ASPL Group

Today marks R U OK? Day.

So what do you say if someone says "I'm fine" and maybe there is a gut feeling there that it isn't the case?

- Ask once more, gently. "It's just that you don't seem yourself lately." Remember that you're not interrogating them but showing you meant the first question.

- If they knock it back, or deny they have a problem, don’t criticise them. Acknowledge they’re not ready to talk.

- Leave the door open to conversation: "That's alright, but call me when you feel like talking."

- Ask if you can check in with them again next week if you’re
still concerned.

- And if you're still worried, talk to someone else close to them. Ask whether they've noticed the same things.

A lot of the time people are mostly worried about saying the wrong thing…

Which actually is a good thing because if you’re worried, it usually means that you care about your response and how it might impact the individual whose asking for support.

There isn’t a perfect script or response when it comes to a mental health conversation but hopefully this provides some initial tips on what to do.

National Child Protection Week runs from 6 to 12 September 2026, with the theme Every
Conversation Matters: Shifting Conversation to Action.

National Child Protection Week is Australia's national campaign to prevent child abuse and
neglect before it happens.

At ASPL, shifting conversation to action means sustaining the workforce that keeps children safe, through trauma informed supervision, structured debriefing and psychological care.

You can explore the free 2026 Webinar program, downloadable resources and community
events via the NAPCAN website.

Find out more https://www.napcan.org.au/ncpw-2/

September is Su***de Prevention Month.

Much of the conversation understandably centres on what to do when someone is in crisis.

But a comprehensive approach to su***de prevention does more than support people who are already experiencing suicidal distress.

It also works to reduce the likelihood of that distress developing in the first place.

In workplaces, that means paying attention to the conditions people work in every day: workload, role clarity, isolation, and whether someone feels able to say they're not doing well.

It also means colleagues feeling confident enough to ask, and knowing that an honest answer will be met with care rather than awkwardness.

Creating that kind of workplace is one of the most useful things an organisation can do.

If you're concerned about a colleague, a loved one, or you're struggling yourself, support is available.

Lifeline: 13 11 14,
Su***de Call Back Service: 1300 659 467
13YARN: 13 92 76
Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800
MensLine Australia: 1300 789 978


***dePreventionMonth

When people feel safe to raise a concern, ask a question or say "I got that wrong", we know that teams work better, and any problems are able to be dealt with as soon as they arrive.

Building that openess has to be deliberate effort by leadership and also must be protected by leadership as well.

This is known as psychological safety, employers have a duty to protect workers from both physical and psychosocial hazards (the social, cultural and organisational factors that can cause psychological harm)

There are a few ways leaders can reduce psychosocial hazard.

Swipe through to learn about them ➡️

Most organisations that describe themselves as trauma-informed, but we believe trauma - informed care must move beyond simple modules or policy updates.

Trauma-informed practice starts from a different premise. Harm does not look the same for every worker, and neither does recovery.

A paramedic carrying a decade of cumulative exposure needs something different to a graduate three weeks in. There is no single support which that serves both.

What separates the organisations getting this right is not the training budget. It is that they build the process with their workforce, treat lived experience as design input and accept that the work is never finished.

Sleep is one of the three foundational pillars of health, alongside diet and exercise. A health issue, not just a lifestyle one.

Sleep Health Week runs 3 to 7 August. Explore your sleep. Transform your days.

37% of Australian adults say poor sleep is directly affecting their ability to work or study at least three days a week. For 18 to 44 year olds, it's five or more.

At work it rarely gets named as sleep. It shows up as slower decisions, near-misses, and shorter fuses in team interactions.

Rosters, on-call patterns and workload all shape how your people recover. Which makes it a job design question as much as a personal one.

The good news is that better sleep often starts with small, modifiable changes.

The Sleep Health Foundation has evidence-based fact sheets on shift work, fatigue and burnout. If you're concerned about your sleep, speak with your GP.