Learn more about what you need to think about when starting your kinship peer support group. Where to begin and how to create a strong foundation for your group to grow.
Section 2C: Peer support group leaders – creating a safe space for kinship carers
Creating a safe space for your kinship peer support group. Practical tips and tools to help you set up you group and make it feel inclusive.
Tips and resources to create safe support groups.
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Creating a safe space for kinship carers in support groups
The aim of peer support is to create a safe space. We know that feeling safe within a peer support is incredibly important for kinship carers. If you don’t feel safe, you and other members won’t share their experiences and engage with the support others can offer.
One of the key ground rules for peer support groups might be: ‘what’s shared group, stays in group’.
This helps to create trust that allows people to express themselves without fear of judgement. This is often built into group agreements. As a group leader, this is your responsibility to oversee and make sure it’s respected.
For many kinship carers, it may be the first time they have felt comfortable to talk about their feelings and experiences. So creating a safe space for that to happen is important.
Developing a safe space at group
This video shares some experiences from kinship carers who run their own groups. From looking after one another, to making sure that everyone feels supported.
Duration: 3 mins.
Tips for creating a safe support group space
- create guidelines, or group agreement for your group about things like confidentiality and mutual respect
- check meeting locations to make sure they are private enough for a sensitive conversation and accessible to those coming
- role model the way people can share (or not share) experiences
- work out boundaries for member discussions about particular topics (for example, the level of detail they might give about trauma)
- be inclusive and welcome all kinds of members
How do you build a safe space?
Everyone in group should feel heard, valued and safe. To make sure everyone has the opportunity to talk if they choose to, you might create a routine to your meetings. With introductions and group discussions. This routine can help focus conversations and set the feel for the group each time you meet.
Group behaviour is also really important to think about so everyone feels valued and safe, agreeing guidelines which everyone respects.
Things to think about:
- do people feel able to dip in and out of peer support
- is it okay for someone to listen in group and not to say anything
- are members able to decide how the peer support is run
- could you create a way to provide feedback? This could be a suggestion box or talking one-to-one with the group leader
Find out how to develop this further with your group agreement.