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 | ||||
1Assess offenders' potential and needs in relation to offending behaviour. | 1.1 Identify and assess offenders' history, skills, resources and needs and investigate risks and opportunities for development. 1.2 Encourage offenders to cooperate actively in the analysis of offending behaviour and directions for change. 1.3 Encourage offenders to take responsibility for changing behaviour by establishing personal goals and determining strategies for achieving them. 1.4 Acknowledge offenders' preferences and decisions and respond to them positively where suitable and appropriate. 1.5 Use personal goal-setting techniques to identify and prioritise areas for action. 1.6 Assess special needs and make referrals to suitable and available services according to guidelines. 1.7 Record and refer offender information and decisions accurately, according to procedures and offender information system. 1.8 Identify issues arising from involuntary participation and resistance and negotiate the consequences with the offenders. | ||||
2Develop plan to achieve offender goals. | 2.1 Provide information on the services available to offenders and ensure it is clearly explained and designed to promote cooperation. 2.2 Explore and clarify offenders' expectations and address potential obstacles to encourage realistic goals and minimise disappointment and frustration. 2.3 Explain and negotiate guidelines, conditions and requirements and get agreement on conditions and compliance. 2.4 Assess the need for specialised assistance or referral and negotiate these with offenders. | ||||
2.5 Encourage offenders' self-management and active involvement in decision making and ensure that appropriate support is provided. | |||||
3Implement offender management plans. | 3.1 Resources required by the plan are identified, assessed for suitability, negotiated and allocated. 3.2 Referrals are negotiated with other services and are conducted according to agreed criteria and protocol. 3.3 Offenders are assisted in individual negotiations with other services where required to achieve agreed outcomes. 3.4 Guidance and support are given when addressing obstacles to achieving goals. 3.5 Possible consequences of behaviour and decisions are explored with offenders and encouragement is given for responsibility in decision making. 3.6 All aspects of the implementation of the plan are routinely reviewed and documented and information is provided to all services involved in implementing the plan according to organisational procedures. 3.7 Specialist advice is sought when required and incorporated into the strategies to achieve goals. | ||||
4Monitor and review offender progress. | 4.1 Goals and objectives are reviewed against achievements and measures of progress and adjustments are made where required. 4.2 Achievements are acknowledged and positive encouragement is provided together with constructive, honest feedback. 4.3 Additional resources needed for further progress are identified and allocated according to availability and procedures. 4.4 Personal evaluation and reflection are encouraged and strategies are encouraged and supported. | ||||
4.5 Boundaries of confidentiality are established and explained to the offender. 4.6 Information obtained is confirmed with the offender and recorded accurately, comprehensively and completely. |
Required Skills
This section describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level, required for this unit. | |
Required skills: applying a range of risk and need assessment strategies using techniques for personal and service planning using strategies for complex coordination or resources, services and programs using a range of planning and evaluation strategies using communication strategies to overcome resistance and promote individual development using a diverse range of sources of offender and organisational information. | |
Required knowledge: organisational policies and procedures, including case management, information management, confidentiality and code of conduct an awareness of environmental and/or sustainable practices court orders, sentence requirements and legal obligations associated with offender management and services principles of duty of care statutory obligations, roles and responsibilities of individuals and team members support services and agencies and their criteria and guidelines principles and implementation of case management record keeping, case note taking and report writing specific human behaviour and development related to offending behaviour and behaviour change planning and evaluation negotiation techniques interactive communication, including counselling strategies. |
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 offender management 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 implementing planned approaches to offender management, including coping with difficulties, irregularities and changes to routine copies of legislation, policies, procedures and guidelines relating to implementing planned approaches to offender management 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. |
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. | ||
Assess special needs may include a selection from the following based on the nature of the service, case management requirements, and candidates' roles and responsibilities: | basic language and literacy skills living skills accommodation behaviour change and management addiction services - drug and alcohol, gambling health, fitness and hygiene mental health disabilities - physical, intellectual, sensory and developmental training and education employment family support relationship development legal and cultural. | |
Services will depend on the focus of the organisation and may be: | specialist services of the organisation specialist services of other agencies professional individuals or groups formal or informal. | |
The plan may include: | sentence plans case and offender management plans personal goal setting and review. | |
Specialist advice may include a selection from: | medical staff and services case management team social worker and counsellor work placement supervisor education officer cultural liaison and interpretation legal services employment and service orders - training and placement. |
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.