Elements and Performance Criteria

The contexts for acting as a witness include:
Within a juvenile justice process
Within a care and protection process

Acting as a witness will be carried out within requirements established by:
Rules of evidence within legal and court processes
Commonwealth and State legislation
International conventions relating to the Rights of Children and Young Persons
Organisational policy and procedures
Relevant program standards

Pre and post court briefings includes being briefed by:
A legal representative on the rules of evidence and court protocol
A statutory worker on the details of the case and organisational policy for presentation of evidence
A legal representative and/or statutory worker on outcomes and consequences of court decisions

Provision of evidence includes verbal presentation of factual information that:
Is descriptive and devoid of assumptions or judgmental statements
Represents the details and facts of the evidence that are pertinent to the case

Information provided is tailored to include:
Language that can be understood by the majority of participants in the court process with reduced jargon

Appropriate legal representatives include:
Crown law or private legal representatives appointed by Crown law

Relevant people may include:
Parents and caregivers
Workers or representatives from related agencies

Critical aspects of assessment:
Presents information factually and descriptively
Demonstrates an awareness of legal and court protocols and processes
Demonstrates knowledge related to appropriate organisation and legislative requirements
Use typical processes listed in the Range Statement

Essential knowledge:
Operations of the court process
Operations of legal system
Legal implications and responsibilities of statutory work
Rules of evidence
Relevant policy and procedures
Relevant legislation

Essential skills:

Communicating effectively with:

Organisations and representatives of court and legal system
Children, young people and parents/caregivers
Clear speaking and presentation of facts
Managing stress within a court environment
Report writing skills
Interviewing and assessment skills

Resource implications:
Access to an appropriate workplace or an environment capable of accurately simulating the workplace for assessment purposes

Consistency in performance:
Consistency in performance should consider the complexity of juvenile justice or care and protection processes undertaken by workers

Context of assessment:
This unit of competence will be assessed in the workplace or in a simulated workplace and under the normal range of workplace conditions