Application
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to prepare for and facilitate the family dispute resolution process with the aim of assisting families to reach mutual agreement on issues related to relationships, children, property and assets. It requires the ability to use mediation, conciliation, facilitation and conferencing skills.
This unit applies to dispute resolution practitioners managing complex family dispute resolution using a variety of facilitative processes within the family law environment.
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. Determine suitability for dispute resolution | 1.1 Obtain and analyse existing client information 1.2 Collaborate with colleagues and professional networks when additional information is needed and to support own understanding of the issues 1.3 Make an assessment of presenting issues with potential participants according to the family dispute resolution framework 1.4 Use the intake process to receive and share information that supports positive outcomes for potential participants 1.3 Identify situations where the dispute is beyond scope of own practice and make referrals accordingly |
2. Prepare for dispute resolution | 2.1 Analyse and prepare information to support the dispute resolution process 2.2 Explain the facilitated dispute resolution process to participants 2.3 Advise participants of the practitioner’s role, obligations and limitations 2.4 Explain limitations on confidentiality and obtain written agreement to participate in dispute resolution process |
3. Assist participants to define and clarify the issues | 3.1 Engage with participants using interpersonal skills and organisation resources to identify issues 3.2 Screen for significant matters that affect the ability of any party to negotiate freely in the dispute resolution process 3.3 Support participants to articulate concerns, negotiate and develop an agenda 3.4 Identify and select the most appropriate dispute resolution process for the client’s presenting circumstance 3.5 Explain the chosen process for dispute resolution 3.6 Document information and actions according to organisation policy and legal requirements |
4. Facilitate communication and information exchange | 4.1 Use facilitation skills to encourage active listening between participants 4.2 Manage interactions between participants in ways that ensure fair and respectful engagement 4.3 Ensure each participant has equal opportunity to speak, be heard and present needs, interests and concerns 4.4 Provide sufficient opportunity for participants to access advice and information from other experts 4.5 Identify the need for, and conduct, separate sessions according to client needs 4.6 Share information with others involved in the dispute in a timely way |
5. Invite the framing of disputes to increase the range of options | 5.1 Assist participants to develop agendas for the process that consider the broader range of issues 5.2 Frame and provide information in ways that assist the participants to view situations more broadly 5.3 Maintain impartiality, and client self- determination and refrain from advising on a particular outcome 5.4 Assist parties to communicate on issues that impact on children and to consider the best interests of the child |
6. Encourage mutual personal understanding between participants | 6.1 Encourage participants to acknowledge each other’s needs, fears and concerns using communication techniques 6.2 Identify and encourage cooperative behaviour and demonstrated and/or expressed intentions to commit to resolving disputes 6.3 Monitor and manage any disruptive behaviours and communications 6.4 Manage power imbalances in the dispute resolution session 6.5 Identify situations where continuation of the process has the potential for harm, and terminate or suspend the process according to organisation procedures |
7. Assist participants to generate and evaluate options | 7.1 Use techniques and strategies that assist participants to generate potential options for dispute resolution 7.2 Encourage discussion about the effects of each option on parties involved in the dispute, with particular consideration for children affected by the agreement to be made 7.3 Promote and monitor the best interests of the child in participants’ agreements, including assessment of risk to vulnerable parties |
8. Confirm and document outcomes and agreements | 8.1 Support participants to reach agreement using facilitation skills and confirm participant understanding of agreements reached 8.2 Ensure that participants reach agreement freely, voluntarily, without undue influence and on the basis of informed consent 8.3 Document outcomes and agreements according to organisation and legislative requirements and limitations of own role 8.4 Identify and explain legal obligations of agreements reached 8.5 Provide participants with appropriate referral to supports for post dispute resolution |
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:
performed the activities outlined in the performance criteria of this unit according to legal requirements and ethical standards during a period of 50 hours of dispute resolution work with clients, under the supervision of an accredited Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner (FDRP), in a dispute resolution service
facilitated, either individually or in a co-facilitation capacity, at least 5 different dispute resolution processes that individually or cumulatively include matters relating to:
domestic and family violence
child abuse/child protection
finances, including child support
property
facilitated disputes that involve:
multiple parties
voluntary participants
involuntary participants
managed sessions where all parties are present, and in a shuttle situation
used dispute diagnostic skills, and responded to:
indicators of substance abuse
mental health issues
domestic and family violence
abuse and power imbalances in client situations
cultural dimensions of the conflict
own reactions to the dispute and/or disputants
applied relationship skills including:
effective liaison and working relationships with other allied professionals
establishing and maintaining trust and respect
encouraging client self determination
recognising own reactions to the dispute and/or disputants that might impair practitioner ability to conduct a fair process
use of age appropriate communication
used interpersonal communication skills, including:
non-judgemental approach
displaying empathy
active listening and questioning
clarifying information and assumptions
speaking clearly, simply, effectively at the communication and comprehension level of the participants
establishing rapport
showing respect for individual difference
used facilitation strategies and techniques, including:
mirroring strategy
role modelling cooperation and listening
reframing issues
respectful interruptions
encouraging active listening
formulating transition statements for clarification
managing power imbalances and high levels of conflict
applied critical thinking and content management skills including:
obtaining, identifying, analysing, prioritising and evaluating information
assessing issues and options and reasoning logically
reading, comprehending and using relevant documentation
writing clearly and concisely using neutral language
creating, maintaining and organising records
eliciting information from other professionals
using and exchanging information in a manner that broadens rather than limits the participants’ options
applied process skills, including:
working with a child focused approach
following the agreed structure of the dispute resolution process.
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, state/territory) for the dispute resolution process, and how these are applied in organisations and individual practice:
children in the workplace and child-focused practice, including when agreements are not child-focused
codes of conduct
discrimination
duty of care
human rights
informed consent
mandatory reporting
practitioner/client boundaries
policy frameworks
privacy, confidentiality and disclosure, including limitations
records management
rights and responsibilities of workers, employers and clients
specific legislative frameworks that apply to family dispute resolution, including:
provisions for children and property in the Family Law Act 1975, Child Support (Assessment) Act 1989
Family Law (Family Dispute Resolution Practitioners) Regulation 2008 in terms of family dispute resolution practitioner obligations and role
work role boundaries – responsibilities and limitations, including how to work with lawyers involved in the process
work health and safety
case management principles and processes
contemporary research and approaches to the following:
conflict management
responding to needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and communities
responding to needs of culturally and linguistically diverse families and communities
impact of conflict, particularly high and/or ongoing conflict, on children, and the use of child focused and child inclusive techniques to address and minimise these impacts
impacts of separation and divorce on couples, parents, children and other family members
main concepts of family, couple and child dynamics in normal developmental and abnormal forms
sources of power imbalances in relationships, how to recognise these and respond appropriately
procedures and instruments to screen for significant matters that affect the ability of any party to negotiate freely in the dispute resolution process plus safety planning requirements, procedures and limitations for clients and staff
different forms of mediation/dispute resolution process, their principles and practices:
facilitative as the current primary model
settlement oriented
therapeutic
evaluative
narrative
interpersonal communication techniques that support the process, including:
non-judgemental approach
displaying empathy
active listening and questioning
clarifying information and assumptions
speaking clearly, simply, effectively at the communication and comprehension level of the participants
establishing rapport
showing respect for individual difference
how to work with interpreters
facilitation strategies and techniques, and when it is appropriate to use these, including:
mirroring strategy
role modelling cooperation and listening through co-facilitation/mediation
reframing issues
respectful interruptions
encouraging active listening
formulating transition statements for clarification
recognising power imbalances and manage high levels of conflict
how to manage risk issues and how to terminate the process of dispute resolution safely
knowing how and when to use individual sessions
handling of parenting issues within the dispute resolution process, including:
parenting arrangements
child support payments
residency of children
contact with non resident parents
variations and/or review of existing agreements and limitations of the dispute resolution role in assisting with this process
handling of property issues within the dispute resolution process, including:
limitations of dispute resolution
types of information that may be included in a summary agreement about property matters
information considered valid by a court
documentation and reporting requirements and how to write up a mediation agreement, including:
required information
required format
ways of expressing different agreements and issues
use of neutral language
types of risk to parties to be considered in dispute resolution, including other dispute resolution options such as litigation or community based interventions, as well as their strengths and limitations
community, educational or other resources for referral or use within the dispute resolution process
self knowledge, including personal and cultural attitudes toward family conflict and the impact of self on the parties and process
Assessment Conditions
Skills must have been demonstrated in the workplace with the addition of simulations and scenarios where the full range of contexts and situations have not been provided in the workplace. The following conditions must be met for this unit:
use of suitable facilities, equipment and resources, including:
client and dispute information
screening tools
current family dispute resolution regulations
organisation policies and procedures
modelling of industry operating conditions, including:
scenarios that involve complex interactions with families
supervision of client work by an accredited Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner (FDRP).
Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015/AQTF mandatory competency requirements for assessors.
In addition, assessors must:
be an accredited Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner (FDRP).
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.