The Importance of Support in High-Stress Environments

Be More Shark
Jan 14
5 min read

A Hopeful Evolution of Prison Leadership for Frontline Workers

In the prison service, the weight of daily responsibilities is heavy. As highlighted in an article I saw on the BBC website today (link below), "I saw people die in jail – where was my support?" the psychological toll on staff is often overlooked. In response to this BBC article, I wanted to add my own take on the situation as I experienced it, and explore some solutions.

Witnessing violence, self-harm, and death becomes a grim routine, and yet, many of those who serve on the front lines, whether officers, healthcare professionals, or support workers, often find themselves with nowhere to turn when the pressure builds into fever pitch.

The failures of leadership and inadequate support systems compound the issue, leading to burnout, emotional fatigue, and in some cases, the inability to continue in the role. In some cases, I’ve known prison staff take their own lives where the pressure and feeling of failure has been too much to bear.

In high-stress environments like prisons, where lives hang in the balance, support is not just important; it is essential. Without it, the human cost is incalculable. The constant drip of pressure can feel hard to recognise and that’s where strong support and strong leadership can make a big difference.

The Role of Leadership in Providing Support

My roles in various prison leadership positions, as well as the initiatives I’ve been part of outside of the custodial world, have taught me that one of the most fundamental things a leader can do is to ensure support systems are in place. The absence of leadership creates a void, where staff, already under immense pressure, feel abandoned. In contrast, good leadership provides stability, fosters communication, and promotes mental resilience.

In an environment where vulnerability is often seen as a weakness, my peer support project, eventually resulting in the Andy’s Man Club framework gave men, both prisoners and staff, ability to talk. For the first time, there was a platform to openly discuss mental health, emotions, and struggles. That space for conversation, in turn, created a sense of community and support, reducing the stigma of mental health challenges.

Peer support ‘Men Supporting Men’ was a pilot project I implemented at HMP Channings Wood in 2017, initially facing resistance from both staff and prisoners alike. The prison environment can be incredibly harsh, and the macho culture often actively silences any discussion around emotions. But once those initial barriers were broken, the positive results are undeniable. Look at the data, the culture and retention rates, and it’ll all tell you the same thing. This stuff works.

Relationships between staff and prisoners improve as trust is built. It was a powerful reminder of how important it is to create spaces for people to be vulnerable without judgment. It highlighted the critical role leaders play in establishing and nurturing these environments.

Staff Care - A Support System for the Supporters

While initiatives like Andy's Man Club address the mental health of those in custody, it's equally important to provide similar support systems for prison staff. I’ve been part of creating staff care teams that offer just that. A place and network where frontline workers can decompress, reflect, and, most importantly, receive the emotional support they so often lack.

In the prison system, it’s easy (and convenient) for senior leadership to focus solely on operational needs and security protocols, all while neglecting the well-being of their staff who are dealing with trauma day in and day out.

Poor and invisible leadership exacerbates this issue, leaving staff feeling overwhelmed, isolated, and unable to cope. With no avenues to discuss the toll the job takes on their mental health, many find themselves on a fast track to burnout.

Without these systems in place, the impact on staff is often severe. Many frontline workers who struggle in silence eventually burn out, and some even develop long-term mental health issues such as PTSD. Worse still, this lack of support can affect the quality of care they provide to prisoners, creating a vicious cycle that leads to even more chaos within the prison system.

The solution to these issues is clear, yet often overlooked, visible and compassionate leadership. When leadership focuses solely on results, on maintaining control and order at the expense of staff well-being, the human cost is too high. Instead, by fostering open conversations, providing opportunities for staff to speak about their challenges, and actually embracing positive emotional and mental health, leaders can make an enormous difference.

When staff members know they can talk openly about their struggles without fear of judgment or retribution, they are more resilient, more engaged, and, ultimately, more effective in their roles.

The Cost of Poor Leadership

Unfortunately, not all environments are created equal, and poor leadership continues to plague many institutions, especially those that deal with vulnerable populations. Poor leadership is not just a management issue, it for me is an ethical one. It leads to disillusionment among staff, higher absenteeism, and a toxic culture where nobody feels supported. It creates environments where problems are hidden rather than addressed, and where staff are reluctant to speak out for fear of being labelled as weak.

In my experience, environments with poor leadership foster a cycle of burnout and disengagement. Staff who feel unsupported or unappreciated either leave or, worse, stay in the role but disengage completely, becoming a shell of their former selves. This not only affects their own mental health but also impacts the people they are there to serve, in this case, prisoners. When the staff are not supported, neither are the prisoners.

Calling Time

It’s time for a change in the way we think about support in high-stress environments like prisons. It is not enough to focus on the immediate, day-to-day operations and security measures. We must consider the long-term impact on the mental health and well-being of staff, and how that, in turn, affects the people they work with.

True rehabilitation focuses on relationships, giving people a choice in the way they go from that moment where they get ‘sent down’.

By investing in a better skilled and more compassionate leadership ethos, credible staff care teams, and peer support initiatives like Andy’s Man Club, we can create environments where people feel valued, supported, and capable of handling the challenges of their roles.

Without this, the cycle of burnout, emotional fatigue, and inadequate care will continue. Support is not a luxury. It is a necessity. It is time for leaders to step up and ensure that the people on the front lines are given the support they need to not only survive but thrive.