EMERGENCY SERVICES FOUNDATION FAMILIES GUIDE | 11 | EMERGENCY SERVICES FOUNDATION FAMILIES GUIDE 10 The role of families We like to think of home as a safe place – and in the case of an Victoria Police employees, a place to relax, process and recharge once the uniform comes off. Supporting the Victoria Police employees in your family can be challenging at times. They can work long hours, unintentionally bringing work-related stress home, and can be more susceptible to reduced mental fitness. As someone who interacts with the Victoria Police employee daily, family members play a key role in supporting their mental wellbeing. This support involves recognising signs and symptoms of poor mental wellbeing, engaging in conversations about these challenges, encouraging healthy practices, understanding available resources, and prioritising your own wellbeing. Communication can be difficult for Victoria Police employees, especially when they are hesitant to discuss work-related matters. This lack of communication can contribute to their disconnection and isolation from primary support systems. While there’s no one-sizefits-all approach to healthy communication, ideally families should discuss and establish boundaries and expectations together. Each family needs to find the right balance between sharing all details associated with Victoria Police work and saying nothing about the Victoria Police work. Both these extremes are unhealthy, but the right balance will be different for each family and potentially change as children age. Recognising the early warning signs Usually, Victoria Police employees go through a stressful encounter and have no problem bouncing back within a few days. Debriefs and reflective practice at the station/unit often help. However, every person and every stressful encounter are different, and individuals will react to each encounter differently. Some of the factors that impact the reactions a person might experience include: • Current stress levels outside of the encounter including paid work pressures, health concerns, financial worries, and relationship challenges. • The past operational experiences of the Victoria Police employees • Unique characteristics of the encounter such as whether children were involved or whether the casualty was a person the worker knows – which is often the case for use people working close to home. The key to recognising early warning signs is being aware of changes in someones usual mood and behaviour. Keeping a diary may help identify patterns and triggers. Encourage your loved one/family member to consider seeking help if they are experiencing any of the following: • Difficulty sleeping, including frequent nightmares or night terrors • Unwanted thoughts or feelings that affect concentration • Flashbacks • Persistent fatigue • Loss of interest in usually enjoyable activities • Irritability or impatience toward others • Excessive substance use such as to alcohol, illicit drugs, or abuse of prescription drugs • Excessing engagement in ‘distracting’ behaviours such as gambling, pornography, or work • Self-insolating behaviours, including a lack of interest in social connection • Misplaced feelings of hopelessness, shame, or guilt • Not prioritising of important relationships • Neglecting personal care and hygiene
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