Application
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to assess the vulnerabilities of people who have been subjected to domestic and family violence, and to work collaboratively with those people to develop implement and review safety plans.
This unit applies to workers who operate with significant autonomy in therapeutic professional service roles in the community sector. The activity is self-directed.
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. Assess vulnerabilities and their impact on safety | 1.1 Analyse existing case information about the user of domestic and family violence as the basis for work 1.2 Recognise and support the challenges of disclosure and planning for individuals within the dynamics of domestic and family violence 1.3 Identify the impact of diversity and community obligations 1.4 Recognise the complexity of multiple vulnerabilities in the context of, and potentially caused by, domestic and family violence |
2. Implement safety planning procedures | 2.1 Recognise and respond to the impact of dynamics of domestic and family violence on the safety planning process 2.2 Clarify the specific safety concerns of the client through questioning and exploration 2.3 Identify safety concerns for children and the child protection issues that need to be addressed 2.4 Collaboratively create and document safety plans that address concerns and include clear forward actions 2.5 Identify where situations require other sources of assistance or intervention and make appropriate referrals |
3. Review safety planning procedures | 3.1 Analyse and respond to the variables in safety plans 3.2 Pro-actively obtain feedback from clients and colleagues about the effectiveness of safety plans 3.3 Use professional networks and collaboration to inform reviews of safety plan effectiveness 3.4 Modify safety planning processes in response to feedback |
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:
developed and documented safety plans that take account of legal requirements and specific vulnerabilities, with and for at least 3 people who have been subjected to domestic and family violence
reviewed at least 2 different safety plans based on client and broader network feedback
used interpersonal communication skills to establish and maintain trusting relationships, including:
questioning
active listening
paraphrasing
clarifying
summarising
rapport building.
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 for the domestic and family violence work, and how these are applied in organisations and individual practice:
codes of conduct
discrimination
duty of care
human rights
mandatory reporting
practitioner/client boundaries
privacy, confidentiality and disclosure, including limited confidentiality rationale and processes
policy frameworks
records management
rights and responsibilities of workers, employers and clients
specific legislative frameworks that apply to domestic and family violence, including child protection
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 domestic and family violence
dynamics of domestic and family violence
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
diversity 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
theoretical perspectives informing domestic and family violence work with people affected by violence
theoretical perspective informing behaviour change programs which emphasise accountability, responsibility, people’s capacity for behaviour change and moves towards acceptable and constructive alternatives to harmful behaviour
potential vulnerabilities of people who have been subjected to domestic and family violence, and appropriate responses, including:
alcohol and other drug issues
disabilities
lack of care for self
limited literacy
limited sense of future
mental health difficulties
parenting difficulties
poverty
social isolation
types of community obligations and their impact on safety planning, including:
cultural commitments to people within and beyond their family
employment commitments
parenting responsibilities
social and cultural responsibilities
respectful strategies that will assist clients to take steps toward safety
theories and concepts of planning and control procedures, resource management and risk management
techniques for dealing with stressed and traumatised clients
own values and attitudes and their potential impact on clients
potential obstacles and opportunities for clients that may impact on safety planning.
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.