How can Simulation Coaching Improve Emotional Intelligence Skills and Situational Awareness in Child Protection Professionals?

Abstract

Emotional intelligence (EI) and situational awareness (SA) are important attributes for child protection professionals. In this qualitative study conducted in Finland, the aim was to explore how simulation-based learning could improve EI and SA of child protection professionals. Based on a learning needs assessment, a simulation-based educational intervention was provided for 36 professionals in 5 private providers of substitute care services for under 18-year-old children. Directly after the intervention, the participants were asked to recount in a short essay how the educational intervention had affected their EI and SA and other professional competence. Inductive content analysis was used to analyze the essays. The analysis revealed that the simulation coaching had been meaningful to the participants from four perspectives, increasing their awareness of their own and others’ emotions; making them better prepared to project themselves into another person’s position; increasing team intelligence, and as a form of work supervision. The results indicate that simulation coaching can be considered a useful tool for the development of EI, SA and related competencies in child protection professionals. Other professionals, whose work essentially involves close interaction with clients, may also consider the transferability of the findings to their work.

Keywords

• child protection
• emotional intelligence
• situational awareness