Unit of competency details

CHC08 Version 3 

CHC08 Version 4  

Comments 

CHCCONS402B Facilitate and monitor contact

CHCCONS402C Facilitate and monitor contact

ISC upgrade changes to remove references to old OHS legislation and replace with references to new WHS legislation. No change to competency outcome.

Unit Descriptor 

This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to facilitate and monitor the contact between the child/children and the non resident parent

Application 

This unit applies to core Children's Contact Service work. The context of facilitated contact can be either voluntary (initiated by the family) or involuntary (result of court order)

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. Establish and commence the contact visit

1.1 Establish rapport with parents and child/young person and parents at commencement of contact visit

1.2 Reinforce parameters of facilitated contact with parents including reporting processes

1.3 Clarify contact or court orders with supervisor before contact occurs

1.4 Conduct risk assessment with both parties upon commencement of contact visit

1.5 Seek agreement from both parties to establish a plan for facilitated contact using negotiation skills

1.6 Plan, in consultation with parents and child/young person for the facilitated contact to occur with age appropriate activities

2. Monitor contact between child/young person and non resident parent

2.1 Monitor behaviours and safety of the child/young person during contact with non resident parents with minimal intervention

2.2 Manage any challenging behaviour of both parents and child/young person

2.3 Intervene in contact between child/young person and parent where appropriate

2.4 Seek support of peers or senior staff as needed

2.5 Refer family or individuals to other services according to organisation policy and assessed client needs

2.6 Demonstrate ability to communicate effectively with parents and children in a consistent, and culturally appropriate way to model respectful parenting and relationships

2.7 Direct the contact and keep interaction flowing between parent, child and or young person

2.8 Respond to complaints from either party according to organisation policy

2.9 Terminate contact when necessary in line with organisation procedures and reporting actions to immediate supervisor

3. Document information about facilitated contact

3.1 Prepare reports according to organisation policy

3.2 Create files and write case notes according to organisation policy

3.3 Complete incident reports when required

3.4 Revise arrangements for facilitated contact

3.5 Demonstrate confidentiality and privacy policy of the organisation in when recording and managing client information

4. Participate in strategies to improve services for families

4.1 Attend regular staff meetings and debriefing sessions with peers

4.2 Undertake regular professional development to ensure procedures reflect legislative and industry requirements

4.3 Consult on all difficult operations with senior staff according to organisation requirements

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
• Awareness and understanding of the implications of confidentiality policy and procedures and necessary limitations of confidentiality in cases of harm or abuse
• Awareness of work health and safety (WHS) 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, abuse and/or mental health issues

• Understanding the impact of high conflict in post separation involving children
• Emergency response procedures in situations of critical incidents eventuating from a breakdown in the changeover process

• Understand child developmental norms at different ages and stages
• Recognise how the observer role influences interaction and behaviour of others
• Boundary expectations of the worker in the role of facilitating changeover or contact
• Awareness of family systems and how this is relevant to the role of contact worker in the changeover and contact process
• 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

Essential skills:

It is critical that the candidate demonstrate the ability to:

• Debrief children and young people after contact
• 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
• Identify and respond to real and potential risks associated with changeover processes and high risk client groups including alcohol and other drug use, mental health and violence

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:

• 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 children and facilitate the process
• 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
• Create and maintain a child friendly environment
• Apply data entry skills for input of funding services statistical information
• Communicate effectively with children to ensure rapport is established and trust in the process of changeover is achieved and maintained
• Use observational skills and interpret this 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
• Work in a team environment and contribute as a team member to work practices and processes
• Assess child's need in relation to facilitated changeover and parental contact

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 person

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.

Contact or court orders may include:

• Provisions or orders specified by the family law court process

Risk assessment may include:

• Processes for evaluating the nature of specific risks to safety for individual clients using tools and structured judgement
• The content of risk may relate to:
• Exposure to violence or parental conflict
• Mental health issues
• Children's and parenting issues

Document may include:

• Court reports if specified within job role
• Case notes and observational recordings
• Incident reports
• Notifications
• Data entry requirements according to service agreements

Age appropriate activities may include:

• Childs chosen activity - play (individual and group)
• Outdoor activities and indoor activities
• Developmentally appropriate
• Child self determined activity

Other services may include:

• Counselling and family support services
• Dispute resolution services
• Health and medical services
• Child support Agency
• Centrelink
• Drug and alcohol services
• Domestic violence services
• Legal Aid
• Mental health services

Communicate effectively with parents may include but is not limited to:

• Use of empathy
• Congruence
• Being non-judgement
• Ensuring neutrality
• Culturally appropriate communication and observation of protocols
• Negotiation
• Assertiveness
• In languages other than English
• Indigenous languages
• Visual languages such as sign language and allow for the use of assistive technology

Termination of contact may be a result of:

• Safety concerns for child and/or adult
• Actual incident of breach of agreed standards
• Parent self selects to terminate
• Child distress
• Issues of a legal nature arise
• Senior worker determines it appropriate or necessary to terminate the contact