During 2023, concerns from within the Community Correctional Services (CCS) workforce led a team from West Area of the Department of Justice and Community Safety (Victoria, Australia) to develop a Psychological Safety Improvement Framework (PSIF). The framework was based on the understanding that if a workplace has poor support, limited recognition, lack of role clarity, or permits bullying, then staff are less likely to feel psychologically safe.This recognises that psychological hazards sit parallel to physical hazards, both pose risks to staff safety that need to be addressed.
The PSIF was introduced in the context of staff wellbeing issues that were being attributed to workload pressures and burnout in working within the community corrections environment, which had significantly impacted workforce recruitment and retention.
The PSIF was developed through co-design with the local workforce, a psychological safety subject matter expert, and with strong local leadership.
Since introduction, the PSIF has increased workforce understanding and awareness of psychological safety and provides a consistent framework to identify and mitigate staff wellbeing risks across this team, that is now being expanded across the jurisdiction.
In 2024 PSIF received the inaugural Departmental Award for Safety in the Workplace from the Secretary of the Department of Justice and Community Safety (DJCS) in Victoria.
Moderated by Wendy Hoey, Co-Chair, Healthcare Network, ICPA, Australia
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Michelle Wood
Executive Director, West Area, Department of Justice and Community Safety, Australia
Michelle Wood is the Executive Director, West Area, Department of Justice and Community Safety. As a law graduate Michelle began her career working as a community corrections officer. From there she held a range of senior management roles in Corrections Victoria where she led significant improvements across the adult corrections system. Michelle was the Project Director for the Community Correctional Services Sentencing Reform, which resulted in a significant expansion of community corrections officers, introduction of a new intensive case management model, a regionalised community work framework, and expanded range of programs to address offending behaviour. In her current role, Michelle is responsible for the delivery of integrated justice services in the Grampians and Barwon South-West regions which includes Community Correctional Services and Youth Justice. Michelle has been a member of the Victorian Youth Parole Board since 2021.
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Andrew Reaper
Senior Executive Director, Justice Services, Department of Justice and Community Safety, Australia
Andrew Reaper is currently the Senior Executive Director for Justice Services at the Department of Justice & Community Safety in Victoria, Australia which includes oversight of all community corrections services across the state. After many years working within the Youth Justice sector in Victoria, Andrew joined the Department of Justice in 2009 as Director, Office of Correctional Services Review and was later appointed Regional Director of the Barwon South West Region. He joined the Corrections Victoria team in early 2012 and took on the position of Deputy Commissioner, Offender Management in June 2012. Andrew joined Sodexo in early 2016, as Director, Government and Justice for Australasia before returning to Corrections Victoria in March 2019 as Assistant Commissioner, Custodial Services prior to commencing his current role. Andrew has an extensive background in the Justice and correction systems, with over 30 years in the public and private sector.
