Assess No. 1

Due date: Week 6, Monday 2020 5.00pm (AEST)

Weighting: 30%

Length: 1500 words (+/- 10%).

The word count is considered from the first word of the Introduction to the last word of the Conclusion. It excludes the cover page, contents page (optional) and reference list. It also excludes in-text citations and direct quotations.

___________________________________________________________________________

Unit Learning Outcomes

This assessment item relates to unit learning outcomes 1,2,3, and 4.

1. Critique contemporary policy and practice approaches, including integrated response models, for working with perpetrators of domestic violence
2. Apply systems-based tools of analysis to design a set of considerations for working with men to achieve family safety outcomes
3. Formulate strategies that align with relevant systems and services to meet the needs of men from culturally diverse groups
4. Interpret and communicate professional knowledge of the dynamics and processes of men’s behaviour change group

Assessment 1: Essay

You are required to write an essay discussing the position of the men’s behaviour change program within a systemic response to domestic and family violence.

Tasks description:

Research and use current scholarly and grey literature to discuss the development of men’s domestic violence intervention programs within a systemic response to domestic violence. You will need to refer to the Duluth approach as one of the pioneering systemic responses to domestic and family violence, that use a whole community approach, including courts, police, corrective services, women’s DV services, etc, to scaffold and support the work with perpetrators. Also, refer to Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conferences (MARAC in UK), Collaborative Community Responses (CCR) in US, and Integrated Services Responses (ISR) in Qld, Australia, and other systemic approaches. Include a clear rationale about the positioning of men’s programs with a systemic response as a priority of safety and accountability for men’s behaviour change.

This written assessment is a 1500-word assignment.

In this task you will need to:

1. Introduction (150 words) – The introduction will introduce your topic and outline the key points of your essay that will inform the reader what you are writing about, why you are writing about it, and how you will you will discuss this topic.

2. The main body of the essay (1100 words)

· Define and explain systemic approaches to domestic and family violence

· Discuss the contribution of the Duluth Abuse Intervention Program to systemic intervention

· Review other contemporary systemic approaches - Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conferences (MARAC in UK), Collaborative Community Responses (CCR) in US, and Integrated Services Responses (ISR) in Qld, Australia

· Identify the position of the men’s program within the systemic approach and provide a rationale for its role and responsibilities within the systemic.

· Clearly explain why it is so important for the men’s program to operate within the systemic approach, rather than a stand-alone intervention.

· The main body of the essay should be substantiated with reference to the peer reviewed literature (no less than 5 article) and grey literature (reports, policy documents, and standards, etc, no less that 3 of these).

3. Conclusion (250)

· The conclusion should summarise the key areas that address the set task. No new information should be included.

4. Reference list (not included in word count)

Format

· You should use the APA Formatting Checklist (Academic Learning Centre, 2019)

o Your essay should have a title page, a reference list and be page numbered.

o Font size is Calibri 11 or Times New Roman 12 and double spaced.

· Your essay should have a clear introduction, body and conclusion.

· Your essay should be substantiated with reference to the contemporary literature with no less than 5 peer reviewed journals cited and no less than 3 pieces of grey literature.

· You should use the American Psychological Association (APA) abridged guide Term 3 2019 referencing style.

· Please refer to the marking rubric prior to writing your essay.

Submission

Please submit your essay in a WORD document via Turnitin on the unit Moodle site under Assessment one

Due date: Week 9, Monday Term 2 2020 5.00pm (AEST)

Weighting: 30%

Length: 1500 words (+/- 10%).

The word count is considered from the first word of the Introduction to the last word of the Conclusion. It excludes the cover page, contents page (optional) and reference list. It excludes in-text citations and direct quotations.

___________________________________________________________________________

Unit Learning Outcomes

This assessment item relates to unit learning outcome 5

5) Demonstrate skills for use in group settings which facilitate perpetrator behaviour change.

Assessment 2: Practical Assessment

The aim of this assessment is for students to demonstrate their understanding of how working with and within system interventions for domestic and family violence is a critical skill for facilitators of men’s behaviour change programs, in supporting men’s behaviour change. The men’s group is only one component, albeit an important one, of a systemic response.

Tasks description:

You are to read the case study below carefully and develop an intervention and risk management plan for Ronald, integrating the systems that are at work in his life, for his overall wellbeing and violence desistance, and for the wellbeing of his wife and family. You plan should be evidence-based and refer to academic and grey literature, (especially practice standards),

CASE STUDY - RONALD

Ronald is 45 years old. He has been a builder’s labourer on and off for 30 yrs. There have been long periods of unemployment and periods of incarceration during his adult years. He left school at the end of Grade 9. Ronald is an Indigenous man originally from a rural Indigenous Community, three hours from the capital city. His mother and father were both of the stolen generation. He is now living in the western suburbs of a capital city. He has been sent to your service for assessment and also to prepare for your men’s domestic violence intervention program.

During your first interview, you find out that your new client has been married for 20 years and has three children aged 21 (Archie), 16 (Ronald, Jr), and 10 (Sarah). At present he is unemployed. He has a long-standing problem with methamphetamines and his drug related habits have been the cause of his incarceration. He has also had issues with ongoing alcohol use. He has been violent at home and outside of his home with others. He is currently on probation and parole for domestic violence offences against his wife Veronica (he threatened her with a kitchen knife and then trashed the living room). He has had three Domestic Violence Orders in his marriage; he has breached all three and consequently been arrested. Ronald has been diagnosed with depression and anxiety and blames his childhood experience within his own family of origin for these. He has been reported to Child Safety for his harsh discipline of Sarah, and there has been discussion regarding removing her from the home. The two older children have moved out because of his addictions and abuse and are living with his aunty in another town. He and his wife and family are in danger of being evicted from their rental property because they are so far behind in rent. Ronald is a very good artist and he shows you some of his paintings on his phone during his interview and assessment. He presents as friendly and open to change. This will be the third group he has begun; he has not completed the previous two groups.

As facilitator of the local men’s program in Brisbane’s West, you are working with Ronald on supporting his desistance from domestic violence and his behaviour change.

In the task to develop an intervention and risk management plan for Ronald, you will need to the following:

1. An introduction that explains the purpose of your plan and the importance of a systemic response, bigger than but inclusive of the men’s behaviour change program. An outline of what you intend to do in your intervention and risk management plan (250 words)

2. The main body of your response (2000 words) should be your intervention and risk management plan which should consider the following questions. Ensure you provide a rationale for each area with references to literature (academic and grey). Ensure that principles of safety and accountability are prioritised.

· What more would you need to know about Ronald and his situation?

· What systems have been responding to Ronald so far?

· What additional services could be resources for Ronald and why?

· What referrals and connections would be useful for Ronald?

· What impacts might these interventions have on Ronald’s wife Veronica and the children?

· What referrals would be useful for Veronica and the children?

· What further information would you need to know about Veronica and the children?

· What cultural connections may be beneficial for Ronald?

3. Conclusion (250 words).

· The conclusion should summarise the key areas. No new information should be included.

4. Reference list (not included in word count)

Format

This should be written in the form of an intervention and risk management report for your client, based on the case study.

· You should use the APA Formatting Checklist (Academic Learning Centre, 2020)

o Your essay should have a title page, a reference list and be page numbered.

o Font size is Calibri 11 or Times New Roman 12 and double spaced.

· Your assignment should have a clear introduction, body and conclusion.

· Your assignment should be substantiated with reference to the contemporary literature with no less than five (5) peer reviewed journals and three (3) articles of grey literature (reports, standards, policy documents etc) cited.

· You should use the American Psychological Association (APA) abridged guide Term 2 2020 referencing style.

· Refer to the marking rubric prior to writing your practical case study.

Submission

Please submit your essay in a WORD document via Turnitin on the unit Moodle site under Assessment one

Due date: Week 12, Friday 9th 02 October 2020 5.00pm (AEST)

Weighting: 40%

Length: 2400 words (+/- 10%).

The word count is considered from the first word of the Introduction to the last word of the Conclusion. It excludes the cover page, contents page (optional) and reference list. It excludes in-text citations and direct quotations.

___________________________________________________________________________

Unit Learning Outcomes

This assessment item relates to unit learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, & 4

1. Critique contemporary policy and practice approaches, including integrated response models, for working with perpetrators of domestic violence
2. Apply systems-based tools of analysis to design a set of considerations for working with men to achieve family safety outcomes
3. Formulate strategies which align with relevant systems and services to meet the needs of men from culturally diverse groups
4. Interpret and communicate professional knowledge of the dynamics and processes of men’s behaviour change groups

Assessment 2: Portfolio (Critical Reflective Journal)

Task description

The aim of this assessment is for students to demonstrate their understanding of the importance of systemic responses to domestic and family violence, in which the men’s behaviour change programs are embedded. This is to ensure the twin principles of safety and accountability in our domestic violence interventions are always prioritised.

You are required to create and maintain a reflection journal of your experiences of critically engaging with the content of this unit. Journal entries should be relevant to your personal and professional development in respect of your current or future professional practice. Please refer to the Introduction to Critical Reflective Practice in the Domestic and Family Violence Practice Program at the beginning of this unit (in Moodle). This assessment requires you to begin your journal entries very early in the term (Week 2 at the latest) and regularly add entries. You will need to complete eight (8) of them and ensure that you date your entries as you progress.

Overview and background
As well as advising direct Men’s Behavioural Change (MBC) interventions, relevant government standards in Australia require that MBCPs collaborate with other areas including: women’s advocate groups; child-protection systems; police; courts; probation and parole; cultural services, addictions services, and so on. This collaboration facilitates an integrated safety response system based on the principle of the “coordinated community response” (Gondolf, 2012).

Your capacity to critically reflect on the nature and qualities of these services and systemic relationships as you encounter and experience groups and other service systems in the course of your study, is critically relevant to the range of learning outcomes.

The task

You are asked to create and maintain a critical reflective journal of your experiences and encounters with the range of systems with which men’s behaviour change programs (MBCP) are engaged.

This task requires that you write at least eight (8) entries into a self-compiled journal over the term. This is intended to support and consolidate your learning by synthesising the range of competencies relevant to the unit, especially in working with and within a range of different services and systems.

New learning is often referred to using a journey metaphor. This assessment will help you to document milestones on that journey, reflect on their meanings, and incorporate feedback along the way. Competence in this self-awareness and the subsequent consolidation of attitudes consistent with practice in this work are assessable attributes.

Process and content
The following may assist you to consider the types of critical thinking that may be prompted in you study to include in your journal:

• Your thoughts and feelings as you encounter new knowledge and skills as you progress through the unit content and consider these in relation to real-life experiences from your own relevant work (if applicable).
• The impact of your own experiences on learning and self-management as a safe and effective practitioner
• Reflections on every-day-life experiences outside of formal learning that exemplify either collusion with or challenge to systems of oppression (involving gender, race, citizenship, etc.) that act to support domestic and family violence

• Mindfulness of how systems (criminal justice and social services) can contribute to exclusion, silencing, and marginalisation (increasing risk and danger) that surround domestic and family violence or their opposites: inclusion, listening, centring, and justice (leading to safety).
• Reflections on relevant systemic frameworks, methods, and strategies, along with relevant professional requirements.

This written assessment is a 2400-word assignment ( -/+ 10%).

In this task you will need to:

1. Compile a critical reflective journal of 8 entries (300 words each).

2. In your Introduction, please explain your understanding of critical reflective practice and why it is such a significant skill for domestic violence intervention workers, especially for facilitators of men’s behaviour change groups.

3. Consider and critical reflect on your experience of the successes, challenges and gaps of particular systems you may have engaged with in your work or are likely to engage with in your work:

a. Government legislation, policies, and standards

b. The Courts

c. The Police responses

d. Corrective Services

e. Child Safety

f. Women’s Services, especially advocates

g. Drug and Alcohol programs

h. Mental health services

i. Cultural services

4. Your critical reflection journal may incorporate some of the following ideas, as you reflect on systemic intervention and the place of the men’s behaviour change programs:

· Consider and critically reflect on your experience of or perceptions of how men’s behaviour change programs interact and work with each of these services and systems, positively and/or negatively.

· Consider and critically reflect on your experiences of or perceptions of the principles of safety and accountability for our interventions systems.

· Consider and critically reflect on clients’ responses and reaction to systemic interventions, from your experiences or perspectives.

· Your critical reflection journal show evidence of an engagement with peer reviewed and grey literature (no less than 5 peer reviewed articles and 3 entries of grey literature)

5. Reference list (not included in word count)

Format

· You should use the APA Formatting Checklist (Academic Learning Centre, 2019)

o Your journal should have a title page, a reference list and be page numbered.

o Font size is Calibri 11 or Times New Roman 12 and double spaced.

· Your journal should have eight (8) entries of around 300 words each, dated over the course of the term, you may include topical newspaper articles, and other media sources.

· Your journal should show evidence of references to the contemporary and seminal literature with no less than five (5) peer reviewed journals and three (3) instances of grey literature cited.

· You should use the American Psychological Association (APA) abridged guide Term 3 2019 referencing style.

· Refer to the marking rubric prior to writing your essay.

Submission - Please submit your essay in a WORD document via Turnitin on the unit Moodle site under Assessment one