Supportive Conversations

What are Supportive Conversations?

They are a way of structuring conversations around the sharing of information after a specific event has taken place. This is usually when the event has been highly unusual or very stressful.

The purpose is to support the re-building of relationships, ensuring everyone’s wellbeing. They also provide opportunities to learn from the event and plan for the future.

How can they help?

• After a stressful event at work it is important staff feel supported by one another.
• Supportive conversations allow those involved to process the event and reflect on its They allow feelings to be discussed, shared and acknowledged.
• They can help identify ways to repair relationships (between adults, and adults and children).
• They can help to figure out what has been learnt from the event, which can help to improve processes or systems in the

What can you do?

• Offer a supportive conversation to a member of staff if they have experienced a very stressful event at This may be around a safeguarding concern, a difficult conversation with a parent (for example raising concerns for the first time), or as a result of a child’s distressed behaviour.
• Agree a time and a confidential place to mee As there is usually a ‘dip’ in energy and mood following a highly stressful event, it can sometimes help to meet later in the day rather than straight away. But check with each practitioner what they would prefer, as we all respond to events in our own way.
• Agree who will lead the supportive This will need to be someone who is a good listener and can offer support non-judgementally.
• Use a template to structure the conversation (see the example on the following page).
• Agree how the notes from the meeting are going to be taken, stored and

It may be helpful to include the supportive conversations process in your staff supervision or wellbeing policies. This can help establish:

• what circumstances may lead to a supportive conversation being offered;
• where the conversations will be held and which staff will lead them;
• what structure or template will be used; and how the meeting and any future actions will be