Exploring charity sector wellbeing support for police

Abstract

UK policing is undergoing an unprecedented period of radical change which is affecting the wellbeing of personnel. Government funding cuts have resulted in fewer officers at a time of increasing complex demand, and subsequently many are experiencing poor mental health due to their occupation. Welfare support is provided via a combination of public and voluntary sector services, but some police personnel experience barriers to accessing services via occupational health due to stigma and fear their fitness to practice may be questioned. Policing charities are required to fill this service gap, yet no published evidence exists on their role or efficacy. This project is gaining a broad understanding of the role of charities in police wellbeing via semi-structured interviews and a research workshop. Results show the variance of intervention types/distribution, key cross-sector issues, the implications of current trends for the sector, and general insight into voluntary-public sector collaboration

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