Smith, Samantha and Hanna, Susan ORCID: 0000-0002-0198-3358 (2021) Does helping hurt the helper? – An investigation into the impacts of vicarious traumatisation on social work practitioners in Hawke’s Bay, Aotearoa New Zealand. Aotearoa New Zealand Social Work, 33 (3). pp. 48-53. ISSN 2463-4131 (Online) (doi:https://doi.org/10.11157/anzswj-vol33iss3id892)

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Abstract

INTRODUCTION: This article is based on the findings of a Bachelor of Social Work Honours
student research project investigating the impacts of vicarious traumatisation (VT) on a small
sample of frontline social work practitioners in the Hawke’s Bay region of Aotearoa New
Zealand.
METHOD: Semi-structured, one-to-one interviews with the four participants were used to collect
the data and the interviews took place in 2019. A thematic analysis approach was applied to
identify key themes within and across the data set.
FINDINGS: Three of the four social workers had experienced VT resulting from their work with
clients with histories of trauma. Participants, however, were also able to identify a range of self�care management strategies they utilised to support and enhance their health and wellbeing.
In addition, several important organisational supports were also identified. These included a
workplace culture that recognised VT, clinical supervision, Employee Assistance Programme
(EAP) services and supportive supervisors and managers.
IMPLICATIONS: The study demonstrates that VT and its associated impacts on social workers
are important issues requiring ongoing acknowledgement and research in the New Zealand
social work context.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Vicarious trauma; secondary trauma; burn out; stress; self-care; social worK
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group:	Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences > School of Human Sciences (HUM)
Last Modified:	03 Aug 2022 14:25
URI:	http://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/37110

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