In their daily work, female professionals often come into contact with service users who have experienced trauma. Direct exposure to these experiences can lead to secondary traumatisation among professionals. The theoretical part of this master’s thesis presents the work of Centres for Social Work in the field of child protection, focusing on the procedures and measures aimed at safeguarding and protecting children and adolescents. It then explores the definitions of trauma, its symptoms and consequences, and working with users who have experienced trauma. Particular attention is given to secondary traumatisation: its symptoms, consequences, and preventive factors that help in the occurrence of secondary traumatisation. Strategies for coping with secondary traumatisation are also described. Finally, the thesis explores self-care in social work, self-care techniques, and the organisation’s care for its employees. In the following section of my master’s thesis, I present the results of a qualitative study conducted with professional workers employed at the Primorsko-Notranjska Centre for Social Work who specialise in child and adolescent protection. Using semi-standardised interviews, I obtained data on their understanding of secondary traumatisation and the types of cases in which it occurs. I also explored which symptoms of secondary traumatisation they recognise, and how they cope with it. Additionally, I gathered information on how the Centre for Social Work promotes the well-being of its employees. The professional workers understand secondary traumatisation to be a consequence of working with users who have experienced trauma. They most frequently observe the onset of secondary traumatisation after cases involving violence. The research results show that professional workers recognise insomnia, persistent thoughts about cases and altered relationships as symptoms of secondary traumatisation. They cope with secondary traumatisation through conversations, physical activity, and support from close ones. The Centre for Social Work supports its employees by organising monthly supervision sessions and providing training opportunities. Within the organisation, the workers attribute great importance to mutual support and support from management as key aspects of self-care.
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