control, motivation for change, gender, child abuse and criminal issues
behaviour and socialisation theories including those which emphasise that thinking patterns can be changed to give people acceptable and constructive alternatives to harmful behaviour
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
prevalence of beliefs in the broader society which condone violence, and individuals’ rights to safety and autonomy
internally and externally provided services particularly in the domestic violence field
respectful strategies that will assist clients in changing their attitudes, beliefs and behaviours
theories and concepts of planning and control procedures, resource management and risk management
interpersonal communication techniques, including:
questioning and active listening
paraphrasing
clarifying
summarising
relationship and rapport building
challenging and supportive feedback
conflict de-escalation/resolution
potential obstacles and opportunities for clients that may impact on changes in attitudes, beliefs and behaviours
referral sources and associated protocols
own values and attitudes and their potential impact on clients.
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.