Elements and Performance Criteria

The Range Statement explains the scope and context of the unit of competency allowing for differences between workplaces. The scope of variables chosen for training and assessment requirements will depend on the particular work situation.

Organisational standards and procedures may include those relating to:
Whether debriefing is a voluntary or compulsory component of workplace practice
Client and worker safety
Employment conditions (eg. Industrial agreements, employee/employer requirements)
Training and development practices
Administrative processes
Occupational health and safety
Collection and storage of information
Client interview protocols and procedures
Code of conduct/code of ethics
Principles and implementation of duty of care and rights of client to self determination
Departmental, inter-departmental regulations, protocols and procedures relevant to work role and responsibilities
Inter-agency practice and protocols
Use of interpreter and interpreter services
Organisational mission statement and/or philosophy
Eligibility criteria for accessing particular services
Completion of forms and applications
Guidelines relating to parameters of confidentiality/client consent
Accountability procedures
Timeframes for reflective practice and supervision

Feedback techniques could include:
Team briefing and planning meetings
Performance planning and feedback systems
Questionnaires
Counselling
Oral or written

Colleagues may include:
Other staff
Unpaid workers
Students on placements
Resources workers
Ancillary staff
Staff from other related organisations/agencies
Co-facilitators in group work

Personal performance standards in the context of this unit relates to:
The practitioner's level of competency
Professional ethics
Integrity and behaviour
Regulations
Code of ethics/practice
Organisational/agency procedures
Community standards
Occupational accountabilities

Professional reflective behaviour requires practitioners to regularly review their own performance against required and established professional performance requirements. Such performance requirements may be documented through:
Professional bodies' competencies and codes of practice/ethics
Organisational HRD policies and procedures
Occupational or functional roles/competency standards

Debriefing techniques may include:
Demonstrating empathy
Using appropriate body language
Reflecting, summarising and paraphrasing
Asking open-ended questions
Active listening

Indications of risk could include:
Client contact outside service boundaries
Poor performance
Feelings of depression, anger, low self esteem
Medical problems such as overuse of tranquillisers, or alcohol, rug or substance abuse
Emotional distress
Transference and counter-transference of client issues on to worker and vice-versa
Demonstration of stress related problems
Indicators of stress could include the following:
Inability to concentrate
Health problems
Changes of behaviour
Continued focus on and re-visiting of an event
Frequent absences
Negative attitudes
Unaware of own stress levels

Personal development strategies may include development/implementation of a personal/professional improvement program, either internal or external to the organisation including such things as:
Development of improved interpersonal/technical skills
Updating stress management abilities
Adapting work rotation to facilitate changing personal/work priorities
Formal/informal learning programs
Utilisation of existing strengths to focus future career development
Cultural and sub-cultural awareness/sensitivity
Seeking coaching
Mentoring
Counselling from appropriate personnel to overcome identified limitations
Development/improvement of conflict management skills
Establishment of new career paths within or external to the organisation

Support strategies could include:
Formal, personal and organisational debriefing and professional supervision
Informal exploration of incidents with team members and supporters
Counselling
Review of practice and resources
Conscious use of personal recreational activities
Performance appraisal
Training and development activities

The Evidence Guide identifies the critical aspects of assessment, and the essential knowledge and skills to be demonstrated to confirm competency in this unit. The Evidence Guide is an integral part of the assessment of competency and it should be read carefully in conjunction with the Range Statement, elements and performance criteria.
Critical aspects of assessment:
Assessment must confirm sufficient ability to manage own and colleagues' occupational health and welfare by participating in and facilitating workplace debriefing and support processes.

Assessment of performance should be over a period of time covering all categories within the Range of Variables statements that are applicable in the learning environment. In particular, assessment must confirm the ability to:

Work in accordance with the organisation's occupational health and welfare policies and procedures
Make appropriate use of feedback and self assessment techniques to accurately identify occupational health and welfare issues
Use appropriate debriefing techniques in accordance with organisational standards and procedures
Accurately identify risk and issues that will affect the well-being of self or colleagues
Provide advice, encouragement and support to colleagues to ensure that the workplace occupational health and welfare needs are met
Accurately interpret and comply with legal and procedural requirements
Understand own work role and responsibilities in relation to workplace occupational health and safety

Interdependent assessment of units:

This unit must be assessed after, or in conjunction, with the attainment of competency in the following unit(s):

CHCDFV2A - Manage own professional development in responding to domestic and family violence

Essential knowledge:
Understanding of legislative requirements and knowledge of best practice approach to occupational health and welfare
Understanding of rights and obligations of employees and employers regarding occupational health and welfare
Knowledge of debriefing techniques and processes
Knowledge of appropriate feedback techniques to ensure the various workplace occupational health and welfare needs are accurately identified
Understanding of techniques for effective workplace communication and team management
Understanding of current organisational procedures, practices and standards for client assessment, allocation of services, case management, interviewing, code of conduct, confidentiality, use of resources, programmed intervention and duty of care requirements
Knowledge of legislative requirements and provisions relevant to area of service delivery and delegated responsibility
Understanding of specific limitations of work role, responsibility and professional abilities
Awareness of own values and attitudes and their potential impact on clients
Understanding of how to interpret competency standards and apply them to self, including identifying and prioritising personal learning needs
Knowledge of self assessment and reflective strategies to assist in determining personal development needs, including preparing personal plans and establishing priorities
Understanding of role in debriefing process as a peer, supervisor or "professional debriefer"
Understanding of specific debriefing techniques and a colleagues' need to debrief specifically in relation to domestic and family violence including dealing with violence, rage, intimidation, threats, transference, counter-transference and interaction with users of violence and those affected by users of violence

Essential skills:
Interpersonal skills such as questioning and active listening (paraphrasing, clarifying, summarising) techniques, including non-judgemental and empathic approaches
Performance planning and feedback skills that will provide regular and constructive feedback to colleagues
Response skills ranging from responding sensitively and appropriately, to providing constructive feedback on performance
Assessment skills for a broad range of unpredictable problems involving analysis, assessment and evaluation, for example, identifying levels of risk that will affect occupational health and welfare of self and/or colleagues
Problem solving skills for a defined range of unpredictable problems that may affect levels of occupational health and welfare
Collaboration skills between worker and client, and between services and other providers
Literacy and communication skills in relation to analysis, evaluation and presentation of information including preparing documents and reports related to occupational health and welfare issues
Collaboration skills between worker, clients and colleagues and between services and other providers.

Resource implications:
Where assessment is conducted within the workplace there are no resource implications above those normally available in the workplace.
Where assessment is conducted in a simulated or non-workplace environment then access to the necessary equipment and research resources should be provided. Access to simulated exercises, case studies related to service delivery issues will also be required if non-workplace assessment paths are utilised.

Consistency in performance:
Evidence of competency in this unit will need to be assessed over a period of time in order to gather evidence of performance over the Range Statement. This will include contexts applicable to the work environment, such as actual or simulated workplace situations involving a combination of direct, indirect and supplementary forms of evidence.

Context of assessment:
Evidence will be determined by selection from the Range Statement, justified in terms of work requirements, work roles and responsibilities and occupational specialisations.

Evidence for assessment of competence may be gathered by appropriate combination of the following:
Demonstration of competency within the working environment in facilitating in workplace debriefing and support processes and managing own and colleagues occupational health and welfare
Assessment must be in the workplace, however, where there is not an opportunity to cover all of the Range Statement statements in the work environment, the remainder should be assessed through realistic simulations, projects, previous relevant experience or oral questioning on "What if?" scenarios
Observation of processes and procedures, oral and/or written questions 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 locations, any evidence should be authenticated by colleagues, supervisors, clients or other appropriate persons
Review of any documentation produced by the candidate related to identifying and responding to domestic violence