Peer Support Guidelines

Description: This resource provides guidelines on forming and maintaining a peer support program for public safety employees in the United States, but may be of use to any organisation considering developing a peer support program.

The sections include:

  1. Purpose
  2. Definitions
  3. Administration
  4. Selection/Deselection
  5. Consultation Services from Mental Health Professionals
  6. Confidentiality
  7. Role Conflict
  8. Training

The guidelines list the following examples of applicable activities for a peer support person, including but not limited to:


What's the evidence for this resource: This is not an academic resource and no evidence is provided. However, the resource was ratified by the Police Psychological Services section of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). 


Potential uses and limitations: These guidelines are a practical, detailed resource for organisations considering implementing a peer support program. While detailed, its ratification in the United States suggests that some of the legal information contained within may not be immediately applicable to the Australian context. Further, the guidelines stand alone without evidence of its suggestions working well in practice.


Where it comes from: These guidelines were ratified by the Police Psychological Services section of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) in 2011.


The Safeguard Program

Description: This document describes the Safeguard Program implemented by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in the US. The Safeguard Program is a model for protecting and providing support to staff who view objectionable material in the workplace.

The Safeguard Program aims to assist staff members in developing the healthy coping skills necessary to maintain a positive work/life balance, using four main cornerstones: 1) the hiring procedure; 2) mandatory participation in the program; 3) use of an outside consultant; and 4) off-site staff support.


What's the evidence base for this resource: The Safeguard Program was developed by a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Licensed Professional Counsellor, both of whom have significant professional experience working with people who have experienced trauma. In 2010, an evaluation of the Safeguard program showed that employees benefited from the program.


Potential uses and limitations: The resource describes policies and procedures that encompass the recruitment stage, individualised support, peer support, psychoeducational training, and post-employment support. While aimed at staff members viewing objectionable material, the content may be relevant for any organisations where staff are exposed to vicarious trauma.

However, this document merely summarises the Program rather than going into depth describing the content of the policies and procedures. A further limitation is that, though an evaluation showed that staff members benefited from the Safeguard Program, many also felt overwhelmed by the amount of services it required.


Where it comes from: The program is run within The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in the US. The resource was compiled by two employees experienced in trauma work.


Preventing occupational stress in healthcare workers

Description: Systematic review of Randomised Control Trials. The objective of the review was to evaluate the effectiveness of work‐ and person‐directed interventions compared to no intervention or alternative interventions in preventing stress at work in healthcare workers.

Authors' conclusions
There is low‐quality evidence that CBT and mental and physical relaxation reduce stress more than no intervention but not more than alternative interventions. There is also low‐quality evidence that changing work schedules may lead to a reduction of stress. Other organisational interventions have no effect on stress levels. More randomised controlled trials are needed with at least 120 participants that compare the intervention to a placebo‐like intervention. Organisational interventions need better focus on reduction of specific stressors.

What's the evidence base for this resource: As this is a Cochrane Systematic Review, it is considered to be of the highest standard of evidence. 


Potential uses and limitation: Discusses the findings of evaluations studies of a range of stress-prevention interventions in health-oriented workplaces, from individual level to organisational level. You can follow up by finding the original studies of interventions that may be relevant for your workplace if required.

 

Where it comes from: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD002892.pub5/full
Ruotsalainen, J. H., Verbeek, J. H., Mariné, A., & Serra, C. (2014). Preventing occupational stress in healthcare workers. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (11).


Vicarious Trauma and Staff Support: The UC San Francisco Trauma Recovery Center Model

Description: Chapter about how organisations can foster a culture of self-care and compassion. While highlighting the importance of individual self-care, equal emphasis is placed on the role of organisational practices in supporting staff to do so. Supporting staff in this way is viewed as a component of providing high quality services to client, rather than a competing demand.

  Link to resource


What's the evidence base for this resource: The chapter is an excerpt from the book TheUC San Francisco Trauma Recovery Center Model: Removing Barriers to Care and Transforming Services for Survivors of Violent Crime. Edited by Stacey Wiggall, LCSW & Alicia Boccellari, Ph.D. Produced in collaboration with Allen/Loeb Associates (Version 1: March15, 2017)


Potential uses and limitation: Is aimed at Trauma recovery/crisis response services. However the suggestions about organisational practices to support staff self-care are relevant to a range of service types.

 

Where it comes from:  The UC San Francisco Trauma Recovery Center.


Resiliency Project: A Gecko’s Guide to Building Resiliency in Child Abuse Staff & Volunteers

Description: The (US based) Resiliency Project engaged researchers, educators, and practitioners from the child abuse field in a collaborative effort to develop, implement, and evaluate an organisationally based program to build resiliency in staff and volunteers. Twelve service organisations participated in the project.

Key to the project were the pilot "resiliency coaches" who evaluated all training and technical assistance products related to the organisational program model.

The model identified 5 key themes- self-knowledge and insight, sense of hope, healthy coping, strong relationships, and personal perspective and meaning- that can be promoted in the culture of organisations.


This is a summary report.

What's the evidence base for this resource: Evaluation conducted by the Institute on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (IDVSA) at the University of Texas School of Social Work.


Potential uses and limitation:  It includes examples of specific interventions implemented under the categories of Policy, Supervisory Technique, and Competency-based Training. There are a range of training and reflection exercises that could be useful in supervision contexts.  Suggested practice examples  range from personal reflections, through to policies that promote staff well being.

Where it comes from:  Institute on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (IDVSA) in the Center for Social Work Research, School of Social Work


Preventing work-induced stress and trauma: 1800 RESPECT

Description:  Information page on prevention of workplace stress and trauma covers the topics:

What can I do if I'm experiencing work-induced stress or trauma?
Ask for help if you need it
Take a break
Have realistic expectations
Up-skill and seek support
Find balance and meaning
What managers and organisations can do

 

What's the evidence base for this resource Does not directly cite any research literature. However 1800 Respect is a well established, high profile organisation and the information presented is broadly consistent with the evidence on staff wellbeing.

 

Potential uses and limitations The information is presented as dot point summaries of key themes. There are specific strategies suggested for primary prevention in relation to vicarious trauma. May be useful as a discussion starter.

 

Where it comes from 1800RESPECT is the Australian national sexual assault, domestic and family violence telephone counselling service.