Organisational Support for Police Employees Investigating Child Abuse in Norway

Requests have been made for research addressing the mental health of police employees, especially studies on available organisational support and stigma. We explored the mental health work climate, opportunities for debriefing, and training among police employees who investigate child abuse cases in Norway. The data was collected through a survey: 77 police employees from six police districts responded, of whom 41% reported that there was an organisational focus on mental health and 20% had received training specific to child sexual Abuse material (CSAM). The majority (90%) endorsed the mandatory annual psychological consultations for police employees working with child abuse investigations. There were significant differences between the police districts regarding work pressure and mental health focus. A content analysis of open-ended responses identified five key categories: Lack of resources; Organised follow-up and debriefing; Acknowledgement and recognition from management; Guidance and training; and Teamwork as optimal work design. The primary stressor was a lack of resources, particularly understaffing and insufficient time. The respondents emphasised structured follow-up, debriefing and teamwork as key to providing a supportive work environment.