Recognise and Respond to Situations of Crisis

This course is designed to equip community services workers with the necessary skills and knowledge to recognise imminent crisis situations and intervene effectively.

Participants will learn how to address safety concerns, work collaboratively with clients to plan for accessing support services, and manage crisis interventions through various means, including face-to-face, telephone, or remote communications.

This course emphasises the importance of rapid response and structured support in crisis situations, especially when dealing with individuals at risk of suicide.

Possible 4 OPD Points
100% online learning & self-paced.
Receive an official digital Certificate of Completion, once you complete this short course.
Have access to IAP's unprecedented Student Support Officers.

Identify Crisis Situations: Recognise the signs and communications that indicate an individual may be in a crisis and at risk of harming themselves or others.
Address Immediate Safety Concerns: Respond empathetically to individuals in crisis, provide immediate support, and develop strategies to manage the situation safely and effectively.
Provide Appropriate Referrals: Guide individuals towards the right support services and ensure they receive the help they need by making informed referrals.
Self-Care: Understand and implement strategies to maintain their own wellbeing while managing intense and potentially distressing crisis interventions.

Identifying Imminent Crisis Situations
- Recognising Safety Issues: Learn to spot critical signs indicating potential self-harm or harm to others.
- Communication Indicators: Analyze direct and indirect communications for hidden safety concerns.
- Direct Inquiry and Immediate Action: Practice how to ask about safety concerns directly and take actions aligned with organisational procedures.
Addressing Immediate Safety Concerns
- Empathetic Listening: Techniques for understanding and empathising with the person's current crisis.
- Affirmation and Safety Linking: How to affirm the individual's feelings and reinforce connections to safety and life.
- Structuring Crisis Management: Provide structured support to encourage positive thinking and coping strategies in the midst of a crisis.
- Balancing Support: Tailor the level of direction and collaboration based on the individual’s capacity to make decisions and cope with the crisis.
- Action Planning: Develop and agree on immediate actions to reduce danger, including when to mobilise emergency assistance.
- Legal and Ethical Actions: Ensure all interventions are legal, ethical, and within organisational policies.

Providing Referral for Crisis Intervention Support
- Empowering Choice: Enable individuals to make informed decisions about their next steps.
- Overcoming Barriers: Discuss potential barriers to seeking help and strategise effective responses.
- Planning and Support: Help individuals to develop actionable plans to access informal and professional support.
- Professional Referrals: Learn how to refer individuals to appropriate professional services effectively.
- Documentation: Accurate and timely documentation of all interventions and referrals.
Caring for Self
- Risk Management: Recognise and minimise personal risks
- associated with providing crisis support.
- Supervision and Debriefing: Understand the importance of and engage in regular supervision and debriefing to manage personal stress and professional efficacy.