Police Family Support: support for families

Living in regional WA

What to expect

 The WA Police Force is responsible for policing the world’s largest single police jurisdiction, covering over 2.6 million square kilometres and three distinct climate zones. As at March 2024, there were over 150 police stations scattered across eight metropolitan and seven regional districts – Goldfields-Esperance, Kimberley, Pilbara, Great Southern, Midwest Gascoyne, South-West, and Wheatbelt. Some stations are located in areas with a mild climate and a reasonably large population, such as Busselton, whereas others are extremely remote and in a harsh climate, such as Laverton or Kalumburu.

Preparation is key

Feedback from police families who have lived in regional WA is that it can be a wonderful experience, with opportunities to bond with other police families as well as the local community. Due to the diversity of climates and population numbers across the State, there will be postings which present challenges, particularly with respect to housing, schooling, or socialisation. Doing some research on an area before you go is the best way to be prepared. Try reaching out for advice from other police families who have lived in a regional area.

Getting the best out of your posting can include exploring different areas of the State, so take advantage of your time out in the regions. Hopefully your kids will see and do things that city kids never get to experience.

In smaller stations, it’s important to note that police staff may be on call 24/7 and this means that the remaining spouse or partner will need to take on a sole parenting role from time to time. This type of additional support from family is easier to prepare for if you and your police family member discuss how to deal with these situations well before they occur. That way, the unpredictability is not likely to disrupt daily functioning of the family as much.

WA Police strongly encourage officers to take their family with them to their regional posting(s) and become a part of the communities in which they live and work. There is an excellent FAQ page available through the WA Police website which provides a wealth of information about what to expect from working in regional WA.

https://letsjoinforces.wa.gov.au/career-benefits/regional-opportunities

In addition, this article in From the Line may also be useful.

https://wapol.sharepoint.com/sites/FromTheLineNews/SitePages/RWA-families.aspx

The article below has been written by a WA Police Officers wife who lived in six regional WA towns over the space of 10 years from 2007 – 2017. She and her husband were 8 weeks pregnant when they moved to their first town and eventually moved back to Perth when their two children were 9 and 7 years of age.

When you are considering going “country”, it is important to prioritise your family dynamics, your own limitations and consider the type of policing your loved one will be doing, as the hours will differ dramatically from a large town to a smaller one. 

Many regional WA towns have 2-5 officers. This means that your partner is always on call and will most likely be at a “job” from beginning to end as there is literally no one to hand it over to. Trust me, that one planned weekend sleep-in that you have had marked on the calendar for the past month will ALWAYS come after a 2am callout and your spouse won’t even be HOME to get up with the kids. I remember we were living in a remote 3-man station, had only been there for a month, and my husband had just completed his 8-hr shift at 4pm on Christmas Eve. Not even 10 minutes had passed when he got home and he was recalled to a major incident. He left again and the 2 kids and I didn’t hear from him until 5pm on Christmas night. 

Be adaptable. Shelve the resentment. The last thing our spouses need after an unexpected callout on what should be a joyous day for them also is to come home to a resentful spouse. Remember, they are disappointed too. These sorts of hours are a regular occurrence in a small town and you really need to consider if you are capable or willing to effectively parent alone for a big chunk of time of your partner’s tenure. Plans can be often ruined by “jobs” and I have spent many special occasions alone with the kids in various new towns. I have learnt to smile and try to replan for the next day/weekend.

Small towns will teach you how to be resilient, especially if you have kids. A LOT of the time you will be solo parenting, and frequently it will be unplanned. Dinners will be served hot and having given up waiting for him to join you, glad-wrapped cold, to be eaten when you have long gone to bed. If you have kids, the dinner/bath/bed routine that you were counting on your partner helping you with will often have to be done alone. Try not to be resentful. It’s hard, but the callouts outside of rostered hours are part of a job in the country, and their job involves putting others’ needs ahead of yours. You will most likely be the solo parent to attend school concerts, sports matches, school assemblies, etc., so make sure you explain to the kids about their parent’s job so they understand. Believe me, your partner would absolutely rather be at these events than where they are too!!

Smaller towns are often populated with hard-working farmers who have been there for generations and do not have the down time that people who live and work in the bigger towns have. It is therefore harder to socialise, as the parents you meet at school drop-off often live 15-20 km out of town and are working, shearing, seeding, or harvesting through the day when you have time for a cuppa. It’s quite tricky to make good friends in small towns, compared to the larger ones. You will need to be confident and content with your own company for a good chunk of time living in the smaller regional towns. Find a hobby and make sure you try to retain focus on who you are and what makes you happy. It’s easy to get caught up in your partner’s job and at the end of the day, you need to do you, especially when you are isolated.

Larger towns such as our first posting had around 50 officers, so the shift work was much more regulated, with overtime happening on occasion and recalls very rare. Usually, this means that your week can be planned and executed successfully. You can definitely plan activities and events more successfully in larger towns so if you aren’t prepared to spend a lot of unexpected time solo, maybe consider a larger town.

Larger stations are very welcoming to new officers and their families. Embrace your new Blue Family. The camaraderie amongst the officers and their families is amazing. Soak it in and enjoy, it’s nothing like that in the City.  It’s like making friends most places; some you will click with better than others but the underlying unity is there.  I am willing to bet in 10 years after you go country, your best friend will be a Police Spouse.  I remember our first Christmas in our first posting in a large town and all the off-shifts nominated one officer to host breakfast, lunch and dinner for the “orphans”. It was just lovely and no matter which shift the families were left alone at when their partner was working, they had a family to spend Christmas Day with. This camaraderie extended to regular family-friendly drinks on a Friday night at the back of the station, and if hubby was out on a job, I had a plethora of numbers to call if I heard a bump in the night, had run out of gas, or if my TV reception went out.

As a regional WAPOL family, I highly recommend having a routine, because your partner definitely won’t have one. I was up at 7am each morning with the kids and I was responsible for getting them school-ready whilst I left hubby to his own devices for work. Regardless of his roster, I prepared dinner for the entire family at 5pm every night. If he wasn’t home then, his got wrapped. The boys went to bed at 7.30pm every night, whether hubby was home or not. We did this because even if your police spouse says they will be home, you cannot rely on it. Often, I got a text when he was already late saying he will be home in 30 minutes and 3 hours later we still wouldn’t have seen him. Stick to your routine, and don’t be tempted to stretch out dinner or the kids’ bedtime on a say-so text ?

Resign yourself to the fact that you will not be holidaying when other families do. If you used to go away for the Easter four-day weekend, remember the last one fondly. Easter is the busiest time of the year for our Boys and Girls in Blue and it is all hands on deck; we have never spent the Easter 4-day weekend as a family. Make the most of the four days alone with the kids at home, or go away yourself with the kids, visit friends, or create your own fun with another family. Plan to do the same on the Australia Day weekend because you will be spending that sans spouse as well. New Year’s Eves will never be the same either. We never spent NYE together in regional WA, although there was one December 31 where here he was on day shift so that was good until he was in bed by 10.30pm as he was rostered to work at 0600 New Year’s Day.

Living in Regional WA you need to understand and accept that your partner may come across unsavoury characters that he may have arrested/had dealings with when you are out in public. This happens more frequently if you live in a small town. There have been a few times where my husband has suddenly ditched us at the shops and we find him a few stores down, or when we were having a family day at our town swimming pool where we were faced with him having to leave suddenly. These things happen and it is for the safety of his family that he does it. He doesn’t want certain people knowing who his family is and then perhaps targeting us next time we are at the shops without him as our protection. Maybe have a chat about the possibility of this happening and have a back-up plan such as a meeting place in the shops or calling each other on the mobile.

Living in a small country town you will need to be aware that you will be recognised as a Police partner. Realise that your actions/ opinions are all judged by connection now. You will be held accountable by other school mums, the local postmaster, and other members of the public for how you drive, whether or not you used your indicators properly, or what you said on social media. They will say to you, “I suppose because you’re married to a cop you think you’re better than us and can get away with these things?” I am reminded of a quote from Top Gun where Maverick is getting ripped a new one by Stinger – “You need to be doing it better, and cleaner than the other guy. Now what is it with you?”  Makes me laugh, so relatable.

Kids – we had our first child when we were in a larger town and the second in a small town. I am glad we did the regional thing when they were small. If you have small children, I would definitely steer clear of inland regional towns as there are almost zero opportunities for sport or socialisation. We aren’t huge campers so inland remote living wasn’t a huge hit when the kids were little. If you are wanting to go to a small town with kids, I would recommend one closer to the coast or near a larger regional centre. Consider education opportunities for high school kids. Again, I would really only go country while the kids were little, as high schooling is limited or non-existent in the smaller towns. On the plus side, we never had issues with day-care – it was readily accessible and affordable.

Work – our first town was one of the larger ones and I landed a job at the local shire as a rates officer with no LG experience, or knowing what rates were!?! You can imagine the hubby and I were not invited out on many dinner dates – a police officer and a rates officer. ? If you have Microsoft office skills you are pretty much guaranteed some sort of employment in local government in most regional towns, regardless of size. It was a great start, kept me employed wherever we moved and also kept me employable and relevant for when we eventually moved back to Perth, where guess what, I got a job at a Local Government as a rates officer.

Financially, there are different benefits to regional living depending on whether the position is deemed “hard to fill” or desirable. You can qualify for free rent, subsidised rent, or no discount at all. If you go up north you can qualify for free or subsidised power and free annual travel to your home town. The WAPOL partner can qualify for financial bonus as well. Look into it as it allowed us to do 10 years and then have a big deposit to put down on our forever home in Perth when we finally moved back.

The last thing I wanted to touch on is the type of jobs your spouse attends in regional WA compared to larger towns or Perth. In the small towns, officers are the first responders to what is often a horrific and confronting car accident, a suicide, a violent domestic or they will be controlling an emergency incident such as a bushfire or a flood. There is no one to hand over to so they are usually living these traumatic scenarios for hours, sometimes days on end. Due to being on call 24/7 they are never fully relaxed on their “days off” and it is very different to the structured and routine role of a city officer who can hand over their job at the end of their shift. They might try to shield you from their day-to-day jobs but if you can, read a book called Emotional Survival for Law Enforcement (Kevin M. Gilmartin, PhD) – a guide for officers and their families. It’s American but the premise is sound. Whilst your partner might not tell you the specifics of the jobs they attend, you can be prepared to support them when they are at home. My husband would text me “pop a 6 pack in the fridge for when I get home” and I knew he had been to a particularly horrendous job. No need to explain at home but I would try to wait up for him to come home so I could be a calm haven to cuddle and be safe with.

Having been back in Perth since 2018, I absolutely rate regional stations and have (mostly) fond memories of our postings. I miss being a cop family in the country. Most country families have a very good idea of the sorts of jobs our partners deal with and they have nothing but admiration and respect for them. In the country, it is very different compared to the city in that the WAPOL job defines your entire family. WE joined WAPOL, not just my husband. Our family was given credence for our chosen path and the community stepped up to support us when we needed it. They saw my husband for the man he was and respected his role in their town absolutely. They knew what he contributed. You owned your position in the town as a proud WAPOL family.

Do your homework, jump right in and embrace everything the country postings have to offer your family. You will gain strength, compassion and resilience, and definitely more of an understanding on what your partner actually does for a living, and a pride like no other. We are a proud WAPOL family and all 4 of us stand behind the badge.

Counselling is non-judgemental.  It is a collaborative and confidential relationship that can contribute to self-awareness, improved self-esteem and make you feel less alone.  It can provide invaluable tools and techniques to both manage stress and lead a more balanced life.

As a family member of a WA Police Force employee, you have access to free counselling services. 

The Legal Assist and Financial Assist services can be accessed through our Employee Assistance Program by employees and their immediate family, with local or Health, Welfare and Safety management approval. 

The intention of the counselling is to provide information and practical advice, as well as psychological support to help you manage work, health and life issues.   We recognise that as a key support for our personnel, we need to ensure you are well supported.

Up to 6 sessions are available for you to attend as a couple or family.  Alternately, you may prefer to book some or all of the sessions by yourself to have a chance to talk things through.

This free counselling is also available to former police officers and their families for up to 24 months after leaving WA Police Force.

Contact the independent counselling service (Employee Assistance Program), free for WA Police Force personnel and their immediate family on 1800 959 053 (available 24/7), or download the app.  Refer to Telus Health online.

Having Difficult Conversations

The trick is to stay ahead of the game and be prepared together. Having a conversation BEFORE problems arise means you can both agree on how you’ll tackle any concerns in the future. The most important thing to remember is that the earlier a person seeks help, the quicker and more complete their recovery will be.

There are many police officers who feel comfortable sharing work experiences at home as a way of managing their mental wellbeing. This can be a very successful coping mechanism. On the other hand, some people prefer not to bring their work home with them and may debrief with their colleagues instead. Establishing boundaries and expectations regarding levels of sharing is a good idea, especially where children are involved.

The most important thing is to keep the lines of communication open.

Regardless of what happens in your household, an indicator that it’s time to talk with your police family member is when you start noticing a CHANGE in their usual mood or behaviour that is concerning. (See Recognising the early warning signs elsewhere in this Guide.)

Remember that it can be difficult for people experiencing PTSD or psychological distress to recognise their own symptoms or to acknowledge they may need to seek help. It’s important to be gentle, not judgemental, and as encouraging as possible. One conversation may need to be many.

Why is it a ‘difficult conversation’?

Unfortunately, there is a great deal of stigma surrounding mental health, and first responders seem to experience this more than others. They see themselves as the protectors in our community and that they need to be strong in their roles.

If you have concerns and you initiate a discussion with your police family member about how they’ve been feeling or behaving, it’s possible that they may express anger, surprise, or reluctance to talk about it.

Police and other first responders typically find it difficult to put their hand up for help (otherwise known as ‘disclosing’) when they are confronted with mental health problems. There are many different reasons for this. Some don’t understand what their symptoms mean and may think it’s normal in their line of work, some feel like they would be a burden to others, or that they will be perceived as weak and unable to carry out their duties. This can lead to career concerns and a fear they will lose a job they love or hinder their promotional prospects. They may even feel guilt for not ‘being able to cope’ with a job they chose. For many, all of these reasons apply and they feel overwhelmed. But research also tells us that those police with strong family and social support networks fare the best at maintaining a mentally healthy life.

And that’s where you come in.

As someone who shares their life, you are also affected by whatever is affecting them. Encouraging them to talk is a great start. With an understanding of the symptoms to watch out for, and where to seek support, you are in the best place to help them understand how to navigate a way out of mental ill health to a place where they are mentally fit and well.

If you don’t feel able to have a conversation with your police family member about their mental health, it can be useful to ask a colleague, family member or close friend to talk to them instead. It’s likely others will have noticed a change in their behaviour too.

Again, it’s good to remember that whatever you choose to say, it’s best to tread lightly and avoid being confrontational or judgemental. Keep the focus on situational, e.g., lately, yesterday, when xx happened, rather than ‘always’ or ‘never’. This helps to focus the discussion on specific examples.

Some strategies to use

• Encourage communication by gently and calmly talking about changes you’ve observed; ask how long they have been feeling down or anxious – use the same terms your family member has used to describe what they’ve been experiencing lately, e.g., ‘I’ve noticed you seem to find it hard to settle after work these days, is there anything I can do to help?’, ‘you seem a little more on edge lately – has work been extra difficult?’, ‘you had another nightmare last night, do you want to tell me about it?’.
• Talk about how these changes are impacting you and the family, e.g., ‘I know family is important to both of us. Lately, attending family events appears to be difficult for both of us. I’d like to talk to you about it. Are you willing?’, ‘we’ve both noticed lately that our daughter gets upset after she asks if she can socialise with her school friends. Could we talk about the effect of the amount of protection we have over her at the moment?’.
• Try to focus on strengths, no matter how ‘small’ they seem to be, e.g., ‘it’s really great you’re talking to me about this’, ‘you’ve been really patient with the kids, even though you said haven’t been feeling great lately’.
• Listen. Active listening is important, e.g., ‘so what I hear you saying is that you’ve been feeling this way for some time, but you didn’t think anyone could help’. It’s important to acknowledge the emotions they express, e.g., ‘I can see this is really affecting you and making you feel angry/sad/upset’.
• Try not to dismiss their concerns around disclosing a mental health concern to others. You must also be careful not to make them feel like they are failing, hopeless or a burden. Mental health stigma is common among the first responder community and your family member may react strongly to perceived criticism.
• Offer to seek help together if necessary. It’s common for police to experience some barriers to seeking help for themselves. There are services available through WA Police. However, they may prefer to seek external help, so keep in mind that your family GP is a good resource for help in this instance. (See Resources & General Support Services elsewhere in this Guide.)

Helpful references for speaking with people about mental health concerns

Beyond Blue  https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/support-someone/how-to-talk-to-someone-you-are-worried-about

RUOK guide https://www.ruok.org.au/how-to-ask

Blue Space: How to help someone at risk https://www.bluespacewellbeing.com.au/sites/default/files/2020-11/07%20VicPolice_PDF%20How%20to%20help%20someone%20at%20risk%20%28update%29.pdf
 

Supporting your children

Being a child in a police family can be exciting, challenging, and puzzling at the same time. In our multi-media world, children are often exposed to images and stories about police that can be confronting for them. While police are usually lauded publicly as the heroes of our society, there are also examples where they are the subjects of extreme hate or violence. For their children, these examples can be either the source of great pride or of great fear.

Police children may worry about their parent’s safety at work, they may not understand why they sometimes behave differently when they come home from work, or they may be upset when their parent misses important celebrations such as Christmas and birthdays, or events at school. Helping them to navigate these different emotions in ways they understand is vital in maintaining a healthy home environment.

Explain the job

Helping them to understand the job of their parent in a way that is age-appropriate is very important. Make sure to choose the right time to have a conversation with them, in a way that is calm and not likely to make them feel uncomfortable. Be prepared to have several conversations over time, as the child may think of further questions as they process the information you share with them. Keep the lines of communication open, so they can express their fears and frustrations without judgement.

Take the time to explain what the job involves and the ways in which the police parent is kept as safe as possible. You will need to be as honest as you can be, given the age and emotional maturity of the child(ren). Try to describe the negative aspects of the job as temporary and situational rather than frequent. For example, reassure them that though their parent may encounter scary situations from time to time, they are highly trained, well-equipped, and can cope.  If possible, take them to work to show them the surroundings their parent works in. Show them the uniform, vest, and belt. Explain that they are part of a team who look out for each other, just like a family. Tell them who their teammates are and even meet them if possible, so your child can picture the workday and who is there with their parent.

Show the pride

It's vital that the language used by the other family members reflects positivity and pride in their police family member’s role. This is especially important on occasions when the police family member has to miss a family event or celebration. Where possible, prepare your child for these eventualities and plan an alternative day for that event or celebration. Reinforce the understanding that Mum or Dad would always choose to stay at home with them if they could, but sometimes their important job means they have to leave. In other words, give purpose to the absence. Kids will pick up on your feelings. It’s reasonable to say you’re sad they can’t be there but it’s best to tuck away the frustration if you can. Encourage quality time with the child(ren) when off-duty, e.g., picnics after school, movie outings during the week.

Helping them to understand the challenges of the role

Be aware that your children will pick up on changes in behaviour or temperament in their police parent. If they understand that these feelings are temporary and normal, they won’t be concerned. An explanation of why Dad or Mum needs some quiet time to themselves when they come home from work sometimes will help avoid confrontations.

Take a team approach within the family to support each other. At various times, policing will impact each of you differently. Each of you is in the best place to understand what the other(s) might be experiencing. If mental health issues occur, in any family member, be prepared to suggest seeking help from a professional, or support from family or friends.

Modelling healthy behaviour

Model good coping skills for your child(ren). Make sure the whole family finds healthy ways to cope with stress and anxiety, either together or alone. Good outlets for stress include exercising or playing sport, creative hobbies, journalling, or openly discussing your emotions, especially in a proactive way. For example, take opportunities when the family is together to talk about ‘how has everyone been feeling since ( ….. ) happened’, ‘what can we do to prepare for that happening again’.

There are a number of children’s books available from the library or online about policing, some of which are listed at the end of this chapter.

If your child is feeling distressed or not coping, seek further advice, counselling or support.

Resources

Families Guide, Emergency Services Foundation

https://esf.com.au/families-guide/

‘My Mum the police officer’, Isabel Girgis

The story follows a day in the life of a police officer, who is also a mum. The day is told through the eyes of the police officer’s child and covers the various duties of the police officer and the feelings of the child as the police officer does all of her important duties.

‘What do police officers do?’, Jocelyn M. Lacey

An illustrated children’s book detailing acts of kindness, community participation, and the many services that police officers perform to protect and serve their communities.

‘It’s Just … WORK STUFF!’, Stewart Williams, 2023.

A book for parents working in front-line emergency services roles who may be experiencing PTSD or its symptoms. It is intended to be used as a tool to stimulate family discussions and to help children better understand the changes they have seen in their mum or dad. In the absence of an explanation, children will often blame themselves for a changing home environment. This book aims to demystify PTSD and like illnesses and ensure children understand it’s not their fault and that they are loved without exception.

Supporting your children

Being a child in a police family can be exciting, challenging, and puzzling at the same time. In our multi-media world, children are often exposed to images and stories about police that can be confronting for them. While police are usually lauded publicly as the heroes of our society, there are also examples where they are the subjects of extreme hate or violence. For their children, these examples can be either the source of great pride or of great fear.

Police children may worry about their parent’s safety at work, they may not understand why they sometimes behave differently when they come home from work, or they may be upset when their parent misses important celebrations such as Christmas and birthdays, or events at school. Helping them to navigate these different emotions in ways they understand is vital in maintaining a healthy home environment.

Explain the job

Helping them to understand the job of their parent in a way that is age-appropriate is very important. Make sure to choose the right time to have a conversation with them, in a way that is calm and not likely to make them feel uncomfortable. Be prepared to have several conversations over time, as the child may think of further questions as they process the information you share with them. Keep the lines of communication open, so they can express their fears and frustrations without judgement.

Take the time to explain what the job involves and the ways in which the police parent is kept as safe as possible. You will need to be as honest as you can be, given the age and emotional maturity of the child(ren). Try to describe the negative aspects of the job as temporary and situational rather than frequent. For example, reassure them that though their parent may encounter scary situations from time to time, they are highly trained, well-equipped, and can cope.  If possible, take them to work to show them the surroundings their parent works in. Show them the uniform, vest, and belt. Explain that they are part of a team who look out for each other, just like a family. Tell them who their teammates are and even meet them if possible, so your child can picture the workday and who is there with their parent.

Show the pride

It's vital that the language used by the other family members reflects positivity and pride in their police family member’s role. This is especially important on occasions when the police family member has to miss a family event or celebration. Where possible, prepare your child for these eventualities and plan an alternative day for that event or celebration. Reinforce the understanding that Mum or Dad would always choose to stay at home with them if they could, but sometimes their important job means they have to leave. In other words, give purpose to the absence. Kids will pick up on your feelings. It’s reasonable to say you’re sad they can’t be there but it’s best to tuck away the frustration if you can. Encourage quality time with the child(ren) when off-duty, e.g., picnics after school, movie outings during the week.

Helping them to understand the challenges of the role

Be aware that your children will pick up on changes in behaviour or temperament in their police parent. If they understand that these feelings are temporary and normal, they won’t be concerned. An explanation of why Dad or Mum needs some quiet time to themselves when they come home from work sometimes will help avoid confrontations.

Take a team approach within the family to support each other. At various times, policing will impact each of you differently. Each of you is in the best place to understand what the other(s) might be experiencing. If mental health issues occur, in any family member, be prepared to suggest seeking help from a professional, or support from family or friends.

Modelling healthy behaviour

Model good coping skills for your child(ren). Make sure the whole family finds healthy ways to cope with stress and anxiety, either together or alone. Good outlets for stress include exercising or playing sport, creative hobbies, journalling, or openly discussing your emotions, especially in a proactive way. For example, take opportunities when the family is together to talk about ‘how has everyone been feeling since ( ….. ) happened’, ‘what can we do to prepare for that happening again’.

There are a number of children’s books available from the library or online about policing, some of which are listed at the end of this chapter.

If your child is feeling distressed or not coping, seek further advice, counselling or support.

Resources

Families Guide, Emergency Services Foundation

https://esf.com.au/families-guide/

‘My Mum the police officer’, Isabel Girgis

The story follows a day in the life of a police officer, who is also a mum. The day is told through the eyes of the police officer’s child and covers the various duties of the police officer and the feelings of the child as the police officer does all of her important duties.

‘What do police officers do?’, Jocelyn M. Lacey

An illustrated children’s book detailing acts of kindness, community participation, and the many services that police officers perform to protect and serve their communities.

‘It’s Just … WORK STUFF!’, Stewart Williams, 2023.

A book for parents working in front-line emergency services roles who may be experiencing PTSD or its symptoms. It is intended to be used as a tool to stimulate family discussions and to help children better understand the changes they have seen in their mum or dad. In the absence of an explanation, children will often blame themselves for a changing home environment. This book aims to demystify PTSD and like illnesses and ensure children understand it’s not their fault and that they are loved without exception.

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The WA Police Force Chaplains contribute to the spiritual health and well-being of personnel and their families by:​​​​​

• offering spiritual care
• pastoral counselling
• support services for personal, family and work-related issues
• critical incident support for WA Police personnel and families following exposure to traumatic incidents and events
• ceremonial duties
• graduations, special blessings and ceremonies
• funerals, marriages and christenings
• general visits to police stations and units
• assists the Peer Support Officer program by being an available resource
• support for recruits and other personnel in training

The six full time chaplains who work within Injury Coordination and Support Services of the Police Force Health Welfare and Safety Division are also supported by a network of Volunteer Police Chaplains in Regional WA.