Exploring and Supporting Families of Public Safety Personnel: A HomeBase Study
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Authors
Richmond, Rachel Sarah
Date
2025-07-21
Type
thesis
Language
eng
Keyword
Public Safety Personnel , Families , Occupational Stress , Co-Design , Rehabilitation Science , Toolkit
Alternative Title
Abstract
Background: Public Safety Personnel (PSP) face occupational stressors such as exposure to potentially psychologically traumatic events (PPTE), shiftwork, and potentially emotionally suppressive workplace cultures. The occupational risks and requirements associated with public safety roles extend into the home, impacting the lifestyle dimensions of their families, who are often overlooked in research and policy.
Purpose: This dissertation aims to explore the lived experiences of PSP families, understand organizational approaches to family support, and co-design a toolkit to assist public safety organizations in implementing family-forward initiatives.
Methods: A multi-phased design was used across four phases: (1) a qualitative systematic review to synthesize existing knowledge about the PSP family experiences; (2) an environmental scan to understand what initiatives currently exist; (3) interviews with family champions of public safety organizations to assess current supports; and (4) co-design focus groups and interviews to collaboratively develop and refine a toolkit with a feedback survey. Analysis occurred sequentially after each phase using methods such as thematic analysis and meta-aggregation for the qualitative data, and descriptive statistics for the quantitative data.
Findings: Themes shared across different PSP sector families primarily included worry, communication barriers, and a lack of resourcing. Organizational responses to family needs emphasized the need for a more concise and centralized resource to help these organizations provide this familial support. The co-design phase produced a practical toolkit, informed by PSP in implementation-related roles, and tailored to the Canadian public safety context.
Conclusion: This research highlights the unmet needs of PSP families and provides an evidence-based toolkit to guide organizations in offering meaningful familial support. This dissertation reinforces the importance of understanding and supporting families in public safety occupations.