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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED UNIT STANDARD THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE: 

Support victims of domestic violence 
SAQA US ID UNIT STANDARD TITLE
123213  Support victims of domestic violence 
ORIGINATOR
SGB Legal Education and Training 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY
-  
FIELD SUBFIELD
Field 08 - Law, Military Science and Security Justice in Society 
ABET BAND UNIT STANDARD TYPE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL CREDITS
Undefined  Regular  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  6 
REGISTRATION STATUS REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE SAQA DECISION NUMBER
Passed the End Date -
Status was "Reregistered" 		 2018-07-01  2023-06-30  SAQA 06120/18 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2024-06-30   2027-06-30  

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.  

This unit standard does not replace any other unit standard and is not replaced by any other unit standard. 

PURPOSE OF THE UNIT STANDARD 
This unit standard will enable court-based learners to understand their role in supporting victims of domestic violence and to assist them in planning for their safety, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of services provided by the justice system to victims of domestic violence.

Learners credited with this unit standard will be able to:
  • Analyse strategies for supporting victims of domestic violence as they move through the justice, social and health systems.
  • Conduct a safety assessment.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the components of a safety plan.
  • Assist victims of domestic violence to prepare and implement safety plans. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    Communication skills NQF Level 4. 

    UNIT STANDARD RANGE 
    This unit standard focuses specifically on the court-based support provided to victims of domestic violence in the form of safety planning, as well as the ability to refer victims effectively to other support structures and services. 

    Specific Outcomes and Assessment Criteria: 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 1 
    Analyse strategies for supporting victims of domestic violence as they move through the justice, social and health systems. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Types of emotional support which may be utilised are analysed in order to assist victims of domestic violence and other affected parties. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Legal support and information is identified in order to inform victims of domestic violence. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Psychological support and or counselling for victims is examined in the context of domestic violence. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Methods of practical support are analysed which can assist victims of domestic violence to improve their level of safety. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    Methods available to victims of domestic violence are analysed in order to access and make use of support structures. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 2 
    Conduct a safety assessment. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    The purpose and nature of safety planning is defined in order to reduce the risk to victims of highly abusive relationships. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Key components of a safety plan are examined within the context of abusive relationships. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Key components include assessment of levels of violence, risk, effectiveness of previous coping and safety strategies, identification of potential formal and informal support systems.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Victims' daily routines and environments are analysed in order to identify possible and preventable areas of risk. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Victims of domestic violence are guided to participate in a safety assessment by means of role play. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 3 
    Demonstrate knowledge of the components of a safety plan. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Strategies are identified to deal with victims' safety during violent incidents. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Options are examined to minimise risk to victims while in their own homes or when preparing to leave home. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Options are evaluated in order to minimise risk to victims while at the workplace or in public. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Strategies are appraised in order to address substance abuse and or promote emotional health. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 4 
    Assist victims of domestic violence to prepare and implement safety plans. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Victims of domestic violence are guided to adopt clear strategies to minimise risk in their personal circumstances. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Victims of domestic violence are guided to identify strategies to secure their safety in the event that protection orders are breached. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Debate is facilitated with victims of domestic violence on strategies to address destructive coping mechanisms and improve or maintain emotional health. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Victims of domestic violence are advised as to the available legal remedies that best support their safety plans. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    Information is provided about security and social services available to victims of domestic violence and or other affected parties. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 6 
    Personal safety plans are drawn up in a given case study. 


    UNIT STANDARD ACCREDITATION AND MODERATION OPTIONS 
  • An individual wishing to be assessed (including through RPL) against this Unit Standard may apply to an assessment agency, assessor or provider institution accredited by the relevant ETQA, or an ETQA that has a Memorandum of Understanding with the relevant ETQA.
  • Anyone assessing a learner against this Unit Standard must be registered as an assessor with the relevant ETQA or with an ETQA that has a Memorandum of Understanding with the relevant ETQA.
  • Any institution offering learning that will enable achievement of this Unit Standard or assessing this Unit Standard must be accredited as a provider with the relevant ETQA or with an ETQA that has a Memorandum of Understanding with the relevant ETQA.
  • Moderation of assessment will be conducted by the relevant ETQA at its discretion. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD ESSENTIAL EMBEDDED KNOWLEDGE 
  • Strategies to support victims of domestic violence.
  • Safety assessments for victims of domestic violence.
  • Knowledge of the components of an effective safety plan.
  • The ability to assist victims to prepare safety plans. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOME 
    N/A 

    UNIT STANDARD LINKAGES 
    N/A 


    Critical Cross-field Outcomes (CCFO): 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO IDENTIFYING 
    Learners have acquired the generic ability to give assistance to vulnerable people in high-risk abusive relationships to improve their personal safety. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO WORKING 
    Learners have acquired the generic ability to understand the importance of inter-sectoral team work in domestic violence and to develop and implement strategies to actualise team co-operation. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO ORGANISING 
    Learners have acquired the generic ability to assist victims of domestic violence to assess their particular environment and to oversee the adoption of clear and practical strategies to combat vulnerability. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COLLECTING 
    Learners have acquired the generic ability to extract information from traumatised court users, and assist them to translate and order this information into personal strategies to improve their safety. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COMMUNICATING 
    Learners have acquired the generic ability to communicate sensitively and constructively with traumatised people in domestic violence matters. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO SCIENCE 
    Learners have acquired the generic ability to develop and maintain information networks involving inter-sectoral service providers dealing with domestic violence matters. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO DEMONSTRATING 
    Learners have acquired the generic ability to understand the safety of domestic violence victims as part of a larger system of access to information, individual planning and societal support structures. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO CONTRIBUTING 
    Learners have acquired the generic ability to reflect on issues of domestic violence and to facilitate the implementation of personal and inter-sectoral strategies to improve the safety of vulnerable members of society. 

    UNIT STANDARD ASSESSOR CRITERIA 
    N/A 

    REREGISTRATION HISTORY 
    As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this unit standard was Reregistered in 2012; 2015. 

    UNIT STANDARD NOTES 
    Terminology:
  • For the purposes of this unit standard, 'court-based family law practice' and 'family law-related matters' are understood to include the legal areas of maintenance, domestic violence, divorce and children's court matters at a lower court level.
  • For the purposes of this unit standard, 'court based staff' and 'court based learners' are understood to refer to administrative clerks working in the area of domestic violence at a lower court level. 
    		•

    QUALIFICATIONS UTILISING THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
      ID QUALIFICATION TITLE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL STATUS END DATE PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QA FUNCTIONARY
    Elective  50265   National Certificate: Family Law Practice  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Reregistered"     		 2023-06-30  SAS SETA 


    PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
    This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.
     
    NONE 


    All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.