Fighting Fire: Emotional Risk Management at Social Service Agencies.

PSYCHOLOGY of social workers; PSYCHOLOGICAL well-being; EMOTIONS; WORK environment & psychology; SERVICES for fire fighters; SOCIAL case work; FIREFIGHTING; MENTAL health services; PROFESSIONAL ethics; RISK management in business; HEALTH self-care; SOCIAL justice; SOCIAL services; SOCIAL workers; ETHICS

The author reflects on the emotional risks facing social workers when their well-being is not supported by the administrators or policies of their agency. She states that the emotional and psychological aspects of social work are not typically considered part of workplace health and safety despite the possible effects. In response, she suggests treating social workers similar to firefighters in terms of promoting an emotionally safe and healthy workplace.