1 Support female offenders in maintaining relationships

1.1 Assist female offenders to maintain contact with family, friends and support networks.

1.2 Facilitate contact between female offenders and networks in the community according to organisation’s procedures.

1.3 Encourage female offenders to confidently and positively manage themselves and their relationships .

1.4 Provide support to female offenders in a manner that maintains the integrity of self-management and personal dignity.

2 Maintain professional relationship with female offenders

2.1 Communicate with female offenders in a manner appropriate to the offenders’ needs and circumstances.

2.2 Develop and maintain appropriate relationships with officers, service agencies and personal support.

2.3 Respond positively, appropriately and consistently to female offenders’ requests and concerns.

2.4 Manage and maintain professional boundaries.

3 Facilitate self awareness of offender’s behaviour

3.1 Establish and maintain acceptable boundaries of behaviour.

3.2 Provide feedback to female offenders to assist them to identify the impact of their behaviour on self and others.

3.3 Assist female offenders to identify unacceptable patterns of behaviour and negotiate change.

3.4 Provide positive reinforcement of acceptable behaviour and acknowledge progress toward change.

3.5 Utilise support networks to support changes in behaviour.

4 Provide supervision to female offenders

4.1 Conduct interviews with female offenders according to organisation requirements.

4.2 Use communication strategies with female offenders to promote effective interaction.

4.3 Identify and use a range of communication styles to respect and reflect the diversity of the workplace and working with female offenders.

4.4 Observe female offenders’ routines and monitor changes and identify needs and potential risks.

4.5 Refer to specialist services where needs and risks are identified.

Required skills:

employing a wide range of dynamic security techniques to achieve cooperation and manage conflict

assessing risks and special needs of female offenders and providing information based on the degree of risk

responding to risks for the safety and welfare of female offenders and staff in the custodial environment and the community

reporting concerns and incidents to appropriate staff and managers

using communication strategies to find out about offender needs and issues while maintaining a professional relationship

noting changes in the behaviour of female offenders that could indicate concerns

raising issues with female offenders and assisting them to change negative and destructive behaviour

adapting interpersonal methods in recognition of the special needs of female offenders

using service networks inside and outside the organisation to optimise support for female offenders

modelling respect, honesty and cultural sensitivity to female offenders

identifying appropriate referrals to specialist services

Required knowledge:

factors that contribute to female offending behaviour

organisation’s policies, guidelines and procedures related to safety, control and surveillance and preventing and responding to incidents

organisation’s management and accountability systems

organisation’s offender risk management procedures

organisation’s code of conduct and ethical behaviour

specific statutory requirements for the care and protection of female offenders

organisation’s reporting procedures and practices

range of services provided by the justice system and the organisation to female offenders

court orders, sentence requirements and classification system

mental health: issues/disorders and support services

effective strategies for working with female offenders

impact of staff gender on working with female offenders

understanding of impact of primary care giving, including children in prison

principles of effective communication including cultural sensitivity

principal cultural observations and requirements of main cultural groups in the female offender’s community

female offending behaviour patterns in the criminal justice system

community agencies and services for female offenders

policies on non-discriminatory behaviour

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

Assessment and evidence must confirm ability to:

encourage female offenders to maintain relationships

maintain professional boundaries with offenders

communicate with female offenders effectively using language appropriate to offender's background

assist female offenders to identify their behaviour patterns

observe female offenders to identify needs and risks

refer to specialist services at appropriate times

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 skills 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 female offender supervision and the different services provided in and for correctional services. 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 supervising offenders 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 supervising offenders

access to appropriate learning and assessment support when required

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.

Networks in the community may include:

medical professionals, including psychiatrists

psychologists and other clinicians

government agencies

community organisations

Professional boundaries may include:

clearly established limits of appropriate and acceptable behaviour such as:

demonstrating empathy

maintaining control and reinforcing rules with gestures of support

using a non-judgemental approach

confidentiality

Support networks may be defined as:

case managers or program staff

Needs and risks may include:

awareness of physical, emotional and/or sexual abuse of offender

suicide and self-harm

mental health

assaulting and harming others

breaching conditions and/or rules

drug and substance abuse

risk taking

domestic violence