Staff support in organisations providing therapeutic care

The paper relates staff care to three aspects of countertransference (drawing on work by Winnicott, Heimann and Woodmansey) and emphasises the significance of the underlying emotional dynamics in this type of organisation.

Abstract

Abstract Summary This article gives an overview of the role and organisation of support for staff who provide therapeutic care, with specific reference to social services departments. Reasons for providing staff care in any organisation are discussed in general before consideration is given to the particular case of employment in agencies which provide therapeutic services. The paper relates staff care to three aspects of countertransference (drawing on work by Winnicott, Heimann and Woodmansey) and emphasises the significance of the underlying emotional dynamics in this type of organisation. After an illustrative case study, the final section considers organisational arrangements for staff care. This includes reference to Employee Assistance Programmes, ethical issues in staff counselling funded by employers and the responsibilities of managers.