While regulations do vary from state to state, the principals outlined in the following resources are broadly applicable as they relate to the application a risk management approach.

Mitigating vicarious trauma: Adopting an occupational safety approach.
(PDF Report).
Amy Nicholas’ Churchill Fellowship report on best practices in the mitigation of vicarious trauma in trauma-exposed workforces. Published in 2025 by The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust.

Work Design for Mental Health Resource Suite
& Psychosocial Hazard Work Re-Design Tool (PHReD-T)
(PDF Resources)
Developed as part of Safework NSW’s Mentally Healthy Workplaces Strategy - these resources provide a step-by-step guide to identifying and assessing psychosocial hazards, and implementing control measures through work redesign.

Vicarious Trauma Awareness & Prevention Project
(Video Series)
Developed by CPSU Victoria, these resources clearly outline the key ideas related to organisational prevention of VT; including Victorian WHS regulations, responsibilities & strategies.

Model Code of Practice: Managing psychosocial hazards at work
(Comprehensive Guide)
Safe Work Australia’s 2022 guideline provides clear direction for the management of psychosocial hazards under Australian WHS legislation. This Model Code of Practice has now been adopted in most states & territories.

WorkSafe Victoria’s Compliance Code: Psychological Health.
(Comprehensive Guide)
Comprehensive guideline for Victorian employers.

Vicarious Occupational Trauma Exposure (VOTE) Index (PDF Assessment Tool)
This assessment tool, developed by Harvard University, helps organisations measure and evaluate occupational trauma exposure across different roles. Particularly useful for measuring changes in exposure patterns when implementing control measures in line with WHS requirements.

Secondary Traumatic Stress Informed Organisation Assessment
(Online Assessment Tool)
Created by the University of Kentucky Center on Trauma & Children, this evidence-informed tool helps organisations assess their current capacity to address indirect trauma exposure. Provides a practical framework for identifying gaps and strengths in organisational response to trauma exposure.

STS Blueprint: Guide to Addressing Secondary Traumatic Stress (Interactive Online Resource)
While developed for social service organisations, this practical tool supports systematic assessment of organisational maturity in managing Secondary Traumatic Stress. Particularly useful for identifying areas for development in psychosocial safety systems.

Individual or group Critical Incident Stress Debriefing is currently not recommended in Australia.

This is due to evidence showing that the intervention can increase the risk of PTSD.

There is resounding support for the importance of connection and psychological safety in facilitating recovery from potentially traumatic exposures.

Psychological First Aid is currently considered best practice.

Mental Health First Aid Guidelines: Assisting a Person Following a Potentially Traumatic Event
(PDF Factsheet)

Phoenix Australia: Psychological First Aid Online Learning
(Paid eLearning)

Psychological First Aid Guide for Children’s Advocacy Center Supervisors
(Guideline)
This is a helpful guide for relevant for use beyond the context of Children’s Advocacy Centres.

Supervision Guidelines for a Vicarious Trauma-Informed Organization
(2 page evidence-based guideline)
Part of the US Office for Victims of Crime Vicarious Trauma Toolkit, this guideline provides clear practical advice for strengthening the effectiveness of supervision as a tool for VT prevention.

Trauma-Informed Workforce Management Resource 

(Web page)

Developed by SA DHS (Child Protection) this resource provides an in-depth mapping of the the personal and clinical impacts of burnout and VT; providing a framework for an integrated organisational response to prevention. This resource provides guidelines for:


• fostering ‘vicarious resilience’

• a trauma responsive framework


• trauma-informed supervision


• the prevention responsibilities of each tier of staff (practitioners, senior workers, supervisors and managers)