Frontline Staff Pathway
The Reflective Practitioner
Equipping staff with the emotional and practical skills to participate in debriefs safely, reduce the impact of trauma, and contribute to a learning culture.
09:30 – 11:00
Module 1: The Biology of Stress & Trauma
- Understanding the Stress Response: How adrenaline and cortisol affect memory and behaviour during an incident.
- The "Window of Tolerance": Identifying when you (or a colleague) are hyper-aroused or hypo-aroused.
- Emotional Regulation: Practical "grounding" techniques to return to baseline after a crisis.
- The "Hot Debrief": How to safely "check out" immediately after an event without re-traumatising yourself.
11:00 – 11:15
Morning Break
11:15 – 12:45
Module 2: The 3-Question Protocol
- Why we Debrief: Moving from "Who is to blame?" to "What can we learn?".
- Question 1: "What went well?" Validating effort and success even in difficult outcomes.
- Question 2: "What did we learn?" Identifying environmental triggers and communication breakdowns.
- Question 3: "What next?" Agreeing on one actionable change for next time.
12:45 – 13:30
Lunch Break
13:30 – 15:00
Module 3: Removing Blame & Speaking Up
- Psychological Safety: What it is and why it's safe to admit mistakes.
- The "Say-Do" Gap: How to spot when policy doesn't match reality.
- Scenario Workshop: Role-playing a debrief to practice speaking up about "systemic" issues constructively.
15:00 – 15:15
Afternoon Break
15:15 – 16:30
Module 4: Incident Reporting & Self-Care
- Writing it Down: Best practice for reports—focusing on facts and observations rather than judgements.
- Peer Support: How to spot signs of burnout in colleagues.
- Personal Resilience Plan: Creating a personal strategy for managing post-incident stress.