Application
This unit applies to correctional services staff working with offenders in prisons, secure custodial centres or within the community. With changes based on different organisation's needs, it can apply to workers in juvenile detention, immigration detention or other contexts where working with detained persons is part of the work role. Customisation will be required to accommodate the different work sites and defined work role contexts in which this unit will be applied. | |
Prerequisites
Not applicable | |
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA | ||||
1Reduce risks to Aboriginal and Torres Strait offenders. | 1.1 Use a range of different interpersonal strategies to establish personal contact with the offender to build rapport and a professional relationship of trust and confidence. 1.2 Check the background of the offender for indicators of special needs and likely risks. | ||||
1.3 Use communication to ensure that the offender understands the conditions of court orders and the conditions of placement and offender services. 1.4 Complete reports, document all action and decisions, and report all concerns promptly to the relevant people. 1.5 Respond to concerns and incidents according to procedures and the degree of risk. 1.6 Ensure that the offender's environment is safe and healthy according to agreed standards and cultural requirements. 1.7 Supervise the offender's routine to monitor changes in mood and behaviour and potential risks. 1.8 Seek advice and support, including community and cultural support and the support of Aboriginal and Torres Strait staff, according to procedures and where needs are identified. 1.9 Refer the offender to specialist services or programs suitable for the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait people. 1.10 Promote and maintain the rights and responsibilities of offenders and their cultural identity. | |||||
2Respond to risk to Aboriginal and Torres Strait offenders. | 2.1 Observe and note behaviour signs that may indicate change in mood or attitude and analyse them for indicators of risk and harm. 2.2 Record changes that may indicate concern clearly and accurately and report them promptly to relevant support service. 2.3 Confirm people with special needs or who might be vulnerable to risk, from a range of offender information and monitor them closely according to procedures. 2.4 Analyse any indications of risk or harm and respond to them according to the degree and nature of the risk and the circumstances of the offender. 2.5 Respond to incidents immediately according to procedures and in a manner designed to protect the safety and welfare of the people involved. 2.6 Give clear and reassuring information to offender to address anxiety and distress and to maintain the offender's understanding of what is happening. | ||||
2.7 Give clear, accurate and comprehensive information to team members for risk analysis. 2.8 Support investigations of risks and collaborative teamwork to ensure improvements in services and support and continuity and consistency of care. |
Required Skills
This section describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level, required for this unit. | |
Required skills: identifying risk indicators, including: trauma of imprisonment or impact of the justice system stress caused by legal processes depression and withdrawal mental and psychological conditions separation from family and social support shame and punishment cultural conflict and alienation behaviour and attitudes checking and analysing information for assessment of risks, special needs and developmental levels of Aboriginal and Torres Strait offenders taking responsibility for duty of care outcomes based on the degree of risk and the special needs of the offender, including personal contact preserving the rights and responsibilities of offenders and their safety and welfare providing supervision and care, based on assessed risk and justifiable degree of care and concern making decisions based on knowledge of the impact of cultural and personal values on behaviour and expectations liaising with Aboriginal and Torres Strait staff and advisers using clear and reassuring communication responding to emergencies. | |
Required knowledge: understanding of the historical context in which contact with the justice system will affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait offenders understanding of indicators of risk to Aboriginal and Torres Strait people who are particularly vulnerable, including indicators of: suicide mutilation and self-harm physical violence mental illness sexual abuse addiction and drug use provocative actions and behaviour intellectual development personality issues, aberrant behaviour and psychological deviance in the context of the prison environment cultural isolation and alienation language barriers withdrawal and depression procedures and requirements for reporting risks and incidents involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait offenders, including work site reporting processes and the organisation's offender information system legislation relevant to roles and responsibilities and service guidelines, such as: reporting racial abuse and discrimination monitoring language and culturally determined attitudes responding to emergencies reporting incidents supervision and surveillance of offenders at risk protective supervision of offenders at risk of harm access to information and restriction of access appropriate relationships with offenders and colleagues rights and responsibilities of offenders referral to specialist and support agencies suicide prevention strategy organisation's code of conduct, code of ethics and duty of care, specifically in relation to the care and custody of Aboriginal and Torres Strait people range of specialist support services and programs available to Aboriginal and Torres Strait offenders cultural practices that will have an impact on decisions made about what allowances are made and permission given impact of cultural beliefs on values, attitudes and behaviour recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody relevant to the care and treatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait people in correctional services. |
Evidence Required
The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, the range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package. | ||
Overview of assessment | Evidence for assessment must be gathered over time in a range of contexts to ensure the person can achieve the unit outcome and apply the competency in different situations or environments. | |
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit | In addition to integrated demonstration of the elements and their related performance criteria, look for evidence that confirms: the knowledge requirements of this unit the skill requirements of this unit application of employability skills as they relate to this unit. | |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | This unit contains a wide range of variables to reflect the diverse nature of working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in a range of correctional services settings. Selection from the range of variables will reflect the specific requirements of the work site and the defined work role. Valid assessment of this unit requires: a workplace environment or one that closely resembles normal work practice and replicates the range of conditions likely to be encountered by an individual working with offenders from an Aboriginal or Torres Strait background effectively as part of a coordinated team, including coping with difficulties, irregularities and changes to routine copies of legislation, policies, procedures and guidelines relating to protecting the safety and welfare of Aboriginal and Torres Strait offenders access to appropriate learning and assessment support when required. The context of performance will depend on candidates' roles and responsibilities and the conditions required by: case management programmed intervention classification and review need and risk assessment reporting and referring systems protective care routine and incident reports review of sentence plan investigations dynamic security security system. | |
Method of assessment | The following assessment methods are suggested: observation of performance in routine workplace activities within a range of agreed responsibilities and in various work locations written and/or oral questioning to assess knowledge and understanding completion of workplace documents and reports produced as part of routine work activities third-party reports from experienced practitioners completion of performance feedback from supervisors and colleagues. | |
Guidance information for assessment | Assessment methods should reflect workplace demands, and any identified special needs of the candidate, including language and literacy implications and cultural factors that may affect responses to the questions. In all cases where practical assessment is used it will be combined with targeted questioning to assess the underpinning knowledge. |
Range Statement
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording in the performance criteria is detailed below. Add any essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts. | ||
Potential risks may include: | death self-harm suicide physical injury assaulting and harming others illness physical, emotional and sexual abuse harassment and bullying accidents criminal actions risk taking social isolation depression family and personal trauma social and cultural alienation drug and substance abuse. |
Sectors
Unit sector | Offender management |
Competency Field
Not applicable | |
Co-Requisites
Not applicable | |
Employability Skills
The required outcomes described in this unit of competency contain applicable facets of employability skills. The Employability Skills Summary of the qualification in which this unit of competency is packaged, will assist in identifying employability skills requirements. | |
Licensing Information
Not applicable.