Unit of competency details

Unit Descriptor 

This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to work with families to achieve the greatest level of self management of safe contact arrangements

Application 

This unit applies to staff working in Children's' Contact Services and within the regulations of legislation associated with facilitated contact under the Family Law Act

Employability Skills 

This unit contains Employability Skills

Elements define the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

The Performance Criteria specify the level of performance required to demonstrate achievement of the Element. Terms in italics are elaborated in the Range Statement.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Assess suitability for self managed contact

1.1 Review existing court orders 

1.2 Explain options for community support  outside of the children's contact service

1.3 Respectfully engage parents  in the planning process for self managed contact to occur

2. Plan with parents to establish self managed contact

2.1 Help parents to identify issues and barriers  to self manage contact

2.2 Develop a case plan to assist the family achieve self managed contact  according to organisation policy

2.3 Model time management and planning skills to parents seeking self managed contact

2.4 Model parenting skills and appropriate child behaviour management 

2.5 Use negotiation skills to assist parents to reach agreement about self managed contact

2.6 Ensure that plans for self managed contact are in accordance with court orders

3. Monitor and review transition plan

3.1 Review the transition into self management plan regularly

3.2 Revise the plan as determined by family and/or worker assessment of new or existing information

3.3 Maintain a child focused approach  in transition planning

3.4 Encourage parents to remain child focused in all aspects of transition form the support of Children's Contact Service

3.5 Follow revised plans to assist families achieve self managed contact

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level required for this unit.

Essential knowledge :

The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the identified work role

These include knowledge of:

• Understanding reactions of children experiencing re victimisation and who are affected by trauma
• Working knowledge of the intentions of the Shared Parenting provisions of the Family Law Act and practices that will support families to achieve these goals where appropriate
• Understand adhere to legal responsibilities and duty of care under legislative requirements
• Awareness and understanding of the implications of confidentiality policy and procedures and necessary limitations of confidentiality in cases of harm or abuse
• Awareness of occupational health and safety (OHS) policy and procedures in the context of changeover
• Relevant legislation that impacts on the provision of changeover and facilitated contact including, Child Protection Legislation, Family Law Act, Domestic and Family Violence Laws within the jurisdiction of the service provision
• Factors affecting family dynamics and particularly children, with incidents or history of high levels of parental conflict, violence or abuse
• Understanding the impact of high conflict in post separation involving children
• Awareness of adult and juvenile sexual offending behaviour types, cycles of offending behaviour and appropriate responses to allegations of offending behaviour in accordance with organisation policy and legislation
• Understand child developmental norms at different ages and stages
• Awareness of domestic and family violence cycle, indicators and appropriate responses
• Awareness of family systems and how this is relevant to the role of contact worker in the development of relationships in extended and blended families
• Working knowledge of separation anxiety and attachment theory, child development, loss and grief issues and family violence and how this is relevant to the role of contact worker in the changeover and contact process, particularly observing child's emotional reaction and interactions with carers/parents
• Awareness of case work practices and how to contribute to these process through documentation and consultation with senior staff or supervisors
• Local support services available to clients needing external information, support or interventions
• Cross cultural issues in child parent relationships

Essential skills :

It is critical that the candidate demonstrate the ability to:

• Demonstrate :

• empathy to parents/carers and children
• non-judgement approaches and attitudes towards all clients
• neutrality and impartiality when engaging in practices with both the resident and non resident parent/carer
• age appropriate communication when working with young people and children, people with disabilities, cultural diversity

• Record case notes, including recording only relevant information and objective information
• Discriminate between what is factual observation and what is personal interpretations and subjective information
• Write incident reports as required and in accordance with OHS policies of the organisation
• Identify real and potential risks associated with developing relationships with high risk client groups
• Communicate effectively with vulnerable or hostile parents and children in crisis using effective interpersonal skills and conflict resolution skills:

• listening and understanding
• speaking clearly and directly
• negotiating responsively
• persuading effectively
• being appropriately assertive
• empathising

• Engage involuntary or resistant parents and children in planning for the future
• Communicate effectively with children to ensure rapport and trust is established
• Use observational skills and interpret information into objective recordings of client interactions which may inform the preparation of court reports
• Use modelling and demonstrate cooperative behaviours
• Model and implement appropriate boundaries for interacting with families
• Apply case management processes
• Use a problem solving approach where issues prohibit the planning of self managed contact
• Use assessment skills for establishing client needs and planning to ensure these needs can be most appropriately met

continued  ...

Essential skills  (contd ):

In addition, the candidate must be able to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the identified work role

These include the ability to:

• Comply with codes of conduct of the organisation
• Communicate in a cross cultural context with a diverse client group, promote access and equity to service users
• Work with interpreters effectively
• Apply data entry skills for input of funding services statistical information

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

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.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate this unit of competency :

• The individual being assessed must provide evidence of specified essential knowledge as well as skills.
• Observation of workplace performance is essential for assessment of this unit.
• Consistency of performance should be demonstrated over the required range of situations relevant to the workplace on more than one occasion.

Access and equity considerations :

• All workers in community services should be aware of access, equity and human rights issues in relation to their own area of work
• All workers should develop their ability to work in a culturally diverse environment
• In recognition of particular issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, workers should be aware of cultural, historical and current issues impacting on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• Assessors and trainers must take into account relevant access and equity issues, in particular relating to factors impacting on Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients and communities

Context of and specific resources for assessment :

• In cases where the learner does not have the opportunity to cover all relevant aspects in the work environment, the remainder should be assessed through realistic simulations, projects, previous relevant experience or oral questioning on 'What if?' scenarios
• Assessment of this unit of competence will usually include observation of processes and procedures, oral and/or written questioning on essential knowledge and skills and consideration of required attitudes
• Where performance is not directly observed and/or is required to be demonstrated over a period of time and/or in a number of workplace settings, any evidence should be authenticated by colleagues, supervisors, clients or other appropriate persons

Method of assessment 

• Observation in the workplace
• Written assignments/projects or questioning should be used to assess knowledge
• Case study and scenario as a basis for discussion of issues and strategies to contribute to best practice.

The assessment environment should not disadvantage the candidate

Assessment practices should take into account any relevant language or cultural issues related to Aboriginality, gender or language barriers other than English

Where the candidate has a disability, reasonable adjustment may be applied during assessment

Language and literacy demands of the assessment task should not be higher than those of the work role

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. 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.

Court orders may include :

• Parental contact and residency
• Child protection
• Domestic and family violence issues

Options for community support may include but is not limited to :

• Counselling and family support services
• Dispute resolution services
• Health and medical services
• Child support agency
• Centrelink
• Alcohol and other drugs (AOD) services
• Domestic violence services
• Legal aid
• Mental health services
• Cultural community connections

Respectfully engage parents must include :

• Impartial and objective attitudes of workers
• Acknowledge individuality and experiences
• Respects the rights of parents to choose to participate
• Respects culturally diverse range of parenting skills and choices

Issues and barriers may include :

• Domestic and family violence past or present
• AOD issues
• Mental health issues particularly unmanaged
• Physical, verbal or emotional and psychological abuse
• Social and geographic isolation
• Physical and/or intellectual disability
• Health matters
• Accommodation issues
• Other legal matters

Self managed contact may include :

• Contact arrangements that are agreed to by both parents and managed without the support of the Contact Service and are considered to be in the best interest of the child

Child focused approach :

• Practice is aimed at facilitating information about the child's needs/wants to the parents , acting in the 'best interests of the child'

Model parenting skills and appropriate child behaviour management includes :

• Effective and respectful communication with children
• Seeking clarification on what the child wants to have happen, how they think this might happen, how they feel about the situation, seeking understanding form the child's perspective any changes that might assist with any contact refusal
• Encouraging and respecting children's views and ideas
• Appropriate management of child behaviour
• Appropriate content for discussion with children
• Expressing feelings and emotions