Understanding the Experiences of Mental Health Support Workers in Independent/Supported Living Facilities: A Thematic Analysis

The present study explored the experiences of Mental Health Support Workers in Independent/Supported Living Facilities to improve the provided training, support, and their overall work experience. Eleven semi-structured interviews were conducted and Thematic Analysis was employed to analyse the data. Following the analysis, five main themes were identified: Following a person-centred approach with service users, dealing with verbal abuse from service users, role confusion and practical solutions, promoting service users’ independence, and availability of support resources. The generated themes are discussed and clinical recommendations have been developed to inform policies, existing training, and support resources for Mental Health Support Workers.