Maintaining Contact with the CWC

Introduction

This topic covers process details and information for contact between the CWC and work party.

Communication must be available

When considering the suitability of a project, the probation officer/senior community work supervisor must ensure that communication between the project site and the CWC can be maintained.

Purpose of keeping contact

It is crucial to maintain contact between a community work supervisor on a work site and the CWC. Keeping in contact promotes the safety of both staff and offenders by enabling immediate action to be taken in emergency situations or incidents.

Access to radio or cellphone

All community work supervisors and field staff must carry on their person a radio or cellular phone at all times.

Note: The community work supervisors and probation officers must be trained in the use of the communication device and the communication process during staff induction.

Community work supervisor responsibility

A community work supervisor supervising a work party away from the CWC must keep in regular scheduled contact with the CWC by radio or cellular phone. The exact arrangements will be modified by the local communications plan. A record is kept of each contact.

Probation officer responsibility

The probation officer/senior community work supervisor on duty is responsible for the following two tasks:

Task	Description
work site visit	At least one site visit must be made per reporting day (where practical) to monitor and assess the community work supervisor and the project. The assessments are recorded: for regular performance assessments of the community work supervisor to provide support and guidance, and to monitor progress of the project. Note: The frequency of visits can be varied in negotiation with the service manager.
following up missing contact	If a scheduled contact is not made, the probation officer/senior community work supervisor is responsible for following up the situation immediately.

Task

Description

work site visit

At least one site visit must be made per reporting day (where practical) to monitor and assess the community work supervisor and the project.

The assessments are recorded:

for regular performance assessments of the community work supervisor
to provide support and guidance, and
to monitor progress of the project.

Note: The frequency of visits can be varied in negotiation with the service manager.

following up missing contact

If a scheduled contact is not made, the probation officer/senior community work supervisor is responsible for following up the situation immediately.

Process: Maintaining contact

The following table shows the process used in maintaining regular contact between the work party and the CWC.

Stage	Description
At establishment of the project
1	The probation officer, or community work supervisor, tests communication in the work site area to ensure communication units will function.
At the start of the reporting day
2	CWC staff on duty issue the community work supervisor a communication unit and record the unit issued against the work party equipment.
3	Before leaving the CWC, the community work supervisor tests the communication unit to ensure it is functioning.
During the day
4	The community work supervisor calls in to the CWC: on arrival at the site at 10.00 am, 12.00 pm and 3.00 pm (or as arranged) on departure from the site in the case of wet weather, and immediately in the case of any emergency or incident.
5	Does the community work supervisor call in within 5 minutes of each of the scheduled times? If yes, then CWC staff on duty record each call, with any relevant details. If no, then CWC staff on duty immediately: notify the service manager attempt to contact the site, and/or attempt to contact any field staff near the area of the work site, advising them of the details and requesting an immediate visit.
6	Field staff visit the work site: according to contact from the CWC at a random time during the day, and/or (if applicable) immediately on request from the CWC, as outlined in stage 5.
7	Are there any problems, communication unit faults or incidents, for which the community work supervisor requires assistance? If yes, then field staff respond accordingly. If no, then field staff monitor the work and the community work supervisor, and record their assessment.
At the end of the reporting day
8	On return to the CWC, the community work supervisor returns the communication unit to CWC staff on duty, and places the phone/radio in the re-charger.
9	CWC staff on duty sign the communication unit off as having been returned.

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